Today in WWII History
World War II History for September 1
1939 - World War II began when Germany invaded Poland.
1942 - A federal judge in Sacramento, CA, upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals.
1945 - The U.S. received official word of Japan’s formal surrender that ended World War II. In Japan, it was actually September 2nd. The war officially lasting 6 years and 1 day.
CONTEST – World War II 365 Days
World War II History and Abrams Publishing bring your our first contest. Abrams has graciously donated a copy of their newest book World War II 365 Days by Margaret E. Wagner.
This book is, to describe it briefly, “cool!” Its unique shape and vivid images make it ideal for any prominent place you’re in. It is a must have for any history or World War II enthusiast.
To enter the contest complete the form below:
[form 2 "WWII 365 Days Contest"]
Description
Drawn from the vast collections of the Library of Congress, World War II 365 Days (Abrams, hardcover, $29.95 U.S./$32.95 Canada, March) is a unique compilation of riveting text and 600 images that reveals the drama and complexity of history’s most fearsome conflict.
Photographs, lithographs, political cartoons, maps, and other visual materials from all the major combatants—including much material rarely seen such as wartime Japanese art and artifacts from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project—combine to tell the interlocking stories of people caught in this epic conflict that raged across the world’s oceans and in countries from Norway to North Africa, Britain to Burma. Quotes from letters, diaries, speeches, and memoirs help capture the drama and scale of the war: the carnage and desperate bravery on battlefields from Normandy to Iwo Jima, the epic air and sea battles, the home-front sacrifices made by people in all walks of life and in all combatant countries, and the miracle of mobilization that made the United States the “arsenal of democracy.”
Following the format of other titles in Abrams’ bestselling 365 series, World War II 365 Days does not have page numbers; instead, each text page bears a date, from January 1 through December 31. The book is organized into twelve chronological and thematic chapters (mirroring the twelve months of the year) that extend from events that led to the conflict, through a year-by-year examination of the war itself, and into its aftermath.
World War II 365 Days is much more than a gallery of major figures and events—it is a vivid mosaic of the battlefield and home front experiences of the “ordinary” people who endured years of destruction and rending uncertainty. David M. Kennedy writes in the introduction, “The combination of words and images in the pages that follow makes World War II 365 Days an extraordinary historical account. It does not merely recreate the war as contemporaries experienced it. It also offers perspectives and images that were denied to the generation that fought the war, but are now, thanks to the Library of Congress’s researchers, available to us.”
About the Author
Margaret E. Wagner is the author of The American Civil War: 365 Days and coauthor of The Library of Congress World War II Companion. She is a senior editor and writer in the Publishing Office of the Library of Congress. David M. Kennedy is the Donald J. MacLachlan Professor of History at Stanford University. His book Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945 was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2000.
Product Details
Hardcover: 752 pages
Publisher: Abrams (March 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0810996375
ISBN-13: 978-0810996373
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 2.2 inches
If you can’t wait for the contest, or if the winner has already been announced, you can still get this great book!
*Terms & Conditions – This contest is for 1 copy of World War II 365 Days by Margaret E. Wagner. The book is brand new and was provided by the publisher. All entrants must complete the form, or in case of any issues an email to steve@wwarii.com. All information provided will be kept confidential. Entrys must be received by April 5, 2009 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Contest winner will be drawn at random and notified by email after the close of the contest. The book will be shipped directly to the winner.
Review – Finding Granddad’s War
Grandson Researches Grandfather’s WWII History
It is very fitting that Ancestry Publishing (Ancestry.com) was the publisher for Jeffrey Badgers Finding Granddad’s War. As it’s title states, this book details the research methods and the travels of a young man in search of the history of a grandfather he never knew.
Jeffrey Badger was only two months old when his grandfather, Leo Kavanaugh, passed away in 1970. Twenty seven years later Jeffrey Badger began to piece together the life of his grandfather and learn where he had been, who he knew and what some of his experiences had been.
As part of the 9th Army’s 978th Engineer Maintenance Company, Leo Kavanaugh visited 9 countries, trailed almost 30,000 miles and was one man in a unit of 377. Finding Granddad’s War is not about a frontline soldier, action packed with combat stories, but is a deeply personal rebuilding of a war experience, tales and memories from those who were there, and filling in the memories for a grandson who never knew his grandfather.
Badger reached out to many people, finding a little information here and there, but also found and met many of the men his grandfather served with. They told him their stories, personal, funny and painful, which helped him to know what really happened in his grandfathers life. Badger ended up tracking to 17 states and Europe to meet 32 veterans and get their story
What really is of value in this book is Jeffrey Badger describes how he went about researching this chronicling history, what you should do to research your own family. This is a great guide that shows just how much information is out there to find, where you can look, and how to go about getting official records.
This book is a good read for anyone looking to research their own family history. I found it to be very entertaining and insightful, getting to hear the histories of so many people that were involved in one man’s life. There are a lot of good resources contained and detailed that will assist in researching individuals histories. Finding Granddad’s War shows how even a beginner with little background knowledge can end up traveling the globe and filling a book with what he learned.
