1939 (Thursday)
RAF shoots down seven German aircraft over France.
The Nazis in control of Poland issue a decree requiring all Polish Jews over the age of twelve to wear white armbands emblazoned with a blue Star of David.
The Scharnhorst and Gneisenau intercept a convoy, which is escorted by the merchant cruiser Rawalpindi. The Scharnhorst sinks the Rawalpindi (killing 265 crew), which sacrificed itself in order that the convoy could escape. The British Home Fleet puts to sea in an attempt to engage the two German ships. However, both the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau have already headed for home. The Royal Navy recovers its first intact German Magnetic mine. These types of mines have been causing an increasing number of casualties to shipping, in and around the UK.
Britain begins rationing bacon and butter.
US celebrates Thanksgiving after Roosevelt moved holiday from last to second-to-last Thursday to extend the Christmas shopping season.
Macy’s parade first features Superman balloon.
1940 (Saturday)
The Romanian leader Antonescu agrees to joins the Tripartite pact.
Seven Italian Caproni BR20m bombers, flying from bases in Belgium, are shot down by Fighter Command during an air attack on the UK.
Southampton is hit badly by the Luftwaffe.
German submarine U-100 sinks seven Allied cargo ships in convoy SC-11 off the coast of Ireland.
Admiral Leahy appointed as United States Ambassador to Vichy France.
1941 (Sunday)
German troops are now only 35 miles north-west of Moscow. (source 1)
German troops reach within 19 miles of Moscow, the closest they reach to the Soviet capital. (source 2)
U.S. troops move into Dutch Guiana to guard the bauxite mines.
Operation Crusader: German troops destroy the South African 5th Brigade after days of tank battles round Tobruk. Rommel prepares for his "dash to the war", an attempt to cut off the attacking British troops.
1942 (Monday)
The two pincers of the Soviet counterattack at Stalingrad meet, cutting off 20 German and two Romanian divisions. The Russians claim 24,000 prisoners have been taken since the start of their counter offensive.
Retreating before the British 8th Army (Montgomery), Panzer Army Afrika reaches El Agheila.
Eighth Air Force Heavy Bomber Mission No. 23: 58 aircraft dispatched to attack U-boat base at St. Naizaire. 36 attack the target and 4 aircraft are lost.
Japanese air raid on Darwin, Australia.
Death of Lieutenant General Tomitaro Horii, commander of the Japanese Eighteenth Army on New Guinea. He is replaced by Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi, who remains in command until the end of the war.
1943 (Tuesday)
The allies cross the Sangro in strength.
Berlin hit again by the RAF, making it the worst bombed city in Germany with 12,000 tons dropped on it this year alone.
United States forces seized control of the Tarawa and Makin atolls from the Japanese. End of organised Japanese resistance on Tarawa. The first U.S. offensive in the Central Pacific region was declared won after 76 hours of fierce fighting. The 4,800 Japanese defenders (soldiers, marines, and Japanese and Korean construction workers) on Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands were well-supplied and well-prepared, and they fought practically to the last man: just 17 enemy soldiers and 129 laborers were captured. The military importance of the small spits of enemy-held land lay in their strategic location at the gateway of the U.S. drive through the Central Pacific to the Marshall and Mariana Islands and beyond that to the Japanese Home Islands (see map). The effort, however, to retake the 12‑sq.‑mile/31‑sq.‑km coral atoll exacted a heavy toll on Marines of the U.S. 2nd Marine Division: more than one thousand leathernecks lost their lives and over twice that many were wounded. Four Marines were awarded Medals of Honor for valor. The U.S. Navy counted 687 dead—644 being the victims of a Japanese torpedo attack on the escort carrier Liscome Bay off Makin (pronounced “Muckin” or “Muggin”) Atoll, the northernmost of the Gilbert Islands. Sixty-six men of the U.S. Army’s 27th Infantry Division perished clearing Makin Atoll.
German submarine U-648 sunk off the Azores.
1944 (Thursday)
Soviet troops capture Tokey.
The Germans evacuate Finnish Lapland and Macedonia, at opposite ends of the front.
The allies declare Macedonia on Greek Yugoslav border, free of Germans.
French First Army takes Strasbourg, France.
U.S. troops liberated the Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp in France.
US 6th Army liberates Limon.
Chinese-American WASP Hazel Ying Lee is injured in a P-63 landing accident at Great Falls, MT; she will die on Nov. 25, the last of 38 WASPs to die on duty.
