Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 3

Today in World War II History—September 13, 1940 & 1945

Lt. Gen. Hatazo Adachi symbolically surrenders his sword to Australian Maj. Gen. H.C.H. Robertson at Wom Airstrip, New Guinea, 13 September 1945 (Australian War Memorial: 019296)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 13, 1940: In Luftwaffe raid on London, a bomb hits Buckingham Palace, destroying the Royal Chapel.

Italians invade Egypt from Libya, aiming for the Suez Canal.

Over Chongqing, China, Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters score their first air-to-air victories.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 13, 1945: Remaining Japanese forces in New Guinea surrender to Australians at Wewak.

The post Today in World War II History—September 13, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 12, 1940 & 1945

Image of a horse from Lascaux Cave (public domain via French Ministry of Culture: PA00082696)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 12, 1940: Germans announce that hostages will be imprisoned or executed in occupied France in reprisal for violence against German personnel.

French schoolboys discover Paleolithic cave drawings in Lascaux Cave in the Dordogne region.

Lord Louis Mountbatten and his Chiefs of Staff entering the Municipal Buildings in Singapore for the surrender ceremony, 12 Sep 1945 (Imperial War Museum: CF 717)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 12, 1945: British Military Administration in Malaya is established under Lord Louis Mountbatten as an interim government before the formation of the Malayan Union in April 1946.

British officially re-establish rule in Singapore.

The post Today in World War II History—September 12, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 11, 1940 & 1945

Hideki Tojo being treated by US medical personnel in Tokyo, Japan after his failed suicide attempt, 11 September 1945 (public domain via Wikipedia)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 11, 1940: Dutch SS is formed under Dutch Nazi collaborationist Anton Mussert.

Winston Churchill makes his first BBC broadcast from the underground Cabinet War Rooms.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 11, 1945: Gen. Douglas MacArthur orders arrest of 40 top Japanese war crime suspects, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. Tojo attempts suicide, but fails.

Operation Magic Carpet begins as the US fleet starts transporting troops home from the Pacific; by March 1946, 3.1 million are brought home.

The post Today in World War II History—September 11, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 10, 1940 & 1945

USS Midway (CVB-41) after her commissioning, Hampton Roads, VA, 10 September 1945 (US Navy photo: NH 97631)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 10, 1940: In London bombing raid, Luftwaffe bombs hit Victoria Station and Buckingham Palace.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 10, 1945: Norwegian Nazi collaborator Vidkun Quisling is sentenced to death for treason; he will be executed October 24.

Midway-class carrier USS Midway is commissioned at Newport News, VA, currently a museum ship in San Diego, CA.

The post Today in World War II History—September 10, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 9, 1940 & 1945

North American NA-73X, the prototype for the P-51 Mustang, 1940 (US government photo via North American Aviation)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 9, 1940: RAF bombs Berlin in first of 57 nights of bombing.

Imperial War Museum in London closes due to bomb damage.

Hermann Göring, head of the German Luftwaffe, orders the destruction of London and abandons attacks on RAF airfields.

The first NA-73X Mustang (prototype for the P-51) comes off the assembly line at North American Aviation in Inglewood, CA, only 127 days after the initial sketch.

Yasuji Okamura surrendering to He Yingqin, Nanjing, China, 9 September 1945 (US government photo via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 9, 1945: One million Japanese troops in China surrender at Nanjing at 9:00, the ninth hour of the ninth day of the ninth month.

Canada reintroduces meat rationing to allow exports to Europe.

The post Today in World War II History—September 9, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 8, 1940 & 1945

Surrender of Japanese Forces to US forces at Seoul in southern Korea, 9 September 1945 (US Navy photo: 80-G-391464)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 8, 1940: In a Luftwaffe raid on London, a direct hit on the air-raid shelter at Peabody Estate Whitechapel kills 78; St. Thomas’s hospital is hit and 5 nurses are killed.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 8, 1945: US 1st Cavalry Division enters Tokyo, and Gen. Douglas MacArthur raises US flag over the US embassy, the flag which flew over the US Capitol on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day.

US forces land at Inchon, Korea, to prevent Soviets from breaking agreement to occupy only North Korea.

The post Today in World War II History—September 8, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 7, 1940 & 1945

Smoke rising from the Surrey Docks, London, England, 8 Sep 1940, the morning after the opening night of “The Blitz,” with the Tower Bridge silhouetted against the smoke (US National Archives: 541917)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 7, 1940: London Blitz begins: Luftwaffe bombs London, killing 430, damaging docks, and razing the East End in the first of 57 consecutive night raids.

In Britain, “invasion imminent” alarm is sounded—church bells are rung, bridges are blown, and mines are laid.

Germans extend Nuremberg Laws to Luxembourg; Jews lose citizenship and can’t marry Gentiles.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 7, 1945: Allies hold a victory parade in Berlin.

The post Today in World War II History—September 7, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 6, 1940 & 1945

Vice Adm. John S. McCain, Sr. with his son Cdr. John S. McCain, Jr. together for the last time in Tokyo Bay at the surrender ceremony, 2 Sep 1945 (US Naval History & Heritage Command: NH 92607)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 6, 1940: King Carol II of Romania is forced by fascists to abdicate his throne to his eighteen-year-old son, Michael I, and Carol flees the next day.

German Adm. Erich Raeder permits greater warfare on Allied convoys, scrapping previous restrictions, but still honoring the Pan-American Neutrality Zone.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 6, 1945: At Rabaul, Japanese surrender to Australians all forces in Australian territory, 139,000 men in the Bismarcks, the Solomons, and New Guinea.

Vice Adm. John McCain Sr. (grandfather of the late Senator McCain) dies of a heart attack at his coming-home party in San Diego, age 61.

The post Today in World War II History—September 6, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 5, 1940 & 1945

Louis Zamperini, U.S. Army Air Forces, 1943 (US Army photo)

85 Years Ago—Sept. 5, 1940: King Carol II of Romania is forced to give powers to fascist Gen. Ion Antonescu.

Rioting by fascists in Romania destroys Jewish businesses.

Japanese troops enter French Indochina without permission; Vichy France suspends talks.

80 Years Ago—Sept. 5, 1945: Lt. Louis Zamperini (Unbroken) is liberated from a Japanese prison camp.

The post Today in World War II History—September 5, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 4, 1940 & 1945

 

Logo of isolationist America First Committee, 1940-41

85 Years Ago—Sept. 4, 1940: Hitler vows to eradicate British cities.

The commander at the RAF field at Biggin Hill blows up his own hangars to stop Luftwaffe raids.

America First Committee, an isolationist group dedicated to keeping the US out of WWII, is established in Chicago, originating with Yale students.

General Seishiro Itagaki signing surrender documents aboard HMS Sussex at Singapore, 4 Sep 1945 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-01 A 30481)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 4, 1945: Japanese forces in Singapore and Malaya surrender to the British.

German weather station Haudegen at Spitsbergen, Norway, surrenders to a Norwegian seal hunter, the final German unit to surrender.

Igor Gouzenko, cipher clerk at Soviet embassy in Ottawa, defects to Canada with documents about Soviet espionage in the West.

The post Today in World War II History—September 4, 1940 & 1945 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.