RUSSIANS WITHIN A MILE OF VIBORG; CITY BURNING; FINNS ARE IN RETREAT (3/1/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, Cabrillo College Library | 3/1/40 | K.J. Eskelund, Otto D. Tolischus

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

[SomeCallMeTim]

Why were NONE of them better prepared? Why did none even consider taking preemptive actions. Why was it always necessary to accept the first blows, even when the enemy was a known rabid beast?

The same questions will be ask about our generation after Iran uses their first nuclear weapon.

[henkster]

It comes down to the means to fight as opposed to the will to fight. In France in 1940, as in the United States today, the means to fight were abundant. France had a large, modern, well trained and well equipped army, led by a professional officer corps. But when it came down to it, the political leadership and top military commanders didn’t have the will to fight and that trickled down through the officer corps to the troops. The next thing they knew, the German troops were complimenting the Parisians for lining the Champs Elysee with tree so they could march in the shade.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/2010/03/day-183-march-1-1940.html

Day 183 March 1, 1940

Finland. USSR’s Feb 23 peace offer expires; Finns hold out for more Allied offers of assistance. Finnish ambassadors in London and Paris ask for 100 bombers and 50,000 troops. Illustrating the discord among the Allies, the French promise these assets while Britain realistically notes that these are not available. Red Army is now only 6 km from Viipuri and cuts several main roads into the city, overtaking retreating Finnish defenders. Major-General Wallenius transfers from Lapland to command a new Coastal Group defending Viipuri from attacks across the ice. He panics at the sight of the defenses and goes off to get drunk. Further North, Lieutenant-Colonel Magnus Dyrssen, commander of the Swedish volunteer battalion which took over the Salla front on 28 Feb, is killed by shellfire.

Battle of the Atlantic. Heinkel 111s bomb and sink Norwegian D/S Vestfoss (cargo of coal) 10 miles East of the Orkneys. All 19 crew are rescued from the lifeboats by trawler Star of Liberty. p://www.warsailors.com/singleships/vestfos.html At 3.15 AM, U-20 stops Italian steamer SS Mirella with 1 torpedo in the English Channel (cargo of coal). U-20 returns and sinks her at 9.14 PM (1 dead, 29 survivors).