The Canadian cabinet made 16,000 conscripts available for overseas duty.
United States celebrates Thanksgiving.
1945 (Friday)
Butter rationing comes to an end, leaving sugar as the only item that continues to be rationed in the USA.
Beta Tester for: War in the East 1 & 2, WarPlan & WarPlan Pacific, Valor & Victory, Flashpoint Campaigns: Sudden Storm, Computer War In Europe 2 SPWW2 & SPMBT scenario creator Tester for WDS games
Any thoughts on if I should combined these or keep them seperate?
The Great War Today: November 23
1914 (Monday)
Netherlands Overseas Trust formed.
Portuguese Government announce prospective co-operation of Portugal with Great Britain.
1915 (Tuesday)
Rovereto (Trentino) taken by Italian forces.
Mitrovitza and Pristina (Serbia) taken by Austro-German forces.
Serbian Government leave Prizren for Scutari (Shkodra).
British military operations against the Senussi commence: Sollum post evacuated.
Entente Powers send Note to Greek Government demanding non interference with Allied troops, and guaranteeing eventual restoration of occupied Greek territory.
British Government conclude preliminary agreement with the Netherlands Overseas Trust for rationing of Holland.
1916 (Thursday)
Greek Provisional Government (M. Venizelos) at Salonika declare war on Germany and Bulgaria.
British hospital ship "Braemar Castle" damaged and beached in Ægean Sea - probably mined.
Mackensen's army effects passage of the Danube at Islaz and Simnitza.
1917 (Friday)
M. Lebrun succeeds M. Jonnart as French Minister for Blockade.
German airship "L.-.59" reaches East Africa, but turns back without alighting.
1918 (Saterday)
Lemberg captured by Polish forces.
Yugo-Slav National Council vote for union with Serbia and formation of a common State with Serbia and Montenegro.
Beta Tester for: War in the East 1 & 2, WarPlan & WarPlan Pacific, Valor & Victory, Flashpoint Campaigns: Sudden Storm, Computer War In Europe 2 SPWW2 & SPMBT scenario creator Tester for WDS games
Zovs wrote: Sat Nov 23, 2024 10:45 am
Any thoughts on if I should combined these or keep them seperate?
Good morning Zovs! You are posting in the Grumpy Old Men thread again!
And I prefer the WWI and WWII timelines separate - the posts are too long if you combine them.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
Zovs wrote: Sat Nov 23, 2024 10:45 am
Any thoughts on if I should combined these or keep them seperate?
Good morning Zovs! You are posting in the Grumpy Old Men thread again!
And I prefer the WWI and WWII timelines separate - the posts are too long if you combine them.
Grump i did it again! Thanks for reminding me….
Beta Tester for: War in the East 1 & 2, WarPlan & WarPlan Pacific, Valor & Victory, Flashpoint Campaigns: Sudden Storm, Computer War In Europe 2 SPWW2 & SPMBT scenario creator Tester for WDS games
Zovs wrote: Sat Nov 23, 2024 10:45 am
Any thoughts on if I should combined these or keep them seperate?
Good morning Zovs! You are posting in the Grumpy Old Men thread again!
And I prefer the WWI and WWII timelines separate - the posts are too long if you combine them.
Grump i did it again! Thanks for reminding me….
Grump.
I wouldn't mind two separate, and new, threads to cover the WWI, and WWII, timelines.
Grump.
Although I feel I am not entitled to ask it since it is such an effort to do it. Therefore appreciate it fully wherever it is posted. Thank you.
Grump.
Now I need to go yell at some kids to get of my lawn.
Grump.
Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb -- they're often students, for heaven's sake. - Terry Pratchett
A government is a body of people; usually, notably, ungoverned. - Quote from Firefly
That one with the snow is so true. I spent 30 years in Massachusetts and if there was 12" of snow over night there might be a delayed opening for schools. But in central Ohio if they get 3" of snow it's a level 3 snow emergency. No school for 1 or 2 days. They just can't handle it. Don't have the equipment....GP
That one with the snow is so true. I spent 30 years in Massachusetts and if there was 12" of snow over night there might be a delayed opening for schools. But in central Ohio if they get 3" of snow it's a level 3 snow emergency. No school for 1 or 2 days. They just can't handle it. Don't have the equipment....GP
....GP
