Replies

Clashes in Senate – 2-3
Strike Ban Backed to Aid U.S. Defense – 3
Navy to Reinforce Guantanamo Corps – 3
The International Situation – 4
Arms Delays Cited – 5
Overseas Duty for Guard Unlikely; President Quotes Odds at 100 to 1 – 6
The Day in Washington – 6
Willkie Bars Link to Foreign Policies – 7
Congressional Record Gives 40 Pages to Farley – 7
State Republicans Fix Harmony Rule – 8
Enlisting From U.S. Spurts in Canada – 8
Roosevelt Is ‘Poorer and Wiser’ in Office; Willkie Retorts So Is Every One Since 1928 – 8
Tanks Rumble and Officers Confer at Up-State Manoeuvres – 9
15 Italian Planes Reported Downed by R.A.F. in Libya (by Joseph M. Levy and Camille M. Cianfarra) – 10-11
Nazi Plane Losses Now Placed at 60 (by W.F. Leysmith) – 11
Egypt Warns Italy Invasion Will Fail – 12
More Civilians Quit the Gibraltar Region – 12
Nazis Again Sow Mines by Planes – 13
Finns Defend Curb on Soviet Backers (by Otto D. Tolischus) - 13
Secret Plane Detector Is Tested By Air Defense in Manoeuvres (by Hanson W. Baldwin) – 14
Roosevelt Sends Admiral to London * - 14
Bulgaria to Study Nazi Labor Service – 14
Destroyer Sale Urged by Admiral (by Yates Stirling Jr) – 15
Army Orders Fifty Giant Tanks As Start of Program to Build 500 – 15
The Wyoming Back with 608 Trainees – 16
Texts of Day’s War Communiques – 17

* Those familiar with Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War know that President Roosevelt sent another emissary to observe in England at this time, but it didn’t make the papers. And Captain Henry didn’t mess around with Ambassador Joe Kennedy either. He went straight to 10 Downing Street and conferred with a high level former navy person on the subject of landing craft and other important matters.

For an excerpt from this episode of the book see reply #4 above.

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/aug40/f10aug40.htm

British armor sent to Middle East

Saturday, August 10, 1940 www.onwar.com

In London... The decision is taken to send a large part of the country’s total stock of tanks out to the Middle East although there is the threat of a German invasion. Churchill takes much of the credit for this brave decision which, although not his idea, is necessarily carried out on his instructions.

In the English Channel... There are German attacks on shipping.

Roosevelt Is ‘Poorer and Wiser’ in Office; Willkie Retorts So Is Every One Since 1928

Clever! The New York Times was actually balanced in 1940. This history is fascinating. The real story going on behind the scenes, however, is FDR bringing Communists/Marxists into government and the halls of power. We are today seeing the effects.

"Roosevelt Sends Admiral to London * - 14"

All of these special missions from FDR were daggers aimed at US Ambassador Joseph Kennedy -- who was at best defeatist and at worst pro-Nazi.

Having appointed Kennedy before the war started, Roosevelt was growing to increasingly dislike his Ambassador -- and the antagonism was mutual. Eventually, Kennedy would blame FDR personally for the death of his eldest son.

Good prediction that Kennedy will not stay on the job in London much longer.

FWIW, my opinion is Kennedy's feelings on the war, like those of some other Americans of Irish descent (Pat Buchanan comes to mind), were colored by an intense desire to see the arrogant John Bull get a proper spanking -- which the Nazis seemed now on the verge of doing.

"Navy to Reinforce Guantanamo Corps – 3"

Now my memory really is failing me -- didn't FDR campaign-promise to close Guantanamo because of some allegedly unsavory activities there?

Or was that some other Presidential Candidate? I must be getting these Democrat candidates so confused -- can't tell one from the other any more... ;-)

What do you think, pretty good idea to keep it open, at least for "now"? ;-)