Expenditures Cut – 2-3
Harrison Proposes Joint Study By Congress to Adjust Finances – 4-5
Facts of 1941 Budget Offered by President – 5
Vandenberg Asks Bid to Jackson Day Dinner Like First, Marking End of National Debt – 5
Finnish Pamphlets Rain on Leningrad; Reds Bomb Tornea – 6-7
The International Situation – 7
$100,000 More Sent For Finnish Relief – 7-8
200 Hungarians Off to Fight For Finland – 8
Parachute Troops Fail Soviet So Far – 8
Collective Farming in Finland Is Expected As War Measure to Overcome Shortages – 8
Floodlights Used by Finns To Spot Foe Crossing Ice – 8
Allies Discuss Scandinavian War; Ready to Fight to Protect Flank – 9
Spies Said to Help Russians in Finland – 10
Incidents in European Conflict – 10
All British Ships Are Requisitioned – 11
Red Menace called Greater Than Nazism – 11
Sails to Organize Ambulance Corps – 11
Canada, U.S. Revive St. Lawrence Plan – 12
Reich Names Staff For War Economy – 13
Unity Mitford Said Not to Know of War – 13
Roosevelt Speech Scored By Dewey - 13
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/jan40/f05jan40.htm
Chamberlain shuffles Cabinet
Friday, January 5, 1940 www.onwar.com
In Britain... There is a ministerial reshuffle. Oliver Stanley replaces Leslie Hore-Belisha at the War Office (i.e., the Army Ministry), Lord Reith becomes Minister of Information and Sir Andrew Duncan comes to the Board of Trade. Hore-Belisha was given the option of having another senior post in the government by Chamberlain, however, he replied that he preferred to leave the government. He had been involved in quarrels with the army generals over strategy and his own insistence on better welfare services for the troops.
The Winter War... The Soviet 18th Division is encircled north of Lake Ladoga. The first contingent of Swedish volunteer troops reach Finland.
In Moscow... The USSR accuses Norway and Sweden of pursuing “unneutral” policy.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/05.htm
January 5th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: London: The actress Vivien Leigh is sued for divorce.
Leslie Hore-Belisha, the Secretary of State for War, has resigned from the cabinet. Mr. Chamberlain told him that he could have another senior post, but must be moved from the War Office. Mr. Hore-Belisha had quarrelled with the army generals over strategy and his own insistence on better welfare services for the troops, retorted that he preferred to leave the government.
PM Chamberlain changes his cabinet. Oliver Stanley becomes Minister of War; Lord Reith becomes Minister for Information and Sir Andrew Duncan arrives at the Board of Trade.
RAF Bomber Command: Leaflets and reconnaissance - Hamburg - Bremen. 51 Sq. Two aircraft. Opposition moderate.
Security Patrols - Hornum - Borkum. 51 Sq. Two aircraft. Opposition moderate.
GERMANY:
U-439, U-440, U-441, U-442 ordered
U-752 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
SPAIN: The German tanker SS Nordmeer, which sailed from Curacao, Netherlands West Indies, on 9 December 1939, reaches Vigo, Spain. (Jack McKillop)
FINLAND: The Soviet 18th Division is encircled north of Lake Ladoga.
The first contingent of Swedish volunteer troops reach Finland.
The Finnish 9th Division starts an attack in the Raate road, which leads to nearly complete destruction of Soviet’s 44th Division in two days. The first Soviet air attack on the general headquarters town of Mikkeli causes 29 dead. (Jack McKillop)
Both Norway and Sweden reject an Allied request to allow unofficial aid shipments to pass through them onto Finland. (Mikko Härmeinen)
U.S.S.R.: The government accuses Norway and Sweden of pursuing an “unneutral” policy. (Jack McKillop)
Swedish transport Fenris sunk by gunfire from Soviet submarine SC-311. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: ASW trawler HMS Kingston Cornelian sunk in collision with French SS Chella East of Gibraltar. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: The first demonstration of Frequency Modulated (FM) radio transmission, developed by E H Armstrong, is given to the Federal Communications Commission. The first U.S. commercial FM radio station will begin broadcasting in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 1941. (Jack McKillop)
Destroyer USS Roe commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
As I read the article about FDR’s deficit budget, two thoughts came to mind:
1. Just how far to the left the Times has gone in 70 years. Today’s article on a far worse budget would not contain any criticism you saw 70 years ago.
2. Reading this article and thinking of 0bama’s budget, I was reminded of the definition of insanity: Trying the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
This is most interesting. When Communists and Nazis were on the same side, Americans considered Communists the greater threat. But this is still January 1940.
In 18 months, after the Nazis have overrun western Europe, and then turned on their Communist allies, Americans will again consider the Nazis a greater menace, by overwhelming margins.