Chronology of World War II

Friday, August 1, 1941

In Washington... President Roosevelt forbids the export of oil and aviation fuel from the United States except to Britain, the British Commonwealth countries and countries of the Western Hemisphere. This decision is aimed at Japan. Roosevelt's decision confirms steps taken recently when Japanese assets were frozen (on July 26th).

In Tokyo... As a consequence of the American restrictions on oil exports, Japan is left with only limited stocks of oil. The position is such that Japan must either change her foreign policy very radically or decide to go to war and try to secure access to oil from the East Indies.

On the Eastern Front... The fighting is especially heavy near Vitebsk and Orsha. The Soviets attack only the northern edge of the Pripet Marshes from west of Gomel with the aim of striking into the German rear areas. In most target areas the Germans can withstand the attacks.

Saturday, August 2, 1941

On the Eastern Front... The German forces in the north being to attack Staraya Russa just south of Lake Ilmen on the right of their drive toward Leningrad.

In the United States... Lend-Lease aid begins to be sent to the Soviet Union.

Sunday, August 3, 1941

On the Eastern Front... In the south another German encircling move closes near Pervomaysk on the Bug River.

Monday, August 4, 1941

In Norway... A small air raid by planes from the British carrier Victorious is launched against Tromso.

Tuesday, August 5, 1941

On the Eastern Front... The fighting around Smolensk comes to an end. The Germans claim to have taken 310,000 prisoners and to have killed many of the 700,000-strong Soviet force. The Soviets admit far lower losses.

In Vichy France... Admiral Darlan is promoted to be in charge of government policy in North Africa. Wegand is to be his subordinate.

Wednesday, August 6, 1941

In Tokyo... Konoye's government presents proposals involving some concessions in China and Indochina to the US, asking in return for the end of the freeze on Japanese assets. The proposals are not acceptable to the US and when the rejection is made known to the Japanese they propose that Konoye and Roosevelt meet to the discuss the issues at stake.

Thursday, August 7, 1941

On the Eastern Front... A small force of Soviet bombers raid Berlin. Berlin is bombed on six more occasions by the Soviets this month.

In Washington... The Senate passes an extension of the draft period from one year to thirty months (and a similar increase for service in the National Guard) after considerable debate.

Friday, August 8, 1941

From Moscow... Marshal Timoshenko issues a proclamation to all Soviet citizens in enemy-occupied areas urging them to join partisan forces, carry out Stalin's "scorched-earth" policy and "wreak merciless vengeance on the enemy... for the death of your children..."

In China... Japanese air forces begin a week of air raids on Chungking. A total of 40 raids are recorded by August 13th.

Saturday, August 9, 1941

In Newfoundland... Churchill and Roosevelt begin their meeting at Placentia Bay. Both are accompanied by their military staffs. The discussions cover the situation in Europe and the Far East.

On the Eastern Front... German Army Group South, with forces from 11th and 17th Armies, begins attacks along the line of the River Bug.

Sunday, August 10, 1941

From London and Moscow... The British and Soviet governments pledge to assist Turkey if that country is attacked by Axis forces.

In Newfoundland... Churchill and Roosevelt continue their meeting at Placentia Bay. Both are accompanied by their military staffs. The discussions cover the situation in Europe and the Far East.

Monday, August 11, 1941

On the Eastern Front... The Finnish attacks south of Lake Ladoga reach Vuosalmi.

In Newfoundland... Churchill and Roosevelt continue their meeting at Placentia Bay. Both are accompanied by their military staffs. The discussions cover the situation in Europe and the Far East.

Tuesday, August 12, 1941

In Vichy France... Marshal Petain says in a broadcast that Germany is fighting "in defense of civilization" in the war against the Soviet Union. He announces new measures for the suppression of political parties and the creation of a stronger police force and special courts. Admiral Darlan is to be appointed to the Ministry of Defense.

In Washington... The House passes an extension of the draft period from one year to thirty months (and a similar increase for service in the National Guard) after considerable debate. The bill is passed by one vote (203-202) in the House, so it would be incorrect to suggest that American political opinion is strongly in favor of a more aggressive international policy at this point.

