Posted on 03/19/2010 5:29:25 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
It is interesting to note the friendly attitude that The Times took toward the Pope in those days.
The Church was a powerful political force back then. The media would not have been eager to antagonize the Catholics, as they are now.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/mar40/f19mar40.htm
RAF bombs German navy base
Tuesday, March 19, 1940 www.onwar.com
Over Germany... RAF bombers — 30 Whitleys and 20 Hampdens — attack the a German seaplane base at Hornum, at the southern end of the North Sea island of Sylt. The raid, publicly disclosed in the House of Commons by the prime minister as it was happening, is a reprisal for the German bombing of Scapa Flow three days ago in which six sailors and a civilian were killed.
In London... Chamberlain makes a detailed statement in the Commons on British plans and actions on Finland’s behalf. A 100,000-strong Anglo-French expeditionary force could not be sent due to the refusal of entry by Norway and Sweden. Large quantities of arms ammunition, equipment and aircraft (152) had been delivered or promised.
In Helsinki... Official figures are released showing that 25,000 Finns were killed in the war with the Soviet Union.
In Ottawa... The first strong condemnation of Nazism by an official representative of the US government take place. The American ambassador in Canada, James Cromwell, declares that Hitler’s Germany is openly trying to destroy the social and economic order on which the government of the United States is based.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/19.htm
March 19th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group. Bombing - Hornum. 10 Sqn. Eight aircraft. Moderate opposition. 51 Sqn. Seven aircraft. Moderate opposition. One gunner wounded, one aircraft FTR. 77 Sqn. Seven aircraft. Moderate opposition. 102 Sqn. Eight aircraft. One returned early U/S. Moderate opposition.
50 RAF bombers tonight attacked the German seaplane base at Hornum, at the southern end of the North Sea island of Sylt. The raid, publicly disclosed in the Commons by the Prime Minister as it was happening, is a reprisal for the German bombing of Scapa Flow three days ago which killed six sailors and one civilian. 4 Group sent eight aircraft from No 10 Sqn., and 22 from Nos. 51, 77 and 102 Sqn. 5 Group sent 20 Hampdens, to form the greatest number of RAF aircraft to concentrate on a single German target to date. All aircraft claimed to have attacked the target as briefed, with the exception of a crew from 102 Sqn. which returned early. One crew from No. 51 successfully evaded an attack from an Arado float plane (Ar 196) but encountered severe Flak and the tail gunner was wounded. One aircraft (N1405 of No 51 Sqn. Flt Lt J.E. Baskerville) FTR claimed by Luftwaffe Flak.
Westminster: Chamberlain defends the lack of Allied aid to Finland, saying that Mannerheim only requested it once, in January. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain makes a detailed statement in the House of Commons on British plans and actions on Finland’s behalf. A 100,000-strong Anglo-French expeditionary force could not be sent due to the refusal of entry by Norway and Sweden. Large quantities of arms ammunition, equipment and aircraft (152) had been delivered or promised. (Jack McKillop)
London: A woman is fined £75 for buying enough sugar for 140 weekly rations; she drove away from the shop in a Rolls-Royce.
Corvette HMS Polyanthus laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
FINLAND: Helsinki: Official figures are released showing that 15,700 Finns were killed in the war with Russia.
Finnish losses were 26 662 killed during the Winter War (30 November 1939 - 13 March 1940). This amount of dead breaks down as follows:
- 16 725 KIA (body recovered)
- 3 433 KIA (body not recovered)
- 3 671 died to their wounds
- 1 727 MIA (presumed dead)
- 28 died while POW
- 715 killed by diseases or accidents
- 363 the cause of death not known
It is also interesting to see how the number of dead breaks down by the months:
-November 1939 (just one day): 100=20
-December 1939 (31 days): 5400
-January 1940 (31 days): 3290
-February 1940 (29 days): 8974
-March 1940 (13 days): 7478
+ some 1300 men who succumbed to their wounds or were declared legally dead after the war
Note how during the 13 days of March almost as many men were killed as during the 29 days of February! The reorganized Russian attack began in early February and the fighting grew fiercer as the time went by.
