Chronology of World War II

Monday, July 1, 1940

In Vichy France... The French government moves from Bordeaux to Vichy.

In Budapest... The Hungarian government alleges frontier violations by Romanian troops; several civilians are reported dead. Hungarian troops mass at the border with Romania.

In Bucharest... The Romanian government renounces the Anglo-French guarantee of territorial integrity. Romanian troops mass at the border with Hungary.

Over Britain... Hull and Wick, in northeast Scotland, are bombed in daylight by the Luftwaffe. British casualties are reported to be 12 killed and 22 injured.

In the Channel Islands... The German occupation is completed.

Over Germany... During the night (July 1-2), 12 RAF Hampden bombers raid the naval base at Kiel. A 2000 lbs bomb is dropped near the battle cruiser Scharnhorst by Guy Gibson and 2 small bombs strike the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.

From London... Britain warns that it will not countenance an Axis occupation of Syria.

In Washington... Roosevelt signs a further Navy bill providing for the construction of 45 more ships and providing $550,000,000 to finance these and other projects.

In Japan... Sugar and matches are rationed.

Tuesday, July 2, 1940

In the North Atlantic... The British merchant ship Arandora Star is sunk off the coast of Ireland by a U-boat. Of the 1200 people aboard 800 are drowned. They are among the 8000 "enemy aliens" who are to be deported from Britain for internment abroad.

From Berlin... An Armed Forces High Command, OKW, order is issued entitled "The War Against England." It begins "The Fuhrer and Supreme Commander has decided that a landing in England is possible." In response to this order Goring gives instructions for an intensified air blockade with especial attention to be given to attacks on shipping. The Luftwaffe has two air fleets in northern France.

Wednesday, July 3, 1940

In Algeria... At Mers-el-Kebir near Oran, British Admiral Somerville has been ordered to present various alternative schemes for the demobilization of the French ships and their removal to distant ports. Admiral Somerville has been sent with the two battleships and one battle cruiser of Force H supported by an aircraft carrier. The French Admiral Gensoul has four battleships and a large complement of supporting vessels. The deadline in Somerville's orders expires before the negotiations have achieved an agreement and he feels compelled to open fire. The Bretagne is sunk and two more battleships are badly damaged. The Strasbourg and five destroyers steam out of the port and succeed in getting away to Toulon.

In Britain... At Plymouth and Portsmouth two French battleships, nine destroyers and many smaller ships are taken over with a little bloodshed in some minor skirmishes.

In Egypt... Negotiations are proceeding in Alexandria between the British and the French naval commanders there.

In London... There have been some suggestions, supported by Admiral Pound, the First Sea Lord, that the British Fleet should be withdrawn from the eastern Mediterranean. The idea is rejected by Churchill. The British government and Admiralty are also worried by the status of the French navy and fear that it will fall into German hands.

Thursday, July 4, 1940

In East Africa... The Italians advance from Abysinia into the Sudan occupying Kassala and Gallabat just over the border. The Italians use more than two brigades at Kassala which is defended by only two companies of the Sudan Defense Force.

In Romania... A new Cabinet is formed. The prime minister is Gigurtu and the Foreign Minister Manoilescu who represents the Iron Guard. The policies of the new government are clearly pro-German and anti-Semitic.

In the English Channel... The Luftwaffe attacks a convoy south of Portland; the Stuka dive-bombers sink 5 of the 9 ships involved.

Friday, July 5, 1940

In Gibraltar... There is an unsuccessful French torpedo bomber raid on the British naval base.

In Vichy France... Marshal Petain's government, now based in Vichy, breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain because of the action taken against the French navy.

In Romania... Romania joins to the Axis system.

Saturday, July 6, 1940

In Algeria... At Mers-el-Kebir, the French battle cruiser Dunkerque is crippled by Swordfish torpedo-bombers from HMS Ark Royal.

In Germany... Hitler returns to Berlin in triumph after 8 weeks away.

Sunday, July 7, 1940

In French West Africa... The French battleship Richelieu is attacked in Dakar harbor during the night by a small British unit.

In Egypt... The French commander in Alexandria, Admiral Godefroy, agrees to allow his ships to be demobilized. The French force here consists of the battleship Lorraine, three heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, three destroyers and a submarine.

Monday, July 8, 1940

In French West Africa... Damage to the French battleship Richelieu is increased by a hit from a torpedo bomber from the carrier Hermes.

In Morocco... In Casablanca, the French battleship Jean Bart is attacked by British forces.

In London... De Gaulle criticizes the British for these actions. This is the first sign that he will maintain French independence and be a stormy partner.

