REICH AND ITALY EXPEL U. S. CONSULS; GERMAN-SOVIET TENSION IS UNABATED (6/20/41)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 6/20/41 | C.L. Sulzberger, Harold Denny, Pertinax, Hanson W. Baldwin

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Winston S. Churchill, The Grand Alliance

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Nazis Accuse Aides – 2
Secrecy on Shipping Kept by Churchill; Rejects demand for Debate on Sea War – 2
The International Situation – 3
Demobilizing of Red Army Said to Be German Demand – 3-4
Churchill Would Rebuild the Chamber as It Was – 4
German Tank Coup Won Desert Fight – 5
R.A.F. Raids Bases of Axis in Africa – 5-6
De Seversky Asks Air Arm Autonomy – 6
A Warship Turns In at Singapore for Repairs (photo) – 6
Russian Passivity on Turks a Puzzle – 6-7
Britain’s Losses at Sea – 7
Texts of Day’s War Communiques – 8-9
R.A.F. Sears Ports in Long Offensive – 9
Rare Fresh Peaches on London Market – 9

[Colonel_Flagg]

GERMAN-SOVIET TENSION IS UNABATED

I predict a throwdown.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/jun41/f20jun41.htm

U-boat encounters USS Texas

Friday, June 20, 1941 www.onwar.com

In the North Atlantic... A German U-boat sights the American battleship Texas within the area that Germany has declared is the operational area for U-boats. However, after checking with the U-boat command, the Texas is not attacked.

In Finland... All reservists under the age of 45 are called up.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Continuing to enjoy and appreciate your work. Daily must-read.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/20.htm

June 20th, 1941

UNITED KINGDOM: London: In view of the failure of “Operation Battleaxe”, the British attack against Rommel to relieve Tobruk, Churchill has decided to replace Sir Archibald Wavell as C-in-C Middle East. He believes that the defeat, coming so soon after Rommel’s successful offensive and his rebuff of the Allied attack last month, shows that fresh blood is needed to restore British fortunes.
Wavell will be told shortly that his successor is to be General Sir Claude Auchinleck, C-in-C India. Although the latter’s only combat experience so far in this war has been command of the Anglo-French forces at Narvik, he saw much action in Mesopotamia in 1914-18 and later on the North-West Frontier of India. Known as “The Auk”, he is highly regarded and has a keen brain, although he is not as intellectual as Wavell.

Destroyer HMS Relentless laid down.
Escort carrier HMS Audacity (ex-SS Hannover) commissioned.

Minelayer HMS Manxman commissioned.
Corvette HMS Campion launched.

Trawler HMS Resmilo bombed and sunk off Peterhead.

(Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY:

U-506 launched.
U-351 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

FINLAND: Reservists under 45 are called up.

In south-eastern Finland civilian population in municipalities along the Fenno-Soviet border are evacuated. (Mikko Härmeinen)

U.S.S.R.: A Soviet aerial formation, the 6th Fighter Corps, is set up in Moscow for the defence of the capital. On Sunday 22 June, civil air raid precautions in Moscow are to be tested “under realistic conditions.”

SYRIA: The Office Francais d’Information (OFI) [Vichy] announced:

Yesterday the British attempted unsuccessfully to attack Damascus and Merjayoun [Lebanon]. Indian and British troops advanced in the area south and southeast of Damascus, but we succeeded in repulsing them in counterattacks by our armoured units and took 400 prisoners. Yesterday afternoon our troops warded off an enemy attack in the mountainous zone of southern Lebanon. We took 80 prisoners in this operation. Along the coast, the British fleet continued to bombard or positions.