As there were also 16 437 severely and 27 120 lightly wounded, the total amount of Finnish losses during the 105 days of Winter War is about 70,000.
Since early 1990’s groups of volunteers have every summer travelled to the old battlefields of Winter and Continuation wars in Russian Karelia to search for the bodies of Finnish soldiers. Some dozens have been recovered each year, and some of these have been identified by one way or another. Sometimes the ID tag is still intact, or there’s some other hint of the body’s identity to allow DNA comparison with living relatives (if any). But it is possible to identify only few bodies (often the remains consist only of some small bones, a uniform button or other piece of uniform revealing the nationality), the unidentified majority being buried in a collective ceremony in military cemeteries at Lappeenranta, Joensuu or Kajaani.
Source: Lentil, Riitta and Juutilainen, Antti: Talvisodan uhrit (’The Losses of Winter War’). Article in the book Leskinen, Ari and Juutilainen, Antti (eds.): Talvisodan pikkujttilinen (Juva 1999).
(Mikko Härmeinen)
CANADA: The first strong condemnation of Nazism by an official representative of the U.S. government takes place in Ottawa. The U.S. Ambassador to Canada, James Cromwell, declares that Hitler’s Germany is openly trying to destroy the social and economic order on which the government of the United States is based. (Jack McKillop)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-19 sank SS Charkow and Minsk. (Dave Shirlaw)
These last two days feel like the calm before the storm.
That will stretch out to a couple weeks, I believe. In news reports, anyhow. After all, yesterday's lead was all about Hitler and Mussolini likely discussing their peace negotiation strategy at Brenner Pass. Maybe the war will just peter out for lack of enthusiasm.
The German claims of the Royal Navy’s loss of Barham, Hood, Ark Royal, Barham and Repulse are premature.
The 27,000 casualties was out of a population of 3 million. That would equate to 2.7 million casualties out of a popouation of 300 million.
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 201 March 19, 1940
The British House of Commons debates ineffectual support for Finland in the Winter War. Chamberlain’s weak leadership is heavily criticized but he survives; however, French Prime Minister Daladier resigns after a vote of no confidence.
Overnight, 8 Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys of 10 Squadron No.4 Group RAF Bomber Command, carrying 1,500 lb mixed bomb loads, drop the first Allied bombs on Germany. They attack Hornum seaplane base, in response to German bombing of Home Fleet in Scapa Flow on March 16.
At 3 AM, destroyer HMS Jervis collides with Swedish steamer Tor northeast of Blyth. Jervis is extensively damaged (2 killed, 15 missing) and will be out of action until July 1940.
At 9.35 PM, U-19 sinks two small, neutral Danish steamers in the Moray Firth, Scotland. At 10.21 SS Minsk, 11 lives lost, 9 survivors picked up by British destroyer HMS Esk. At 10.37 SS Charkow, all 20 hands lost. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/295.html
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/296.html
i am back !!
anyway, i luv todays post. wasnt hitler in full barabarossa planning mode at this point? what a two faced guy.
It really seems at face value that the war may just peter out at this point. None of the Allies seem very enthusiastic about it and with the reports of Nazi peace feelers it almost is as if a negotiated peace in just a mater of time. When trying to approach these news articles without using the knowledge of history, I would say the war is as good as over.
See Cougar's reply #14 on 3/15.
The German claims of the Royal Navy’s loss of Barham, Hood, Ark Royal, Barham and Repulse are premature. ........................ It was only the begining of the end of Britain’s sea power. They lost a few battleships, 28 cruisers, and 139 destroyers. When they were hurting we sent them about 100 destroyers before we entered the war. Looks like most of the so called 4 stackers we gave them ended up as fish havens. I don’t believe those stats were released before the war ended, for security purposes.
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