Posted on 10/13/2009 4:39:32 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Hitler got the “most gruesome blood bath in history” part right. Though all America could have done was put off the inevitable and possibly made the final outcome worse.
“British ‘Hidden Airport’ on Western Front Is Camouflaged at a Peaceful Farmyard” is written by the notorious Walter Duranty.
I’d love to find out of this airfield was taken out by the Nazis early in the invasion of France. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Duranty had passed the intelligence to the Soviets who in turn gave it to the Nazis.
In re: “Senate Chiefs try to Speed up Vote on Embargo Issue” by Turner Catledge.
He was later to be named Executive Editor of the NY Times.
http://www.mswritersandmusicians.com/writers/turner-catledge.html
MISSISSIPPI WRITERS: Turner Catledge
I love reading these historical pieces. The structure of language used is so interesting.
“War in earnest”.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/oct39/f13oct39.htm
Lindbergh condemns Canada and war
Friday, October 13, 1939 www.onwar.com
In the United States... In a radio broadcast, Colonel Charles Lindbergh questions the right of Canada “to draw this hemisphere into a European war because they prefer the Crown of England to American independence.” He appears to meet charges that he is pro-German by calling for both Nazi and Communist influence in America to be “stamped out.” He also says that British and French colonies in the Caribbean should be handed over to the US to pay war debts.
In Moscow... Soviet and Finnish representatives continue to meet to discuss border revisions.
From Stockholm... The King of Sweden invites the sovereigns of Denmark and Norway and the president of Finland to a conference.
On the Western Front... Skirmishes are reported east of the Moselle River. French forces demolish three bridges over the Rhine River.
In Britain... In Bletchley, three people die when two express trains collide in the blackout.
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1598
Neutrality and War
Charles Lindbergh
October 13, 1939
Tonight, I speak again to the people of this country who are opposed to the United States entering the war which is now going on in Europe. We are faced with the need of deciding on a policy of American neutrality. The future of our nation and of our civilization rests upon the wisdom and foresight we use. Much as peace is to be desired, we should realize that behind a successful policy of neutrality must stand a policy of war. It is essential to define clearly those principles and circumstances for which a nation will fight. Let us give no one the impression that America’s love for peace means that she is afraid of war, or that we are not fully capable and willing to defend all that is vital to us. National life and influence depend upon national strength, both in character and in arms. A neutrality built on pacifism alone will eventually fail.
Before we can intelligently enact regulations for the control of our armaments, our credit, and our ships, we must draw a sharp dividing line between neutrality and war; there must be no gradual encroachment on the defenses of our nation. Up to this line we may adjust our affairs to gain the advantages of peace, but beyond it must lie all the armed might of America, coiled in readiness to spring if once this bond is cut. Let us make clear to all countries where this line lies. It must be both within our intent and our capabilities. There must be no question of trading or bluff in this hemisphere. Let us give no promises we cannot keep—make no meaningless assurances to an Ethiopia, a Czechoslovakia, or a Poland. The policy we decide upon should be clear cut as our shorelines, and as easily defended as our continent.
This western hemisphere is our domain. It is our right to trade freely within it. From Alaska to Labrador, for the Hawaiian Islands to Bermuda, from Canada to South America, we must allow no invading army to set foot. These are the outposts of the United States. They form the essential outline of our geographical defense. We must be ready to wage war with all the resources of our nation if they are ever seriously threatened. Their defense is the mission of our army, our navy, and our air corps—the minimum requirement of our military strength. Around these places should lie our line between neutrality and war. Let there be no compromise about our right to defend or trade within this area. If it is challenged by any nation, the answer must be war. Our policy of neutrality should have this as its foundation.
We must protect our sister American nations from foreign invasion, both for their welfare and our own. But, in turn, they have a duty to us. They should not place us in the position of having to defend them in America while they engage in wars abroad. Can we rightfully permit any country in America to give bases to foreign warships, or to send its army abroad to fight while it remains secure in our protection at home? We desire the utmost friendship with the people of Canada. If their country is ever attacked, our Navy will be defending their seas, our soldiers will fight on their battlefields, our fliers will die in their skies. But have they the right to draw this hemisphere into a European war simply because they prefer the Crown of England to American independence?