From Berlin... Hitler issues Directive 34. Army Group North is ordered to continue its efforts in the direction of Leningrad. Army Group South is to begin the battle for the Crimea, Kharkov and the Donets. Army Group Center is to halt and provide help to the other army groups.

In North Africa... In response to pressure from the Australian government concerning the relief of their troops in Tobruk, Allied naval forces evacuate 5000 Australian troops from Tobruk and land 6000 fresh troops from a Polish Brigade over the course of several nights (August 12-18th). The fast minelayers Abdiel and Latona are prominent in these moves. A cruiser and two destroyers are also employed.

In Newfoundland... Churchill and Roosevelt conclude their meeting at Placentia Bay. It is agreed to send strong warnings to the Japanese and it is understood the America will almost certainly enter the war if Japan attacks British or Dutch possessions in the East Indies or Malaysia. A message is also sent to Stalin, proposing a meeting in Moscow. The conference is most remembered for the agreement later called the Atlantic Charter. This is a statement of principles governing the policies of Britain and the USA and states that all countries have the right to hold free elections and to be free from foreign pressure. The conference also gives British and American staffs an opportunity to get to know each other and to work together.

Wednesday, August 13, 1941

In the Soviet Union... The government announces the release of all Polish prisoners of war captured in September 1939.

In China... After a week, the Japanese have recorded 40 air raids on Chungking.

Thursday, August 14, 1941

On the Eastern Front... The Soviets begin to evacuate their Black Sea naval base at Nikolayev. Eight destroyers of the Black Sea fleet cover the operation (lasting through August 17th). Of the ships under construction in the port, 13 are far enough advanced to be towed away but one battleship and 10 other vessels on the stocks are blown up.

Friday, August 15, 1941

In Moscow... The London-based Polish government in exile signs a military cooperation agreement with the government of the USSR.

Saturday, August 16, 1941

In the North Atlantic... Since August 9th, 8 German and 3 Italian submarines have made repeated, though unsuccessful, attacks on convoy HG-69, northwest of Gibraltar.

Sunday, August 17, 1941

On the Eastern Front... The attacks of Army Group South reach the Dniepr River at Dnepropetrovsk. The town is captured. In the north, Novgorod on the shores of Lake Ilmen is also taken.

In Tokyo... The United States government presents a formal warning to the Japanese along the lines agreed at Placentia Bay. The text of the note has been toned down somewhat from the draft originally agreed with the British and Dutch, so they do not present their notes in order avoid appearing to disagree with the American position. No decision on the Japanese proposal of a meeting between Roosevelt and Konoye is offered at this time.

Monday, August 18, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Budenny, commanding the Soviet armies in the Ukraine, begins to withdraw as many of his troops as possible behind the line of the Dniepr River. In the area of German Army Group Center there are fierce engagements near Gomel, east of the Pripet Marshes. In the north the German forces of Army Group North take Kingisepp, on the Luga River, east of Narva; there is also heavy fighting near Novgorod, on the Volkhov River, north of Lake Ilmen.

Tuesday, August 19, 1941

In the Arctic... There are various British naval operations to the end of the month. The population of Spitsbergen is evacuated and the Norwegians taken to Britain and the Soviets to the USSR. The first small supply convoy is sent from Iceland to the Soviet Union. The carrier Argus also brings a cargo of Hurricanes to the Soviet Union, complete with RAF pilots who will fly them in combat for the first few weeks.

Wednesday, August 20, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Marshal Voroshilov calls on the citizens of Leningrad to defend their city to the death.

Thursday, August 21, 1941

On the Eastern Front... In the north the Germans take Chudovo, northeast of Novgorod, cutting the main rail link between Leningrad and Moscow. In the Finnish attacks farther north Kexholm is taken form the Soviets. In the center the Soviets pull out of Gomel after a long struggle and a series of counterattacks. In the south the Germans take Kherson on the lower Dniepr River.

Friday, August 22, 1941

In Occupied France... German authorities in Paris threaten to shoot hostages if attacks on German troops continue. About 20,000 German troops are engaged in searches in the city for suspects.

