Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 289

Today in World War II History—Sept. 7, 1941

Sara Delano Roosevelt with son Franklin, 1887 (Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Public Domain Photographs)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 7, 1941: Sara Delano Roosevelt, mother of the president, dies at age 86 in Hyde Park, NY.

Today in World War II History—Sept. 6, 1941

Light cruiser USS Atlanta christened by author Margaret Mitchell during her launching ceremony, Kearny, NJ, 6 Sep 1941 (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 6, 1941: Japanese open offensive toward Changsha, China.

Light cruiser USS Atlanta launched, Kearny NJ, christened by Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind.

Today in World War II History—Sept. 5, 1941

Boeing B-17E in flight, 1942. (U.S. Air Force photo)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 5, 1941: Children under 12 evacuated from Moscow as Nazis advance.

Maiden flight of B-17E model (added tail, radio, top & ball turret guns); 512 will be made through May 1943.

Nationwide movie premiere of Citizen Kane (New York premiere 5/1/41).

Soviet soldier teaching civilians how to disarm a un-exploded German incendiary bomb, Sverdlov Square, Moscow, 1 Sep 1941 (Russian International News Agency)

Today in World War II History—Sept. 4, 1941

USS Greer (US Navy photo)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 4, 1941: Off Iceland, British bomber signals destroyer USS Greer and bombs U-652; Greer and U-652 exchange torpedo and depth charge attacks, no damage; first US attack on U-boat, first attack by U-boat on US warship.

Today in World War II History—Sept. 3, 1941

Labels taken from canisters of Zyklon B from Dachau, used as evidence at the Nuremberg Trials (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 3, 1941: First experimental use of gas chambers at Auschwitz, using Zyklon-B.

Soviets begin rounding up ethnic Germans in USSR; by January 1942, 800,000 will be sent to Siberia.

Trial begins for 33 German spies in Duquesne ring, in Brooklyn NY.

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

World War II poster with quote from Donald M. Nelson (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 2, 1941: Germans and Lithuanians kill 3700 Jews of Vilna in Ponary Forest.

Donald Nelson succeeds Edward Stettinius as Director of Priorities Division of US Office of Price Administration.

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

North Atlantic Convoy. Photographed by a USS Ablemarle (AV-5) plane, October 1941. Note the large proportion of tankers in this convoy. At the time, USS Ablemarle was based at Argentia, Newfoundland. National Archives photograph, 80-G-405261.

75 Years Ago—Sept. 1, 1941: German Jews over 6 years of age required to wear yellow star, as Jews in occupied territories already are, effective Sept. 19.

US Navy assumes responsibility for trans-Atlantic convoys between Newfoundland and Iceland (W of 22˚ W); Royal Navy remains responsible for escort to the east.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 31, 1941

A member of the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) serving with a 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun battery, December 1942 (Imperial War Museum)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 31, 1941: Soviet Baltic Fleet completes evacuation of Talinn, Estonia (28,000 military personnel and civilians evacuated—13,000 killed in sinkings).

In Stalingrad, posters proclaim “The Enemy Is at the Gates!”

Antiaircraft battery opens in London, staffed by the first British women in combat.

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

Ice forming on 20-inch signal projector on cruiser HMS Sheffield while she escorts an Arctic convoy to Russia, December 1941 (Imperial War Museum)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 30, 1941: Germans sever railway link between Leningrad and rest of USSR.

First British Arctic convoy arrives at Arkhangelsk, Russia.

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

Soviet and British soldiers rendezvous near Qazvin, Iran, 1941 (Soviet photo, public domain)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 29, 1941: Finns retake Viipuri on Karelian Isthmus from Soviets, closing the northern flank of Leningrad.

Cease-fire in Iran—USSR & Britain occupy.

Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies resigns, replaced by Arthur Fadden.