Aid Sped to Vessel – 2-3
Five Towns Taken – 4-5
Rumania Increases Army to 1,600,000 – 5
Food Restrictions in Force in France – 5
$600,000 For Finns Raised by Industry – 5
The International Situation – 6
Tass Asserts Lansing Tried to Balk Soviet – 6
Hlinka Guard Rise Disturbs Slovaks – 6
New Italian Bond Issue Called Most Successful – 6
Big Reich Warship and 2 U-Boats Are Reported Off Southern Brazil – 7
Vatican Post Goes to Jew As Italy’s Ban Is Imposed – 7
Legislators Defy Long, Ignore Call to Session – 7
Berlin Bars Peace – 8-9
France Lacks News on Arrival of Welles; Government Gathers War Data for Him – 9
Reich Envoy to Ireland Denies Giving Peace Plan – 9
Nazis Raid Convoy; Say Ships Were Hit – 10
Soviet Reported Planning Convoys – 11
Merchant Ships Sunk in War – 11
Netherlands Finds Nazi Radio Station – 11
British Wool Control Rapped in Australia – 11
British Bare Study of Magnetic Mines – 12
Australia Pledges Sevenfold Air Force – 12
Japan Keeps Rule in Shanghai Pact – 13
Critic of China Policy to Quit Japanese Diet; Saito’s Speech Drew Fire of Army Leaders – 13
Protest to Lothian on Palestine Monday – 13
President’s Train Speeds to capital – 14
Active War Plans Under Way in west – 15
Seabiscuit Heads Santa Anita Field * - 18
* See reply #3 for back story.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/mar40/f02mar40.htm
New Finnish line under attack
Saturday, March 2, 1940 www.onwar.com
The Winter War... The Soviet forces begin major attacks on the new Finnish defense line under the direction of General Timoshenko. Pressure is exerted against all points but is strongest at the north and south ends. Vuosalmi in the north is attacked by Soviet 13th Army forces while the reserve corps of Soviet 7th Army is advancing over the sea ice toward the west side of Viipuri Bay. Soviets reach the southern suburbs of Viipuri. Meanwhile, Finnish fighters foil an attempted raid on Helsinki.
Over Germany... A high-flying RAF Spitefire photographs the entire Ruhr industrial region in one sortie.
In the North Atlantic... The British liner Domala is bombed off the Isle of Wight (100 killed).
From Paris... A formal request is sent to Sweden and Norway to allow Allied troops to be sent to Finland through the Scandinavian countries. (Units are intended to begin arriving by March 20th. Daladier has plans for a force of 50,000 French “volunteers” and 150 aircraft.)
From London... A formal request is sent to Sweden and Norway to allow Allied troops to be sent to Finland through the Scandinavian countries. (The British force is planned to reach a level of 100,000 men eventually.)
In the Denmark Strait... The British cruiser HMS Berwick intercepts the German Wolfsburg, which is scuttled in order to avoid capture.
In the West Indies... The cruiser HMS Dunedin intercepts the Heidelberg which is scuttled.
In France... Army intelligence reveals German preparations for an attack on Scandinavia.
I see that Herr Ribbentrop has clarified Germany’s war aims to Undersecretary Welles:
1. The end of British “plutocracy” and
2. The end of British naval domination of the seas.
Well, knowing how things turned out, it seems to me that by those definitions, the Germans wound up accomplishing their war aims. In other words, they were really the winners of WW2! (if you can leave out those pesky “unintended consequences” of course).
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/2010/03/day-184-march-2-1940.html
Day 184 March 2, 1940
Finland. Soviets attack the city of Viipuri from the South & East and also across the ice of Viipuri Bay, again reaching the western shore. However, they are slaughtered by shelling until the coastal batteries at Tuppuransaari run out of ammunition. The islands of Tuppuransaari and Teikarsaari are taken by the Soviets.
Britain and France request Sweden and Norway to allow passage of Allied troops going to Finland. The Allies still expect a formal request for assistance from Finland.
After traveling 3 weeks by train officially classified as “tourists going to ski-camp”, Hungarian Volunteer Detached Battalion arrives in Finland at a training center in Lapua. They learn winter warfare and to ski. However, Soviet/Finnish peace treaty will be signed before they see action. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_support_in_the_Winter_War#Hungary
Liner Queen Elizabeth leaves the Clyde allegedly going to Southampton escorted by destroyers HMS Mohawk, Punjabi, Fortune & Foxhound; in reality she heads to New York.
Battle of the Atlantic. A Heinkel 111H bombs British liner Domala and machineguns survivors escaping by lifeboat (108 lives lost, 183 survivors). The Dutch ship Jong Willem rescues 48 of the survivors and is also attacked.
Cruiser HMS Berwick stops German steamer Wolfsburg, disguised as Norwegian ship Aust, North of Iceland. Wolfsburg is scuttled and Berwick picks up 54 crew, finally sinking Wolfsburg with gunfire.
German steamer Heidelberg which left Aruba Feb 29 is intercepted by British cruiser HMS Dunedin 60 miles west. She is scuttled and Dunedin picks up 25 crew. The crews of Heidelberg and Troja will be detained in a British internment camp in Jamaica.