Tuesday, July 9, 1940

In the Mediterranean... The Royal Navy's Force H (with 3 battleships and 1 carrier), under the command of Admiral Somerville, is attacked by high-altitude bombers without loss. Admiral Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet and an Italian squadron under the command of Admiral Campioni (with 2 battleships, 8 heavy cruisers and 12 light cruisers) are involved in a brief surface action in which the battleship Guilio Cesare is damaged by a hit from the Warspite after which the Italians break off.

In Vichy France... Marshal Petain is granted powers to make and alter the constitution by vote of the French parliament. He is opposed by only four votes, three in the Chamber and one in the Senate.

Wednesday, July 10, 1940

Over Britain... The Germans send 70 planes to raid dock targets in South Wales. In the British reckoning this is the first day of the battle of Britain.

Over the English Channel... There are more air battles in which there are losses on both sides.

Thursday, July 11, 1940

In Vichy France... President Lebrun resigns and Petain becomes head of state after an overwhelming vote in his favor in parliament. His first decree shows his new style and pretensions. It begins "Nous, Philippe Petain."

Friday, July 12, 1940

Over the North Sea... Hurricane fighters destroy 4 German bombers attacking a convoy off the coast of Suffolk.

Over Britain... German aircraft raid Aberdeen (causing 60 casualties) and Cardiff.

In Moscow... Kuusinen, former head of the Soviet sponsored Terijoki government (intended to replace the Finnish government in Helsinki), is appointed President of the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Republic, in territory acquired from Finland in the treaty of March 13, 1940.

Saturday, July 13, 1940

In East Africa... The Italian forces in Abyssinia move over the border into Kenya to attack the small town of Moyale.

From Berlin... Hitler issues Directive 15 on the air war with Britain. The offensive is to begin at full strength on August 5th. Goring in fact will not be able to have his planes ready by this date. This lack of efficiency will waste vital days in the fine summer weather. The RAF is to be rapidly driven from the skies and the air supremacy necessary if an invasion is to be attempted is to be achieved. Also, in a conversation with some of his generals Hitler makes his first real mention of the future necessity to attack the Soviet Union. He suggests that England is only fighting on because of the hope of Soviet help.

Sunday, July 14, 1940

In Vichy France... It is officially declared the "Day of National Mourning".

In Britain... General de Gaulle attends Bastille Day ceremonies in London.

From London... British Prime Minister Churchill speaks about the "war of the unknown warriors" in a BBC radio broadcast.

Monday, July 15, 1940

In East Africa... After a brief resistance against attacking Italian forces the outnumbered garrison of Moyale, Kenya withdraws from the town.

In the Baltic States... Plebiscites conducted in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia are announced to show a unanimous desire for union with the USSR.

In the United States... The Democratic Party convention at Chicago opens.

Tuesday, July 16, 1940

From Berlin... Hitler issues his Directive 16. It begins, "I have decided to begin to prepare for, and if necessary to carry out, an invasion of England." It goes on to explain the importance of the air battles for the achievement of this aim. At this stage in the planning the German army's views are dominant. They wish the Channel crossing to take place on a wide front with landings all along the south coast of Britain. They envisage that the force to be employed will be at least 25 and perhaps 40 divisions. They hope that the crossing can be protected by the Luftwaffe and mines on its flanks. This is not a very realistic plan.

In Tokyo... Japanese Prime Minister Yonai resigns because of military pressure.

Wednesday, July 17, 1940

In Tokyo... A new Cabinet headed by Prince Konoye is appointed. Matsuoka is the new Foreign Minister and will be very influential. The Cabinet also includes a number of supporters of a more aggressive policy. The most important is General Tojo who becomes Minister of War.

Thursday, July 18, 1940

In Burma... In response to Japanese pressure and because of their present weakness, the British government closes the Burma Road to the passage of supplies to the Chinese Nationalists. The monsoon season is just beginning in Burma, so there is little real loss to the Chinese, and the road will be reopened in October when the better weather begins.

In the United States... Roosevelt is nominated as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate without any real opposition. Henry Wallace is chose to run for vice-president.

Friday, July 19, 1940

In Berlin... In a speech to the Reichstag Hitler issues what he describes as "a final appeal to common sense," urging that Britain make peace.

From London... General Brooke is appointed to be Commander in Chief, Home Forces replacing General Ironside. This is purely an army position and does not give authority over the other services as the title might suggest. Brooke is more of a success in the job than Ironside and produces more realistic plans for dealing with invasion. Ironside is promoted to field marshal.

In Washington... President Roosevelt signs the "Two-Ocean Navy Expansion Act." This orders construction of 1,325,000 tons of warships and 15,000 naval planes. Including the existing ships, the fleet will comprise 35 battleships, 20 carriers and 88 cruisers.

