This Day in WWII 11-04-1939 - 1943

[Donster]

1939: Although President Roosevelt has declared American neutrality in the war in Europe, a Neutrality Act is signed that allows the US to send arms and other aid to Britain and France.

1939: Rear-Admiral Hugh Sinclair, head of British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), died of cancer. Succeeded by his deputy, Colonel Stewart Menzies.

1941: Finnish forces capture the Baltic naval base of Hangö that Finland was compelled to lease to the Soviets in 1940.

1941: Units of 11th Army capture Fedosia in the Crimea.

1942: The Italian 20th Motorised Corps is destroyed. Rommel re-issues his orders for retreat with only 12 tanks left. 10,724 Axis prisoners are taken by the British, including nine generals.

1943: The U.S. Fifth Army capture Isernia, 50 miles North of Naples and link up with Eighth Army moving North West from Foggia. US casualties in Mediterranean since the landings in North Africa is given as 31,126.

1943: A Russian breakout to the North of Kiev is achieved with their tank army's driving throughout the night.

1943: Quote from Nazi newspaper, Der Stürmer, published by Julius Streicher - "It is actually true that the Jews have, so to speak, disappeared from Europe and that the Jewish 'Reservoir of the East' from which the Jewish pestilence has for centuries beset the peoples of Europe has ceased to exist. But the Führer of the German people at the beginning of the war prophesied what has now come to pass."