Starring Tom Cruise, VALKYRIE, is the true story of the assassination plot against Adolf Hitler that took place on July 20, 1944 and which was led by, among others, German staff officer Klaus Von Stauffenberg (whom Cruise portrays).
Although there is some public awareness of the plot against Hitler, few people know the details of that plot and the plan that was set up to wrest control of Germany away from Hitler’s SS and Gestapo. When Von Stauffenberg’s carefully placed bomb exploded inside Hitler’s briefing room in East Prussia, all communications were immediately cut off and Von Stauffenberg flew to Berlin with the belief that Hitler was dead. Unbeknownst to most people, Hitler’s emergency plan to maintain control of the government in Germany, was then used against him to begin arresting key SS and Gestapo officials in the capital and preparations were made to hand over control of the government to saner minds.
The events that led up to that brief but dramatic uprising make fascinating drama and VALKYRIE presents these moments in a suspenseful, carefully researched and detailed story that also features, in addition to Cruise, a wonderful supporting cast that includes Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet), Bill Nighy
(Pirates of the Caribbean), Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton), Carice van Houten (Black Book), Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong), Eddie Izzard (Ocean’s 12), Christian Berkel, (The Downfall) and Terence Stamp (Wall Street).
In the next few days we will be adding the Making of VALKYRIE Featurette so check back!
Today in WW II History
World War II History for September 7
1940 - London received its first mass air raid from Nazi Germany during World War II.
300 German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. This bombing “blitzkrieg” (lightning war) would continue until May 1941.
After the successful occupation of France, it was only a matter of time before the Germans turned their sights across the Channel to England. Hitler wanted a submissive, neutralized Britain so that he could concentrate on his plans for the East, namely the land invasion of the Soviet Union, without interference. Since June, English vessels in the Channel had been attacked and aerial battles had been fought over Britain, as Germany attempted to wear down the Royal Air Force in anticipation of a land invasion. But with Germany failing to cripple Britain’s air power, especially in the Battle of Britain, Hitler changed strategies. A land invasion was now ruled out as unrealistic; instead Hitler chose sheer terror as his weapon of choice.
British intelligence had had an inkling of the coming bombardment. Evidence of the large-scale movement of German barges in the Channel and the interrogation of German spies had led them to the correct conclusion-unfortunately, it was just as the London docks were suffering the onslaught of Day One of the Blitz. By the end of the day, German planes had dropped 337 tons of bombs on London. Even though civilian populations were not the primary target that day, the poorest of London slum areas-the East End–felt the fallout literally, from direct hits of errant bombs as well as the fires that broke out and spread throughout the vicinity. Four hundred and forty-eight civilians were killed that afternoon and evening.
A little past 8 p.m., British military units were alerted with the code name “Cromwell,” meaning the German invasion had begun. A state of emergency broke out in England; even home defense units were put to the ready. One of Hitler’s key strategic blunders of the war was to consistently underestimate the will and courage of the British people. They would not run or be cowed into submission. They would fight.
1942 - During World War II, the Russian army counter attacked the German troops outside the city of Stalingrad.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for September 5,
1934 - Adolf Hitler predicted that the Reich would last for 1,000 years.
1939 - The U.S. proclaimed its neutrality in World War II.
1939 - German troops cross the Vistula River in Poland.
1943 - U.S. forces seize more of New Guinea
On this day in 1943, Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s 503rd Parachute Regiment land and occupy Nazdab, just east of Lae, a port city in northeastern Papua New Guinea, situating them perfectly for future operations on the islands.
New Guinea had been occupied by the Japanese since March 1942. Raids by Allied forces early on were met with tremendous ferocity, and they were often beaten back by the Japanese occupiers. Much of the Allied response was led by forces from Australia, as they were most threatened by the presence of the Japanese in that sphere.
The tide began to turn in December 1942, as the Australians recaptured Buna-but despite numerical superiority, the Japanese continued to hang on, fighting to keep every square mile they had captured. Many Japanese committed suicide, swimming out to sea, rather than be taken prisoner. In January 1943, the Americans joined the Aussies in assaults on Sanananda, which resulted in huge losses for the Japanese–7,000 killed–and the first land defeat of the war. As Japanese reinforcements raced for the next Allied targets, Lae and Salamauam, in March, 137 American bombers destroyed the Japanese transport vessels, drowning 3,500 Japanese, as well as their much-needed fuel and spare parts.
On September 8, almost 2,000 American and Australian Airborne Division parachutists landed and seized Nazdab, which held a valuable airfield. The Allies quickly established a functioning airstrip and prepared to take the port city of Lae, one more step in MacArthur’s strategy to recapture New Guinea and the Solomons-and eventually go back for the Philippines.
1945 - Iva Toguri D’Aquino was arrested. D’Aquino was suspected of being the wartime radio propagandist “Tokyo Rose”. She served six years before being pardoned by U.S. President Ford.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for September 4,
1939 - The British Royal Air Force attacked the German Navy.