Sooner or later we must demand the freedom of this continent and its surrounding islands from the dictates of European power. America history clearly indicates this need. As long as European powers maintain their influence in our hemisphere, we are likely to find ourselves involved in their troubles. And they will lose no opportunity to involve us.
Our Congress is now assembled to decide upon the best policy for this country to maintain during the war which is going on in Europe. The legislation under discussion involves three major issues—the embargo of arms, the restriction of shipping, and the allowance of credit. The action we take in regard to these issues will be an important indication to ourselves, and to the nation of Europe, whether or not we are likely to enter the conflict eventually as we did in the last war. The entire world is watching us. The action we take in America may either stop or precipitate this war.
Let us take up these issues, one at a time, and examine them. First, the embargo of arms: It is argued that the repeal of this embargo would assist democracy in Europe, that it would let us make a profit for ourselves from the sale of munitions abroad, and, at the same time, help to build up our own arms industry.
Hopefully, by 1939, The UK intel services knew where he stood versus the USSR and it’s allies. Hopefully used him as a false flag.
That was very interesting. Thank You!
btt
I noticed the short item about the judge forced to apologize for suggesting that ‘Christ would approve of this war.’ That probably wasn’t the first instance of political correctness, but I think it shows how far back the strategy of finding things like this to complain about has been used by the left to prevent any effective action. Fortunately, they failed utterly in WW II. Let’s hope we can make them fail again.
Excellent post and link to give the argument for the other side....thank you
Before we can intelligently enact regulations for the control of our armaments, our credit, and our ships, we must draw a sharp dividing line between neutrality and war; there must be no gradual encroachment on the defenses of our nation. Up to this line we may adjust our affairs to gain the advantages of peace, but beyond it must lie all the armed might of America, coiled in readiness to spring if once this bond is cut. Let us make clear to all countries where this line lies. It must be both within our intent and our capabilities. There must be no question of trading or bluff in this hemisphere. Let us give no promises we cannot keep—make no meaningless assurances to an Ethiopia, a Czechoslovakia, or a Poland. The policy we decide upon should be clear cut as our shorelines, and as easily defended as our continent.
NAVAL EVENTS-Friday, 13 October
Aircraft carrier FURIOUS sailed at 0140 from Scapa Flow for Loch Ewe, escorted by destroyers FEARLESS and FOXHOUND, and arrived later that day.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and destroyers MATABELE, JERVIS, JUPITER, JACKAL and JANUS departed Scapa Flow for patrol at 1016.
Light cruiser BELFAST arrived at Scapa Flow at 1500.
Light cruiser CALYPSO departed Scapa Flow for Northern Patrol, and arrived at Sullom Voe on the 20th.
Light cruisers DELHI and CALEDON arrived at Scapa Flow.
Convoy OA.19 of 13 ships departed Southend escorted by destroyers ELECTRA and ESCORT until the 17th, when they detached to convoy HG.3.
Convoy OB.19 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers VANOC and WARWICK from the 14th to 16th.
U.40, which departed Wilhelmshaven on the 10th for her second war patrol, was mined and sunk at 0200 in the Dover Strait in the Folkestone-Gris Nez deep minefield. Thirty eight crew including commanding officer Kptlt Wolfgang Barten were lost, with destroyers BRAZEN and BOREAS picking up three survivors and five bodies at 0945/13th, 9 miles from the S Goodwin Light Vessel.
Destroyers ILEX and IMOGEN encountered U.48 on the surface 400 miles west of Land’s End at 1016, and drove her down with gunfire, but without inflicting any damage.
U.42, which departed Wilhelmshaven on 30 September for her first war patrol, damaged steamer STONEPOOL (4803grt) from dispersed convoy OB.17 with gunfire. The escorts had left to join inward convoy HX.3, but returned and counter-attacked. Destroyers IMOGEN and ILEX delivered the fatal attack, 290 miles SW of Fastnet at 1928. Twenty five crew were lost and ILEX picked up three officers and 14 ratings. IMOGEN escorted the STONEPOOL to Barry, and both destroyers reached Plymouth on the 15th
U.48 sank French steamer LOUISIANE (6903grt) from dispersed convoy OB.17, 240 miles SW of Fastnet, with one crewman lost and survivors rescued by destroyer IMOGEN.
