Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 280

Today in World War II History—Dec. 2, 1941

Soviet troops outside of Moscow, Russia, 1 Dec 1941 (Russian International News Agency)

75 Years Ago—Dec. 2, 1941: German Army reaches the Moscow suburb of Khimki in sight of the Kremlin, its deepest penetration in the USSR.

Today in World War II History—Dec. 1, 1941

75 Years Ago—Dec. 1, 1941: US forms Civil Air Patrol for civilian pilots to aid in Civil Defense.

Japanese Navy changes its communications code, blinding the US to its movements.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 30, 1941

US 30th Division in Army maneuvers, Cheraw, South Carolina, 19 Nov 1941 (US Army photo)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 30, 1941: RAF Whitley damages U-71 in Bay of Biscay in first use of air-to-surface radar.

Japanese Emperor Hirohito gives Prime Minister Tojo permission to wage war on US; Tojo rejects US peace proposal.

US Army maneuvers in North and South Carolina conclude.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 29, 1941

Football program for the 1941 United States Military Academy vs. United States Naval Academy football game. On page 180 of the program is a bow view of the U.S.S. “Arizona” with text that says, “It is significant that despite the claims of air enthusiast no battleship has yet been sunken by bombs.” (Smithsonian Institute)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 29, 1941: Italians counterattack near Sidi Rezegh, Libya, and almost destroy New Zealand unit.

Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia; Navy wins 14-6.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 28, 1941

75 Years Ago—Nov. 28, 1941: USS Enterprise departs Pearl Harbor to deliver Marine F4F Wildcats to Wake Island, saving the carrier from the coming attack.

Movie premiere of Abbott and Costello’s Keep ’Em Flying to coincide with War Department’s Keep ’Em Flying Week.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 27, 1941

Japanese Ambassador Adm. Kichisaburo Nomura and Special Envoy Saburo Kurusu after meeting with US President Roosevelt, White House, Washington, DC, 27 Nov 1941 (public domain via WW2 Database)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 27, 1941: US commanders warn land and naval forces of possible Japanese attacks at Hawaii, Philippines, Malaya, or Dutch East Indies.

New song in Top Ten: “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”

Joe DiMaggio (NY Yankees) with 56-game hitting streak is voted American League MVP over Ted Williams (Boston Red Sox) with .406 batting average; both records still stand.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 26, 1941

Sailors of carrier Zuikaku winching up the anchor, Itrup, Kurile Islands, 26 Nov 1941; en route to attack Pearl Harbor (public domain via WW2 Database)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 26, 1941: Japanese fleet departs the Kurile Islands for attack on Pearl Harbor.

US Secretary of State Cordell Hull submits final proposal for peace to the Japanese.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 25, 1941

Explosion on HMS Barham, 25 Nov 1941 (Imperial War Museum)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 25, 1941: British battleship HMS Barham sunk by U-331 off Bardia, Libya (862 killed), the first battleship sunk by a sub and the only undamaged Allied battleship in the Mediterranean.

US rejects Japanese proposal and insists Japan withdraws from Indochina and China.

In Berlin, Hitler meets with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammad Amin al-Husayni, agreeing on elimination of Jews.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 24, 1941

Erwin Rommel with the German 15th Panzer Division in Libya, 24 Nov 1941 (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1941: Two German POWs in Britain escape by forging papers & stealing an RAF plane, but are recaptured when they run out of fuel.

German Gen. Erwin Rommel splits Allied forces in Libya, but fails to advance.

Today in World War II History—Nov. 23, 1941

Pieter Gerbrandy, Prime Minister of Dutch government-in-exile, 1941 (Dutch National Archive)

75 Years Ago—Nov. 23, 1941: US Army occupies Surinam (Dutch Guiana) with cooperation of Dutch government-in-exile to secure bauxite mines.

First Soviet truck convoy crosses frozen Lake Ladoga to supply besieged Leningrad.