SENATE OPENS DEBATE ON DRAFT BILL; OPPONENTS TO PRESS VOLUNTEER PLAN (8/10/40)

Microfiche-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 8/10/40 | Frank L. Kluckhohn, Henry N. Dorris, Charles Hurd, James C. Hagerty, Warren Moscow

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[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.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Marcks’ Plan, August 5, 1940
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]

The following relates to the footnote to the table of contents below. It involves fictitious characters.

During Captain Henry’s August visit to England he was escorted by this General Tillet, an army Historian (whose background sounds a lot like that of B.H. Liddell Hart). The following discussion takes place during a trip to the Isle of Wight to inspect a radar station.

I always assumed that the good guys won at Waterloo. General Tillet explains that there was a large down side to Wellington’s victory. I would be interested in hearing from classmates who know about the Napoleonic wars as to the soundness of Tillet’s position.

Herman Wouk, The Winds of War

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/10.htm

August 10th, 1940

UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - industrial targets at Frankfurt-am-Main.
58 Sqn. Ten aircraft. Two returned early, four bombed primary, two bombed alternatives. One crashed at Hemswell on return.

RAF Fighter Command: Weather, cloud and rain. Little Luftwaffe activity, no aircraft losses.

Some activity in the Channel and Bf110 pilots of Erpro 210 attempt a surprise evening strike on Norwich. A lone undetected Do 17 put 11 HEs close to RAF West Malling despite 501 Squadron’s attempts to stop it.

During the night serious damage was done to the Llandore GWR (Great Western Railway) viaduct near Swansea where a direct hit on a shelter killed four.

Bombs fall for the first time on Abergavenny, Rochester and Wallasey along with heavy raids on Swansea and Weymouth.

Submarine HMS P 222 laid down.
Destroyer HMS Holderness commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

RAF Coastal Command: 608 Sqn. carries out its first operation with its new Blackburn Botha general reconnaissance aircraft.

Despite the threat of invasion, Churchill decides to send three regiments of tanks (about 150) to North Africa.

FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE: Laval offers Germany 200 pilots to help fight the Battle of Britain.

GERMANY: U-56 sank AMC HMS Transylvania.
U-94 commissioned.
U-132 and U-655 laid down.
U-143 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

AUSTRIA: Vienna: Baldur von Schirach becomes Gauleiter of Vienna; Artur Axmann will take over as Reich youth leader.

ROMANIA: Anti-Semitic legislation is passed.

AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Lismore launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

PACIFIC OCEAN: The Japanese naval blockade of the coast of China is extended to South China. (Jack McKillop)

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Spikenard launched Lauzon Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: The motion picture “The Return of Frank James” is released. This western, directed by Fritz Lang, stars Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney (her film debut), Jackie Cooper, Henry Hull, John Caradine and Donald Meek. The plot has Frank James (Fonda) seeking revenge against the men who killed his brother Jesse. (Jack McKillop)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Transylvania of the Northern Patrol is lost to U-56 to the north of Ireland 40 miles off Malin Head at 55 50N 08 03W. (Alex Gordon)(108)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/

Day 345 August 10, 1940

Battle of Britain Day 32. Göring’s planned offensive against RAF airfields is cancelled due to the weather. Clouds, squalls and thunder storms again preclude much flying. Luftwaffe mounts reconnaissance patrols and sporadic attacks on isolated trawlers and merchant ships. Overnight, Germans drop mines at several points on the coast of Britain. No aircraft are lost by either side.

In mid-Atlantic, 300 miles Southwest of the Azores, German armed merchant cruiser Widder stops Finnish barque Killoran. The steel-hulled 3 mast sailing ship built in 1900 is carrying a British-owned cargo of 2500 tons of maize & 500 tons of sugar from Buenos Aires to Las Palmas. Although most of Widder’s crew is against sinking the old sailing ship, Widder’s surgeon wants a dramatic finale for the Nazi propaganda film of the voyage he is making. He persuades Captain Ruckteschell to blow up Killoran with all sails still set, after taking off Killoran’s 18 crew. http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConGalleryCollection.18/Gustaf-Erikson-and-his-ships.html

British troopship SS Neuralia leaves Gibraltar, escorted by destroyer HMS Gallant, with 2000 civilian evacuees bound for the Portuguese island of Madeira 600 miles West in the Atlantic. http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/Troopships.html

Just off the North coast of Scotland, Dutch MV Albula and American steamer Crescent City collide in convoy OA-196. MV Albula sinks after the entire crew is taken off by British destroyer HMS Jaguar.