Destroyer KELLY, escorting a convoy in the English Channel, attacked and claimed to have sunk a submarine. She and sister ship KINGSTON arrived at Dover on the 15th.
Destroyer SABRE, at anchor at Rosyth, was rammed by armed merchant cruiser JERVIS BAY and sank to deck level. She was taken to Grangemouth for repairs, completing on 6 May 1940.
Destroyer AFRIDI, in company with GURKHA, attacked a submarine contact 3.4 miles off Beachy Head. Salvage ship TEDWORTH conducted diving operations and discovered it had been a wreck.
Destroyer ECLIPSE, escorting convoy BC.9S from Quiberon Bay to Barry with sister ship EXMOUTH attacked a submarine contact off the Lizard.
Anti-submarine trawlers BLACKBURN ROVERS (422grt) and GRIMSBY TOWN (422grt) attacked a submarine contact.
Patrol sloops PC.74, KINGFISHER and anti-submarine trawler LADY BERYL (417grt) were submarine hunting off Liverpool.
Norwegian steamer GRESSHOLM (619grt) was sunk by a mine 90 miles NW of Texel, three crew were lost and eight survivors rescued by Finnish steamer EMMI.
Convoy HG.3 of 25 ships departed Gibraltar escorted by destroyers KEPPEL and WISHART. After attacks on the 17th while it was only under aircraft protection, destroyers ELECTRA and ESCORT joined the convoy on the 18th from OA.19, leaving on the 19th with the Channel section of HG.3 after being relieved. Destroyer KEITH joined that same day, the 19th and stayed until the 21st. Before then, French destroyers LE TRIOMPHANT and LEOPARD had been with the convoy from the 17th, arriving back at Brest on the 20th. Destroyers ACASTA, WAKEFUL and anti-submarine trawler LORD WAKEFIELD joined on the 20th and remained until the 21st, destroyer WREN joined the same day, and the convoy arrived at Liverpool, still on the 21st.
Aircraft carrier GLORIOUS, battleship MALAYA, destroyers BULLDOG and DARING were detached from the Mediterranean Fleet for operations in the East Indies, arriving at Aden on the 13th.
Heavy cruisers SUSSEX and SHROPSHIRE arrived at Simonstown after sailing from the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.
Light cruiser DURBAN departed Simonstown for Mauritius.
New Zealand light cruiser ACHILLES left Valparaiso to join Commodore Harwood on the South America Station. She refuelled from British tanker ORANGEMOOR off Coquimbo on the 15th, passed the Straits of Magellan on the 19th and arrived in the Falklands on the 21st. Leaving on the 23rd after refuelling; ACHILLES rendezvoused with heavy cruiser EXETER off Lobito Island on the 26th. They joined heavy cruiser CUMBERLAND on the 27th and all three operated together until 5 November.
A Bristol Blenheim Mk.I of RAF 57 Sqn., on a Recon mission over Hamm-Hannover-Soest, is shot down by Uffz. Stephan Lutjens of 11/JG53.
Crew:
Pilot:Wg/Cdr 5175 Harold M.A. “Wings” Day RAF (CO 57 Sqn.) becomes PoW No.37.
Obs:Sgt 580543 Eric Bernard Hillier 23 RAF killed.
Wop:AC2 548867 Frederick George Moller RAF killed.
Another Bristol Blenheim Mk.I belonging to RAF Sqn. 57 crashes at Nr. Harpenden, Hertfordshire, after reconnaisance to Munster-Bremen & diversion to England. Encountered bad weather after crossing North Sea & crashed after running out of fuel.
Crew:
F/O C.T. Norman RAF OK.
Sgt Edwards RAF OK.
AC1 A. Lumsden RAF OK.
In Catterick, Yorkshire, a Avro Anson Mk.I belonging to RAF 220 Sqn. overshoots the landing and is destroyed after hitting a hedge. No Casualties.
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/dblist.php?Year=1939&page=5.
The War log of Admiral Donitz-13 October, 1939
“The first sign of the activity of the boats which have put to sea has been a sudden large number of radio intelligence reports of sightings of and actions with U-boats in the Atlantic. U 37 reported the first sinking.”
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