August

1939 The British fleet is put on full alert. 1940 RAF’s worst day in Battle of Britain: most bases out of action, 41 planes lost. RAF 303 Squadron (Polish) flies first patrol and makes first kill. Weekly rations in Vichy France now 4oz of sugar, 6oz spaghetti, 1.5oz rice and 3oz margarine per person. 1941 […]

1940 The British Battleship Valiant, the Aircraft Carrier Illustrious and two Cruisers leave Gibraltar bound for Alexandria to reinforce Admiral Cunningham’s Mediterranean fleet. In an effort to avert war between her allies Romania and Hungary and to secure his southern flank prior to attacking the Soviet Union, Germany and Italy under the second Vienna Award

1940 Germany apologizes to Eire for Wexford bombing. Intense dogfights over London and Home Counties. Britain refuses German proposal to use 64 Red Cross ships to rescue airmen from the English Channel. Vichy France agree to Japanese demands that they be allowed to station forces in northern Indochina. First mass jump by US paratroopers, at

1940 Vichy French radio announces that laws protecting Jews in France have been dropped. Alter the ‘voluntary dissolution of all political parties’, President Konoye of Japan announces structure to ‘unite the total energies of the state and people.’ Luftwaffe makes first night bombing raid over Britain. RAF bombs Berlin, killing ten, the first Germans killed

1939 Britain and France try to persuade Poland to negotiate with Germany, but she refuses. 1940 Raids continue on London, Midlands, Southwest England and Wales. Armed merchant-cruiser Dunvegan Castle sunk by U46 off Ireland. President Roosevelt authorizes call into service of Army Reserve and National Guard for 12 months. 1941 British government takes over railways

1939 Hitler cancels the order for the invasion of Poland on this day. He sets a new date of the 1st September. 1940 First Canadian fighter pilot in RCAF squadron is killed in combat in the Battle of Britain. Eire government protests to Berlin over bombs dropped in County Wexford, killing three girls. London raided

1939 A mutual assistance treaty is signed by Poland and Britain. Mussolini complains to Hitler that he is not yet ready for war. 1940 Luftwaffe attacks continue against the RAF’s airfields in southeast England. The first night-attack by RAF on Berlin’s industrial targets is made by 43 aircraft from RAF Bomber Command in retaliation for

1940 USS Constitution named symbolic flagship of US Fleet at Boston. Medical journalLancet publishes first study by Howard Florey and Ernest Chain about penicillin. The Luftwaffe begins a new phase in its offensive by sending over a higher proportion of fighters to bombers, in an effort to keep losses down. The unofficial start of the Blitz on London

1939 Joseph Stalin and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop sign a non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Germany, freeing Hitler to invade Poland and Stalin to invade Finland. 1940 RAF cuts pilot training period from 1 month to 2 weeks. 1942 Hitlers orders that Leningrad should finally be captured after a siege which

1940 Churchill dispatches a heavily armed convoy with 150 tanks to reinforce the middle east. The first cross-Channel artillery duel—Germans bombard Dover and British reply. 1942 Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy after 16 ships lost to German U-boats, opening airbases to cover Allied shipping and opening the South Atlantic air route; Brazil will