Chronology of World War II

Saturday, February 1, 1941

In the North Atlantic... The German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper sails from Brest on a commerce destroying raid in the north Atlantic.

In East Africa... In Eritrea Agordat falls to Platt's forces after a vigorous three-day battle. Frusci's troops are falling back to the mountain positions around Keren after suffering some losses. To the south Barentu has also been captured by the Indian troops.

In Washington... There is a major reorganization of the US Navy. It is now to be formed in three fleets, the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Asiatic. Admiral King is appointed to command the new Atlantic Fleet. There is to be a significant strengthening of the forces in the Atlantic.

In Japan... Japan announces that it will be necessary to introduce rice rationing.

Sunday, February 2, 1941

In East Africa... The British carrier Formidable, on her way to the Mediterranean to replace the damaged Illustrious, sends its planes to attack the harbor installations at Mogadishu.

In North Africa... The Australian forces have already advanced well to the west of Derna on the coast and are discovering that the Italians are withdrawing at speed. Wavel agrees with O'Connor that 7th Armored Division should be sent hurrying across the center of Cyrenaica in an attempt to cut the Italians off. Supplies are being assembled to support this move but because the Italian retreat is so rapid the advance will have to start before the preparations are complete.

Monday, February 3, 1941

In the North Atlantic... The German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau go on a commerce destroying expedition in the Atlantic under the command of Admiral Lutjens. During the night they pass through the Denmark Strait.

In Berlin... The OKH plans for the German invasion of the USSR are presented to Hitler. He again tries to draw attention away from the central drive toward Moscow which the Army planners think essential.

Tuesday, February 4, 1941

In North Africa... The British advance across Cyrenaica has now begun. Msus is taken and the forces then move toward Antelat. In the north the Italian retreat is continuing.

In East Africa... The British forces begin to attack the strong Italian positions around Keren. There are 30,000 Italian troops in this area. In the first phase of the battle, which last until February 7th, the 11th Indian Brigade manages to take Cameron Ridge but is thrown back from other positions by Italian counterattacks.

Wednesday, February 5, 1941

In North Africa... The first British armored units reach the coast road near Beda Fomm with armored cars and light tanks after their drive across Cyrenaica. Heavier tank units are following rapidly. The retreating Italian columns are engaged and about 5000 men are captured. In the north the Australians take Barce.

Thursday, February 6, 1941

In North Africa... Benghazi is taken by Australian units following the Italian retreat. The Italian forces are streaming back along the coast road to Beda Fomm and during the day they make desperate attacks on the British blocking force there. These attacks are repulsed with heavy loss but the small British force is compelled to give some ground.

Friday, February 7, 1941

In North Africa... Large-scale surrenders begin at Beda Fomm after the Italians have made fruitless attempts to break through to continue their retreat. Eventually about 25,000 more Italians will be taken, along with 200 guns and 120 tanks. Since the start of the campaign two months previously a force of no more than two divisions has destroyed 10 Italian divisions and taken 130,000 prisoners for the loss of 555 dead and 1400 wounded. Many of the British vehicles now desperately need repairs. In the evening Agedabia falls to the British forces.

Saturday, February 8, 1941

In Sofia... The German and Bulgarian staffs agree on the detailed arrangements for German troops to enter Bulgaria.

In the North Atlantic... The Scharnhorst and Gneisenau approach the convoy HX-106 but do not attack because the escort includes the old battleship Ramillies.

In Washington... The Lend-Lease Bill is passed by the House by 260 votes to 165.

Sunday, February 9, 1941

In North Africa... The British advance comes to a halt at El Agheila. There is little Italian opposition to prevent a further move, but Wavell is being compelled to withdraw troops which will be sent to Greece. He is also responsible for the campaign in East Africa and for making some provision for the defense of Palestine. In the near future, this will demand more of his attention because of German activity in Iraq and Syria.

In the Mediterranean... In an audacious attack the battleship Malaya and the battlecruiser Renown from Force H bombard the harbor at Genoa. The carrier Ark Royal also takes part in the operation, sending aircraft to attack Leghorn and La Spezia. Five ships in Genoa are sunk and 18 damaged. The Italians fail to attack the British force.

Monday, February 10, 1941

In East Africa... The attacks of 4th Indian Division at Keren go on with renewed effort. The fighting is fierce over the next two days but Italian counterattacks prevent the Indian troops from making any gains. A long lull follows for the rest of the month while British commanders bring up more forces and supplies for the formal offensive which will be necessary to break the Italian positions.

From London... Churchill formally instructs Wavell to regard help for Greece as having a higher priority than exploiting the success in North Africa. He mentions the important effect on American opinion of being seen to fulfill promises to smaller nations. Colonel Bill Donovan has recently been on a tour of the Balkans on Roosevelt's behalf and is known to value the idea of fighting the Germans there. The British also hope to make a good impression on Turkey and perhaps even establish a Balkan coalition against Hitler.

Tuesday, February 11, 1941

In Vichy France... Darlan is nominated to be successor and deputy to Petain. He is to hold office as Foreign Minister, Minister of the Interior and Minister of Information as well as his rank as Commander in Chief of the Navy.

In East Africa... General Cunningham's forces extend their advance from Kenya into the Italian Somaliland and take Afmadu.