At 1.00 AM, 20 miles North of Ireland, British armed merchant cruiser HMS Transylvania is hit with U-56’s last torpedo but does not sink (36 lives lost). Destroyer HMS Ashanti and several trawlers rescue 300 survivors before Transylvania is taken in tow but later sinks. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/457.html

[CougarGA7]

Battle of Britain Campaign Diary

Date: 10 August 1940

• Weather: Squally and thundery, some bright intervals. Channel cloudy.
• Day: Shipping and overland reconnaissance.
• Night: Minelaying.

  Enemy action by day

  There was little activity; spasmodic raids were made off the South West, South East and East Coasts searching for shipping and a trawler was attacked of Lowestoft. Fighters were sent to intercept several of these shipping reconnaissances but the weather was favourable for evasion and as far as is known, only in one case was contact made.

  South and South West

  In the early morning, a raid reported a convoy at Swanage; the raid then turned and faded south of Shoreham. There were reports of machine-gunning off trawlers near Beachy Head and a little later, two further raids appeared in this area.

  At 0730 hours, one raid crossed the coast at Pevensey and attacked the aerodrome at West Malling where AA guns went into action. One raid of three aircraft crossed the coast at Shoreham and re-crossed going south east over Dungeness.

  Later, it was reported that an enemy aircraft had been active over a ship 40 miles south west of Pembroke. Enemy patrols were active from the Lizard to Dungeness, evidently searching for shipping.

  East Coast

  During the morning, attacks were reported on trawlers off the Norfolk coast.

  Later, several raids appeared off the Yorkshire and Norfolk coasts and one enemy aircraft attacked a trawler off Lowestoft.

  During the afternoon, several shipping reconnaissances were made off Yarmouth and Cromer and a Dornier was active over South Norwich. This raider was intercepted by a Spitfire which fired all its ammunition into it but the enemy aircraft turned out to sea and escaped.

  By night

  Eight raids - presumably minelaying - were plotted between North Foreland and Orfordness; some of these raids were off Harwich and others well into the Thames Estuary.

  A liner is reported to have been attacked approximately 20 miles west of Achill Head (County Mayo).

  Four raids approached the Bristol Channel and were probably minelaying as were also raids off the coast of Plymouth.

  Four raids approached the coast between Flamborough Head and the Humber and activity was reported south-west of Catfoss and south of Flamborough Head. One raid was reported north east of the Orkneys and one from south of Wick to near Rosehearty.

  

  ________________________________________

  Statistics

  Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours, 10 August 1940

• Blenheim - 60
• Spitfire - 245
• Hurricane - 382
• Defiant - 22
• Gladiator - 2
• Total – 711

  Casualties:

• Enemy: Nil.

• Own: Nil.

  Patrols:

• 116 patrols despatched involving 354 aircraft.

  Balloons:

• Flying 1359. Casualties 176.

  Aerodromes:

• No reports.

  Organisation:

• Debden (Nos 17 and 85 Squadrons) has passed from control of No 12 Group to No 11 Group.
• Church Fenton (Nos 73 and 249 Squadrons) has passed control from No 13 Group to No 12 Group.

  Air Intelligence Reports

• No reports.

  Home Security Reports

• Date: 9th/10th/11th August 1940

• General Summary

• 9th/10th August

• Further information on enemy air activity late on the 9th and early on the 10th extends the field of enemy bombing to Northumberland and Yorkshire. In several places, attacks seem to have been directed against aerodromes.
• Considering the number of bombs dropped, material damage was very slight and casualties comparatively small.
• During the early part of the day on the 10th, bombs were dropped on and near Malling Aerodrome, Kent, but through the day air activity over Great Britain was slight.

• 11th August

• In the very early hours of this day, a salvo of bombs is reported to have been dropped on Landore viaduct, near Swansea, where major damage to the GWR track was caused but several important local works are said to be undamaged.