Free French thrust from Deraa to relieve hard-pressed 5 Ind Bde at Mezze fails. Brig Lloyd and the remnants of his brigade surrender, with food and ammunition exhausted. Maj-Gen Evetts (6 Brit Div) is ordered to take over the whole eastern sector. He is reinforced by two battalions of 6 Aust Div and ordered to take Damascus. In evening, 2/3 Bn opens renewed attack on Mezze and Beirut road, clearing forts southwest of Damascus. A French counter-attack recaptures some of the heights and the CO and HQ of 2/3 Bn, but they are freed by another Australian attack in the morning. A detached coy of 2/3 Bn cuts the Damascus-Beirut road. (Michael Alexander)

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Brockville launched Sorel, Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Major-General Henry “Hap” Arnold is appointed C-in-C of the re-named US Army Air Force.
Jack McKillop adds: The U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) is created and the Office, Chief of the Air Corps and the Air Force Combat Command are assigned to the USAAF. Major General Henry H. “Hap” Arnold is named Chief of the USAAF and made directly responsible to the Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall. The reason for the change is to coordinate the activities of the Air Force Combat Command and the office of the Chief of the Air Corps.

Washington: Addressing Congress regarding the sinking of the US merchant freighter SS Robin Moor by the German submarine U-69 on 21 May 1940, Roosevelt accuses the Nazi government of being international outlaws, engaging in piracy with the aim of world conquest.

In his speech, the President notes that the sinking of the ship is a “warning that the United States may use the high seas of the world only with Nazi consent. Were we to yield on this we would inevitably submit to world-domination at the hands of the present leaders of the German Reich. We are not yielding and we do not propose to yield.” The speech is forwarded to the German Embassy for their information. (Jack McKillop)

The USN’s Task Group 2.6 consisting of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7), the heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and two destroyers departs Hampton Roads, Virginia, for a neutrality patrol that ends at Bermuda on 4 July. Serving in USS Wasp are Marine Bombing Squadron One (VMB-1), Fighting Squadron Seventy One (VF-71) and Scouting Squadron Seventy Two (VS-72). (Jack McKillop)

Three USN submarines conduct deep submergence tests off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. At 0738 hours, USS O-9 (SS-70) submerged with 33 men aboard; the sub did not surface thereafter but was crushed by the pressure of the water 402 feet (122.5 m) below. The sub went down 15 miles (24.1 km) off Portsmouth in the area where submarine USS Squalus (SS-192) had been lost on 23 May 1939. The sub was too deep for rescue efforts and the ship was declared a total loss on 22 June. (Jack McKillop)

In baseball, the Detroit Tigers play the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium in New York City and Joe DiMaggio goes 4-for-5 against Tiger pitchers Bobo Newsom and Archie McKain. DiMaggio’s double and three singles extends his hitting streak to 33 games. (Jack McKillop)

Two motion pictures are released in the U.S. today.
“Out of the Fog,” a gangster drama, based on Irwin Shaw’s play “The Gentle People,” is directed by Anatole Litvak and stars Ida Lupino, John Garfield, Thomas Mitchell, Eddie Albert, George Tobias, Leo Gorcey and John Qualen. The plot has fisherman Mitchell being shaken down by gangster Garfield. Afraid to go to the police, Mitchell decides to take matters in is own hands after Garfield falls in love with Mitchell’s daughter (Lupino).

“The Reluctant Dragon,” an animated documentary, has Robert Benchley taking the audience on a tour through the Walt Disney studios. Alan Ladd plays one of the animators we meet along the way. (Jack McKillop)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-203 sights the American battleship USS TEXAS (BB-35) inside Germany’s blockade area around Britain. U-203 attacks, but the attack fails and the U-boat remains undetected by the Texas.

The USN’s battleship USS Texas (BB-35), escorted by three destroyers, is sailing in what the Germans consider as the war, or “blockade” zone, when sighted by the submarine U-203. The Americans are unaware of the sub but they outdistance the sub preventing an attack. As a result of this event, Grossadmiral Erich Raeder, chief of the German Navy, issues an order stating that U.S. warships may only be attacked if they cross the western boundary of the blockade area by 20+ miles (32.2+ km) or within the 20-mile (32.2 km) strip along the western edge of the zone. (Jack McKillop)

After her capture on May 9 she has been berthed at Freetown, Sierra Leone. There she has been crewed by a scratch crew of volunteers who are all looking for a rapid means of returning to the UK having recently lost their own ships. These crew included Peter de Neumann (George Medal, later Captain) who is due to be married and is trying to get home quickly. He signs on as Second Officer.

