NAZIS FLYING ITALIANS TO ALBANIA; RING AROUND BARDIA IS TIGHTENED (12/20/40)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 12/20/40 | A.C. Sedgwick

[Homer_J_Simpson]

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

[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]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
North Africa, 1940: Graziani’s Advance and Wavell’s Offensive, 13 September 1940-7 February 1941 (Map 34a)
Marcks’ Plan, August 5, 1940
Operation Barbarossa (Dir. 21), December 18, 1940
The Mediterranean Basin (Map 33)
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – The Imperial Powers, 1 September 1939

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour

[Homer_J_Simpson]

German Pilots Aid – 2
Appeasers Called ‘Enemies of Mankind’ – 2
The International Situation – 3
Libyan Port Town Reported Doomed – 3-4
Three U.S. Navy Men Held in Cuban Death – 4
600 Italians Taken in Greek Advance – 5
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Europe and Africa – 6-7

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/dec40/f20dec40.htm

Anti-Semitic laws in Bulgaria

Friday, December 20, 1940 www.onwar.com

In Bulgaria... New anti-Semitic laws are introduced. King Boris III refused to discuss the issue with the Consistory (Central Council of Bulgarian Jews) prior to enacting the laws. Bulgaria’s Jewish population at this point is about 50,000 people. There are also measures against Free Masons and other so-call secret societies.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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

December 20th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM: Liverpool: Luftwaffe bombers stage another damaging night-time raid. The worst attack of the war so far. London had one of its earliest night alarms.
Hull:
On the lines of Dunkirk, a more modest but still impressive escape has been made by the entire Dutch navy. Not only are there cruisers, destroyers, torpedo boats, mine sweepers and submarines but also passenger vessels, cargo ships, pilot cutters and trawlers. All came overloaded with volunteers. A Dutch liner is now a depot ship for naval trainees. A cargo ship brought 1,500 German prisoners. When the Luftwaffe flew over, the captain opened the hatches, but gave a Jew a machine-gun to forestall escape attempts.
RAF Fighter Command: The first ‘Rhubarb’ nuisance raids are flown against France by two Spitfires. The aircraft are ordered to fly low and bomb any target that presents itself. This night the first night-time nuisance raids are mounted, aimed to intercept German bombers over their own flight bases.
Corvette HMS Trillium arrived at Greenock from Canada for final fitting out.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Cumbrae launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: U-331 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

ALBANIA: Greece starts a bombardment of Klisura.

BULGARIA: Laws to crack down on Jews and Freemasons are introduced.

NORTH AFRICA: Wavell to CIGS:
...investment of Bardia proceeding. 16 Brigade and 16 Australian Brigade now grouped under 6th Australian Div. 100 guns should be in position against Bardia by tomorrow morning.
Transport strained ... Large percentage of vehicles out of action awaiting repair.
... we want Bardia as soon as possible but do not propose to risk failure and heavy casualties, especially as this is Australians’ first operation.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Esquimalt laid down Sorel, Province of Quebec.

Destroyer HMCS Assiniboine returned to operational status from refit. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Washington: Roosevelt creates a four-man board for the defence drive. William Knudsen is to be director; Sidney Hillman is to look after the interests of labour; Colonel Frank Knox, the navy, and Henry L. Stimson, the army. It is said that full authority will be given to this board to direct and speed American rearmament and all material aid “short of war” for Great Britain and the democracies. The new council will be known as the Office of Production Management for defence.

Destroyers USS Bristol and Ellyson laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 477 December 20, 1940

Between 5.15 and 6.15 AM off Kerkennah islands, Tunisia, 15 aircraft from British carrier HMS Illustrious sink 2 out of 3 ships in an Italian convoy bound for Tripoli, Libya.

300 miles West of Ireland, Italian submarine Calvi sinks British SS Carlton (30 crew and 1 gunner killed).

British Hunt class escort destroyer HMS Berkeley is damaged on a mine in the River Medway (repaired at nearby Chatham naval dockyards in 6 days).

Luftwaffe bombs Liverpool overnight. 42 civilians are killed when a single bomb destroys 2 air raid shelters (48 others in the shelters survive). Another 42 die in an unofficial shelter on Bentinck Street, under railway arches which are hit by bombs. 72 civilians are killed when bombs destroy a shelter in the Blackstock Gardens tenement.