• Detailed Summary

• At 0154 hours on August 10th, 12 HE bombs were dropped on the Skinningrove Iron and Steel Works. Casualties were caused to men working at the blast furnaces but output was only very slightly affected.
• At 0227 hours on the 10th, 3 HE bombs fell near Cullercoates and the hole in this neighbourhood is believed to contain an unexploded magnetic mine.
• Between 0045 and 0200 hours on the 10th August, 31 HE bombs were dropped in the Warkworh area and between this place and Amble and at Helsay Point, all in Northumberland.
• At 0215 hours on the 10th, three HE bombs fell at Marske, near Saltburn.
• A number of bombs were dropped in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex notably at Weybread, near Pulham, near Norwich, in the Ipswich area, but no damage of serious consequence is reported.
• At 2255 hours on 9th August, bombs fell on the landing ground of the Marston Aircraft factory, near Swindon. No damage of consequence was caused.
• At 0730 hours on August 10th, some HE bombs were dropped on or near Malling Aerodrome, Kent. Considerable damage was reported to old laundry block of the Institution and surrounding buildings. There were about ten civilian casualties. It is said that two sticks of bombs, 12 in all, were dropped, one stick in one direction and the other across it.
• Other aerodromes which have been attacked include Hatfield and Rochester (both previously reported).
• In addition, bombs were dropped in Wiltshire late on the night of the 9th, near Upavon Aerodrome, near Wootton Bassett, at Avebury, Knighton and Minety near Swindon. Also during the night of the 9th/10th August, nine HE bombs were dropped at Gilwern near Abergavenny.
• A further number of bombs were reported late on the night of the 9th, over an area of Cornwall in the Camelford and Launceston districts.
• With reference to bombs reported late on the night of the 9th at Rookley, Isle of Wight, it is now stated that splinters indicate the use of the concrete type.
• Billingham Manor nearby, which is used as a military HQ, may have been the target.

  Battle of Britain

[iowamark]

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.

[Captain Kirk]

Willkie may have been clever but he was pretty much a Roosevelt shill even while running against him. Soon after the election, the produced the horribly statist book, One World.

[CougarGA7]

Looks like Senator Wheeler (D-MT) is really ramping up the rhetoric.

Also, I like the picture of Teddy Roosevelt Jr. by the M2A2 light tank. He will play some significant rolls here in the future.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Also, I like the picture of Teddy Roosevelt Jr. by the M2A2 light tank. He will play some significant rolls here in the future.

Here's a connection to today's movie review thread: Henry Fonda, who portrays Frank James in the second feature, will, twenty plus years hence, portray Teddy Roosevelt Jr. in "The Longest Day."

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Did you catch Baldwin’s article from the upstate front about the top secret airplane detector? I would like to learn more about “engine rays.” If they had that technology available for use in Hawaii there would be no need to worry about an enemy sneaking up on them undetected.

[CougarGA7]

I saw that. I'm not sure what he means by "engine rays" but it sounds like one of those tower radar things like they have in England. I saw a picture that looks like it has one of those towers in the background in this month's Popular Science page 82. Only I guess this one would have to be small enough to be put in a vehicle which is really cool.

[BroJoeK]

"Clever! The New York Times was actually balanced in 1940. This history is fascinating"

Hate to say I'm a little slow, but in all this time I never noticed the major factor of today's political reporting which seems entirely absent in 1940:

Where in 1940 do we see any of what we today call "the politics of personal destruction"? I don't see it, anywhere.

There are no personal stories on President Roosevelt, or anyone else, for that matter, certainly not of the salacious types which dominate today's "news." Any thoughts?

[BroJoeK]

"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.

[BroJoeK]

"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"? ;-)

[BroJoeK]

"Army Orders Fifty Giant Tanks As Start of Program to Build 500 – 15"

Any idea what these might be?
They sound like M1 Abrams... but surely, no way. ;-)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

There are no personal stories on President Roosevelt, or anyone else, for that matter, certainly not of the salacious types which dominate today's "news." Any thoughts?

I think there is a legitimate place for bottom feeding reporters in Washington. I had an Aunt who I am sure voted the straight Democratic ticket from Roosevelt on. That was a solidly conservative branch of the family and I don't think she would have supported some of the people she did if their ghastly behavior hadn't been considered out of bounds as story material by "sophisticated" journalists. There are too many creeps in office who personally deserve to be politically destroyed. Maybe the bounds of decency were more closely observed in 1940. Back before Judeo-Christian morality became totally uncool.