In the Mediterranean... There is an action between two Italian cruisers and the Australian cruiser Sydney and five destroyers. The Italian Bartolomeo Colleoni is damaged by Syndney and then sunk by destroyer attack. Later Sydney is hit by Bande Nere before the Italians flee.

Saturday, July 20, 1940

Over Germany... First Lieutenant Werner Streib in an Me110 night-fighter, using only visual contact, achieves the first nighttime kill of the war by shooting down a British Whitley bomber over northwestern Germany.

In Berlin... Goring, the commander in chief of the Luftwaffe, orders the creation of the first specialized night-fighter wing -- Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) -- under the command of Colonel Josef Kammhuber.

In the Mediterranean... Off the coast of Tobruk in Libya, 2 Italian destroyers and a cargo ship are torpedoed by British Swordfish torpedo bombers.

Sunday, July 21, 1940

From Moscow... The Soviet Union formally annexes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and they become constituent republics of the USSR.

In Berlin... In an OKH conference Hitler again says that Germany must prepare to attack the USSR. Although the generals would prefer to deal with Britain first, they raise no objections. Later in the month Jodl tells an OKW planning section that Germany will attack in the east in the spring of 1941 and that planning for the movement of the armed forces to eastern Europe should be begun.

Monday, July 22, 1940

In Britain... The British government believes strongly that there will be uprisings against Hitler's rule that will contribute greatly to the overthrow of his power and will make a British return to the continent possible. The Special Operations Executive is created to work clandestinely to encourage these developments. Although events will not turn out as the British imagine, SOE will make a considerable contribution to the development of the various resistance movements in occupied Europe. Officially SOE is to be part of the Ministry for Economic Warfare.

In London... The British Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, replies to Hitler's "appeal to common sense" of July 19th with "we shall not stop fighting till freedom for ourselves and others is secure."

Tuesday, July 23, 1940

In London... A provisional Czechoslovakian government is formed and is recognized by British government. Dr. Benes is president and Mgr Sramek is prime minister.

In the United States... The British Purchasing Mission in the United States reaches agreement that it will be allowed to buy up 40 percent of the United States' production of aircraft.

Wednesday, July 24, 1940

In the English Channel... The steamer Meknes, carrying 1277 French sailors to Marseilles, is sunk by the German motor torpedo boat S-27 off the coast of Portland, England. A total of 383 on board are killed.

In Bucharest... The Romanian government nationalizes the Astra-Romana Oil Company (part of the Royal Dutch/Shell Oil Company).

Thursday, July 25, 1940

From Washington... The United States prohibits the export of oil and metal products in certain categories, unless under license, to countries outside the Americas generally and to Britain. This move is seen as an anti-Japanese measure, particularly because of Japan's needs for foreign oil. From this time Japanese fuel stocks begin to decline. There are similar problems with other raw materials. Japanese attention is, therefore, drawn south from China to the resources of the Netherlands East Indies and Malaysia.

In the Dover Straits... Aircraft from Kesselring's Luftflotte 2 attack a convoy in the Dover Straits very fiercely. They have help from German light naval forces. These are driven off during the day but return to do damage during the night. The British lose 11 of 21 ships in the convoy.

Friday, July 26, 1940

From London... The British Admiralty order that no ships are to pass Dover during daylight. This is not a direct response to the previous day's losses but has been under preparation for some time because of the extra organization involved.

In Tokyo... The Japanese government formally adopts policy documents giving priority to solving their China problem by blocking supplies reaching the Chinese through Indochina and to securing their own raw materials by a more aggressive stance in the Dutch East Indies.

Saturday, July 27, 1940

In the English Channel... Kesselring's forces sinks 2 British destroyers and damages 1 in air strikes.

Sunday, July 28, 1940

In the South Atlantic... There is an engagement in the south Atlantic between the German auxiliary cruiser Thor and the similar but less well-armed British merchant cruiser Alcantara. Thor is only lightly hit but Alcantara is forced to break off and head for Rio. Only proper British cruisers are adequate to catch and fight such German vessels.

In Britain... All British destroyers are withdrawn from Dover to Portsmouth. This is a significant achievement for the Luftwaffe implying that they may be able to dominate the Channel Narrows during the hours of daylight.

Monday, July 29, 1940

In the English Channel... Another British destroyer is sunk and the whole eastern half of the Channel is placed out of bounds for Royal Navy destroyers in daylight. Minesweeping operations continue, however, ensuring that access can be gained if necessary.

Tuesday, July 30, 1940

In the North Sea... German bombers attack shipping between the Thames Estuary and Harwich.

Wednesday, July 31, 1940

In Britain... Fighter output for July is found to be 50 percent above the target figures. Since May 1st 1200 fighters have been produced. This is more than have been made in Germany and the RAF is therefore closing the numerical advantage of the Luftwaffe.