CRITON sails in convoy SL78, but cannot maintain convoy speed due to the earlier sabotage. She is ordered back to Freetown at noon by the convoy escort, HMS ESPERANCE BAY. (Bernard de Neumann)

U-123 sank SS Ganda. (Dave Shirlaw)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I predict a throwdown.

Unlikely. Walter Duranty reported just three days ago, on 17th, that the military posturing is just to back up negotiations between the two regimes. Duranty has good sources inside the Kremlin

[TalonDJ]

Unlikely. Walter Duranty reported just three days ago, on 17th, that the military posturing is just to back up negotiations between the two regimes. Duranty has good sources inside the Kremlin

That makes sense. Germany is already tied up in Lybia and Syria and has hardly had time to consolidate its wins in Greece and Crete. It is doubtful they would attempt something on the scale of an attack on Russia.

[beebuster2000]

correct me if i am wrong, but doesnt hitler attack russia in two days, on june 22? so at this point the whermacht is on final countdown with 2 million men massed on russia’s border, and the russians are clueless?

pretty amazing.

[Larry381]

I myself at one time believed that Germany was on the verge of war with the Soviets but according to Mr Duranty there is a good possibility that many of these rumors are nothing but anti-German propaganda put out by the British ambassador and the British secret service to poison the waters between Germany and Russia.

[CougarGA7]

Besides, doesn’t Germany have an extensive trade deal with the Soviets. I seem to recall they created this deal even before the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. If they attacked the Soviet Union all those supplies that they need for their war effort would stop immediately. It doesn’t seem to make sense for them to attack their main trade partner. I think Duranty is right. Clearly this is just some posturing for more trade negotiations.

[CougarGA7]

Aside from General Wavell’s firing as C-in-C of the Middle East and is replacement by Sir Claude Auchinleck, I also have this interesting tidbit:

A report on the preparedness of Wehrmacht on the eastern front was released today. In it it was found that 73 German divisions on the front are at a level below the highest classification for a divisions readiness for offensive operation.

I imagine that once operations start some of these divisions will become very quickly depleted.

[CougarGA7]

Aside from General Wavell’s firing as C-in-C of the Middle East and is replacement by Sir Claude Auchinleck, I also have this interesting tidbit:

A report on the preparedness of Wehrmacht on the eastern front was released today. In it it was found that 73 German divisions on the front are at a level below the highest classification for a divisions readiness for offensive operation.

I imagine that once operations start some of these divisions will become very quickly depleted.

[Larry381]

Another reason why Germany is not crazy enough to start a war the Soviets.
While there's little doubt the Germans would defeat the Russians in a relatively short span, why jeopardize the constant supply of raw materials being received from the Soviets, especially the large quantities of manganese, chrome, cotton and rubber.
Many of the riches Stalin is now sending to his erstwhile trading partner are in short supply in the USSR itself, which only proves how important Stalin believes the pact to be and I'm sure Hitler is of a like mind.

[CougarGA7]

Maybe this is just a feint and Germany is getting ready to attack Britain.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/2011/06/day-659-june-20-1941.html

Day 659 June 20, 1941

Damascus, Syria. 2 companies of Indian 3/1st Punjab Regiment and 2 companies of French Marines attempt but fail to relieve 5th Indian Infantry Brigade trapped in Mezze, 3 miles West of Damascus on the Vichy-held road from Quneitra. Overnight, Free French troops, British anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns and an Australian machine-gun battalion capture Qadim on the Deera-Damascus road.

At 8.30 PM, U-123 sinks neutral Portuguese SS Ganda off Casablanca with 3 torpedoes and the deck gun (3 crew and 2 passengers killed, 61 escape in a motorboat and a lifeboat). U-203 sights WWI-era US battleship USS Texas in the North Atlantic 750 miles West of Ireland, within the U-boats’ operational area. U-203 does not attack after checking with U-boat command, avoiding conflict with USA.