WWII Today in History. On these pages you will find of some of the most important events that shaped World War 2.
Celebrated British actor David Niven (1910-1983), who played in about a hundred movies including A Matter of Life and Death, Around the World in 80 Days and Separate Tables,was born into a military family. His father served in World War I and died at Gallipoli when David was 5 years old. His maternal grandfather was an officer killed …
1940 British railroads are nationalized. 1941 The Italian troops stay between Agedabia and El-Agheila. In Libya, the British are victorious at Beda Fomm; 20,000 troops of the Italian Tenth Army surrender. General Graziani ask Mussolini for substitution as a commander of the Italian forces at North Africa, and as Libyan Governor. 1942 After just over …
1940 The Finnish 9th Division finally manages to encircle the Russian 54th Division in Kuhmo. Finnish pilot Lt. Sarvanto, flying a Fokker, shoots down six out of seven Russian SB-2 bombers in just 5 minutes. The Russian 44th Division’s commander General Vinogradov, authorizes the remainder of his troops to try escape back to Russian lines. …
1941 The Battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau sail from the Baltic to the Atlantic, causing absolute havoc to shipping routes and timetables. RAF reconnaissance planes report that the Italians are beginning to evacuate Benghazi in a withdrawal towards El Agheila. The 7th Armoured Division is given immediate instructions to advance from Mechili across the desert in …
1941 33 Italian Fascist Party leaders are dispatched to bolster morale on the Albanian front. Hitler reviews the plans for Operation ‘Barbarossa’, as German intelligence estimates that 155 Red Army divisions are deployed in western Russia against just 116 German and Axis divisions. The starting date is again confirmed as the 15th May 1941. The …
1939 Hungary breaks relations with the Soviet Union. 1940 Big Russian offensive continues on the Karelia front. Italian Jews banned from serving as engineers, professors, or journalists, and from serving Gentiles as doctors or lawyers. 1941 5th Indian Division captures Barentu, forcing the Italians to withdraw towards the mountain fortress at Keren. Indian & British …
A mid-air collision on February 1, 1943, between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area, became the subject of one of the most famous photographs of World War II. An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of control, probably with a wounded pilot then continued its crashing …
1940 General Timoshenko launches his big offensive across the iced up straits of Viipuri Bay, although Finnish aircraft raids disrupt these attacks. The battleship Alabama (BB-60) is laid down at the Norfolk, Virginia. In Japan, expenditure on the military accounts for half of the national budget for 1940. 1941 The Admiral Hipper slips out of …
1940 Sir John Simon announces food subsidies are running at £1,000,000 per week. 1941 The new recruits of the ‘Nordland’ Regiment give their oath to SS Reichsführer Himmler in Oslo. The Italian garrison at Metemma in northern Abyssinia, having been under increasing pressure for the past 3 weeks, begins to withdraw towards Gondar, allowing the …
1933 Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany 1939 Hitler threatens Jews during Reichstag speech. 1941 Australian troops capture Derna as the Italians begin to withdraw towards Benghazi. The 1st South African Division launches a feint attack against Mega in southern Abyssinia, in order to prevent the Italians from sending troops to reinforce their hard pressed forces …