Wednesday, February 12, 1941

In North Africa... General Rommel arrives in Tripoli. Nominally more important is the appointment of the new Italian Commander in Chief for Libya, General Gariboldi. Field Marshal Kesselring is in Rome as the German representative.

In the North Atlantic... The convoy SLS-64 of 19 ships is attacked by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper. Seven of the ships are sunk.

In Moscow... General Zhukov is appointed Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Commissar for Defense. General Meretskov is now to lead the Red Army's training directorate.

Thursday, February 13, 1941

In East Africa... The carrier Formidable attacks Massawa. Formidable cannot pass through the Suez Canal to join the Mediterranean Fleet owing to mines that have been dropped by German planes. These are being cleared.

Friday, February 14, 1941

In North Africa... The first units of what will become the Afrika Korps begin to land at Tripoli. The advance guard is a battalion of light infantry and an antitank unit.

In the North Atlantic... The Admiral Hipper returns to Brest, having sunk a total of eight ships on its cruise.

In Germany... Hitler meets the Yugoslav Premier Cvetkovic and his foreign minister at Berchtesgaden to urge them to join the Tripartite Pact. They still refuse to commit their country, in the hope that Hitler will soon be preoccupied with relations with the Soviet Union and that they can get aid from Britain and the USA.

In East Africa... The 22nd East African Brigade takes Kismayu with fire support from the cruiser Shropshire and other smaller vessels. Elsewhere in Somaliland the British advance is also rapid.

Saturday, February 15, 1941

Over Occupied Poland... RAF aircraft, based in Britain, drop leaflets over Cracow and Katowice in southern Poland during the night (February 15-16).

From Washington... President Roosevelt sends James B. Conant, President of Harvard University, to Britain to discuss military technology.

Sunday, February 16, 1941

In East Africa... In Italian Somaliland the 1st South African Brigade begins an important battle to seize crossings over the lower reaches of the river Juba.

Monday, February 17, 1941

In Sofia... Under German pressure Turkey and Bulgaria sign a friendship agreement by which Turkey accepts that the movement of German troops through Bulgaria is not an act of war. This more or less confirms that there is no possibility of Turkey being persuaded to ally with Britain.

Tuesday, February 18, 1941

In East Africa... In Abyssinia South African forces advancing from Kenya attack the town of Mega. It is quickly captured along with 1000 prisoners.

Wednesday, February 19, 1941

In East Africa... Emperor Haile Selassie, who was brought back to Abyssinia in January to help organize resistance to the Italians, arrives at Dangilla along with Wingate's Gideon Force. During the next two weeks they harass the Italian troops around Bahrdar Giorgis and Burye with considerable success. The Italians have four brigades in the area and the Gideon Force is only 1700 strong.

In Cairo... Eden, Dill (the Chief of the General Staff) and the local commanders, Wavell and Cunningham, meet to discuss whether they can send help to Greece and if so how much. The British political leaders are strongly in favor of sending all that can be spared and Wavell, the military commander who is responsible, believes that this can be done effectively and is, therefore, prepared to recommend it.

Thursday, February 20, 1941

In North Africa... The British and German patrols make contact for the first time in the desert, near El Agheila.

Friday, February 21, 1941

From Moscow... Changes in the Central Committee of the Communist Party are announced. Among those to be dismissed are the former ambassador to the United States, Maxim Litvinov.

In East Africa... The carrier Formidable attacks Massawa.

Saturday, February 22, 1941

In Occupied Holland... SS troops raid the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam in reprisal for the ammonia incident of February 19th.

In the North Atlantic... Five ships from a dispersed convoy are sunk by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

In Athens... The British leaders (Eden, Dill, Wavell and Cunningham) meet Greek King George and Premier Korizis.

Sunday, February 23, 1941

In Athens... The Greeks agree to accept a British force which at this stage is intended to be 100,000 men with suitable artillery and tank support. The Greeks are very reluctant to accept anything less since it would not be enough to fight the Germans off and would only encourage them to attack. The disposition of the British and Greek forces is also discussed. The British prefer a position along the line of the Aliakmon River but the Greeks are unwilling to give up the territory which this line does not cover. No final decision is made -- a serious omission in light of later events.

In East Africa... In Somaliland the main Italian forces defending the line of the Juba River have been defeated. General Cunningham's troops are now advancing very rapidly toward Mogadishu. There is a small Free French landing in Eritrea.

In Occupied Holland... The SS raid on the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam is completed. About 400 Jews are arrested and deported to the concentration camp at Buchenwald in Germany.

Monday, February 24, 1941

In North Africa... British and German forces engage in the desert for the first time.

Tuesday, February 25, 1941

In East Africa... Mogadishu is taken by the British forces after an advance of over 230 miles in the past three days. Considerable stocks of fuel and other supplies are captured.

In the Mediterranean... The Italian light cruiser Diaz is sunk by a British submarine while forming part of the escort for a Naples-Tripoli convoy.

Wednesday, February 26, 1941

In Ankara... Eden and Dill continue their Middle East mission with a visit to Turkey, but they get no real response to their efforts to interest the Turks in an alliance.

Thursday, February 27, 1941

In the Indian Ocean... The Italian merchant cruiser Ramb I is sunk by the New Zealand cruiser Leander off the Maldive Islands. Ramb I sailed from Massawa on February 20th.

Friday, February 28, 1941

In East Africa... Asmara in Eritrea, is bombed by British planes. The RAF has now established superiority in this area.