Saturday, August 23, 1941

On the Eastern Front... German Panzer Group 2 and 2nd Army from Army Group Center begin attacks south to link up east of Kiev with the forces of Army Group South. Most of the German generals are opposed to this move and would prefer to maintain the drive toward Moscow but Hitler insists on this change in strategy.

In the North Atlantic... The German merchant cruiser Orion returns from its cruise and arrives in the Gironde Estuary. The cruise has lasted 510 days and six ships of 39,000 tons have been sunk, as well as seven more in company with the raider Komet.

Sunday, August 24, 1941

On the Eastern Front... General Konev leads a new Soviet counterattack in the Gomel area. It makes little progress. In the north the Finnish attacks continue to press forward and Viipuri is surrounded.

In the Mediterranean... Force H carries out another offensive operation. Aircraft from Ark Royal attack the Italian airfield at Tempio in northern Sardinia. Mines are also laid off Leghorn. The battleship Nelson is in support. The Italian battleships Vittorio Veneto and Littorio also come out but they move against a suspected Malta operation and there is no contact. The Italian cruiser Bolzano is torpedoed by the British submarine Triumph.

Monday, August 25, 1941

In Iran... British and Soviet forces invade. They have been worried by reports of German "tourists" being in the country and have decided to demand that Iran accept their "protection" of its oil supplies. The British land forces are led by General Quinan and their naval support by Admiral Arbuthnot. The advance in two areas, to seize the oil installations near Abadan, and from the northeast of Baghdad to take similar sites around Kermanshah. The Soviet forces advance in three columns under General Novikov's command. One column moves on Tabriz while the other two advance on either side of the Caspian Sea. There are also British landings at Bandar Shapur, Abadan and Khoramshahr in the Persian Gulf area. Two small Iranian warships are sunk and several Axis merchant ships are seized. The British forces moving on Kermanshah, commanded by General Slim, and all three Soviet columns soon make good progress. The Soviets bomb Tabriz. There is little Iranian opposition to either the British or the Soviet forces.

Tuesday, August 26, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces near Velikiye Luki attempt a counterattack against the Germans. It is unsuccessful.

In Iran... The British forces take complete control of the Abadan area while the Soviets moving down from the north enter Tabriz. The Soviets bomb Teheran.

Wednesday, August 27, 1941

In the North Atlantic... German U-boat U-570, surfaces immediately below a Coastal Command Hudson bomber, while on a mission south of Iceland. The U-boat commander surrenders and the submarine is taken to Iceland. It eventually will re-enter the war in British service as the HMS Graph.

On the Eastern Front... The German Armies begin all out assault against the Baltic port of Tallinn.

In Iran... The British advances continue towards Kermanshah with the British forces taking Shahabad. Meanwhile in the south, they are preparing for an attack on Ahwaz. The Iranian government resigns.

In Vichy France... Vichy leader Lavel and a prominent pro-German newspaper editor are shot and wounded near Versailles by a young member of a resistance group. This incident is taken as an excuse by the Vichy government to round up many of its opponents, describing them as communists.

Thursday, August 28, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Soviet news agencies announce that the great dam over the Dniepr at Zaporozhye (in the Ukraine) has been destroyed. In the Baltics, the Soviets withdraw their garrison, 10th Rifle Corps, from Tallinn in Estonia, by sea. Several convoys attempt to get through to Kronstadt, but incur heavy losses to mines and air attacks. Almost all the transports and many of the escort vessels from the Baltic fleet are sunk.

In Iran... A new government headed by Ali Furughi takes office and declares a ceasefire. The new government begins negotiations with British and Soviets officials.

Friday, August 29, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Finnish forces take Viipuri.

In Iran... The fighting has come to an end.

In Yugoslavia... General Milan Nedic is appointed to lead the Serbian government sponsored by Germany.

Saturday, August 30, 1941

On the Eastern Front... Near the Leningrad, the German forces capture Mga, securing the last railroad link between Leningrad and the rest of the USSR.

Sunday, August 31, 1941

In Iran... Soviet and British troops link up at Kazvin.