1940 - The USS Greer is fired upon
The American destroyer Greer becomes the first U.S. vessel fired on in the war when a German sub aims a few torpedoes at it, sparking heightened tensions between Germany and the United States.
It was a case of mistaken identity. As the Greer made its way through the North Atlantic, a British patrol bomber spotted a German sub, the U-652. The British bomber alerted the Greer, which responded by tracking the sub. As the American destroyer approached Iceland, the area in which the sub had been spotted, a British aircraft dropped a depth charge into the water, rocking the sub. The U-652, believing the Greer responsible for the charge, fired its torpedoes. They missed. The Greer made it safely to Iceland. Although the United States was still officially a neutral country, Roosevelt unofficially declared war on anyone who further attacked American vessels in the North Atlantic: “If German or Italian vessels of war enter these waters, they do so at their own peril.”
1942 - In Egypt, the Allied forces stopped the Axis attack.
1944 - During World War II, British troops entered the city of Antwerp, Belgium.
1945 - Japanese surrender on Wake Island
2,200 Japanese soldiers finally lay down their arms-days after their government had already formally capitulated.
Wake Island was one of the islands bombed as part of a wider bombing raid that coincided with the attack on Pearl Harbor. In December of 1941, the Japanese invaded in force, taking the island from American hands, losing 820 men, while the United States lost 120. The United States decided not to retake the island but to cut off the Japanese occupiers from reinforcement, which would mean they would eventually starve. Rear Adm. Shigematsu Sakaibara, commander of the Japanese forces there, ordered the 96 Allied prisoners of war who had been left behind shot dead on trumped-up charges of trying to signal American forces by radio.
And so the Japanese garrison sat on Wake Island for two years, suffering the occasional U.S. bombing raid, but no land invasion. In that time, 1,300 Japanese soldiers died from starvation, and 600 from the American air attacks. Two days after the formal Japanese surrender onboard the USS Missouri, Sakaibara capitulated to American forces, which finally landed on the island. Sakaibara was eventually tried for war crimes and executed in 1947.
1945 - A report was released that indicated that the atomic bomb fallout in Hiroshima was still killing at least 100 people a day.
SPITFIRE vs HURRICANE
Contrary to popular belief, it was the Hurricane, not the Spitfire that saved Britain during the dark days of 1940. The turn-around time (re-arm, refuel etc.) for the Spitfire was 26 minutes. That of the Hurricane, only 9 minutes from down to up again. During the Battle of Britain the time spent on the ground was crucial and as one fitter/mechanic of No. 145 Squadron quipped: “If we had nothing but Spits we would have lost the fight in 1940.” The Spitfire was an all metal fighter, slightly faster, had a faster rate of climb and had a higher ceiling, while the Hurricane had a fabric covered fuselage, was quicker to repair and withstood more punishment. With the for and against of both fighters they came out about even.
The majority of German planes shot down during the four month period were destroyed by Hurricanes. For much of the Battle of Britain, the Spitfires went after the German BF 109s at the higher altitudes, while the Hurricanes attacked the bomber formations flying at lower altitudes. This cost the enemy a total of 551 pilots killed or taken prisoner. During the war a total of 14,231 Hurricanes and 20,334 Spitfires were produced. The famous Rolls-Royce ‘Merlin’ engine evolved through 88 separate marks and was fitted in around 70,000 Allied aircraft, including the famous Lancaster bomber, during the six years of war.
In the hectic battles in the sky over southern England many pilots returned to base utterly exhausted and routinely fell asleep as they taxied their plane to a stop. Ground crews often had to help the sleeping pilot from the cockpit after he returned from combat.
Today in WW II History
World War II History for September 3,
1939 - Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany.
On this day in 1939, in response to Hitler’s invasion of Poland, Britain and France, both allies of the overrun nation, along with Australia and New Zealand, declare war on Germany.
The first casualty of that declaration was not German-but the British ocean liner Athenia, which was sunk by a German U-30 submarine that had assumed the liner was armed and belligerent. There were more than 1,100 passengers on board, 112 of whom lost their lives. Of those, 28 were Americans, but President Roosevelt was unfazed by the tragedy, declaring that no one was to “thoughtlessly or falsely talk of America sending its armies to European fields.” The United States would remain neutral.
As for Britain’s response, it was initially no more than the dropping of anti-Nazi propaganda leaflets-13 tons of them-over Germany. They would begin bombing German ships on September 4, suffering significant losses. They were also working under orders not to harm German civilians. The German military, of course, had no such restrictions. France would begin an offensive against Germany’s western border two weeks later. Their effort was weakened by a narrow 90-mile window leading to the German front, enclosed by the borders of Luxembourg and Belgium-both neutral countries. The Germans mined the passage, stalling the French offensive.
1940 - Adolf Hitler planned Operation Sealion. The plan was for the invasion of Britain.
1943 - Italy was invaded by the Allied forces during World War II.
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