[Doug64]

July 4, Thursday

French court orders jail for de Gaulle

General Charles de Gaulle, the leader of the Free French, has been sentenced in absentia to a four-year prison sentence by the military court in Toulouse.

De Gaulle, who was the Under-Secretary for National Defense in the French government when he fled to London in June, is also fined 100 francs, or about $2.32. He has already been reduced in rank to Colonel. Vice Admiral Muselier, commanding Free French air and naval forces, is also to be prosecuted.

Petain cuts diplomatic links with Britain

France has severed diplomatic relations with Britain because of the British attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, the naval base in Algeria, it is officially announced tonight.

The French statement speaks of an “unjustifiable attack by a powerful English fleet.” M. Baudouin, the Foreign Minister in the Petain government, calls the British attack “an indelible blot on British honor,” and the German government has declared that it will suspend Article 8 of the armistice with France, in effect serving notice that it will use those French warships still in German control against Britain, as expressly forbidden by the terms of the armistice.

In London, however, the Royal Navy’s action at Oran, carried out with much reluctance, is being hailed as a major strategic success. Adding the powerful French fleet to the German and Italian navies would have roughly doubled Axis naval forces, made the blockade of a lengthened Nazi-controlled border harder, and raised doubts about the protection of the vital Atlantic convoys. With the French fleet now in British hands or at the bottom of the sea, the Admiralty can breathe more easily.

[Doug64]

July 5, Friday

Roosevelt: five freedoms of democracy

President Roosevelt today warns the American people to entertain no thoughts of compromise with what he calls “the new corporate governments” of the world—Germany, Italy, and the USSR.

Speaking at a press conference, the president says that the many Americans who are evidently impressed with the efficiency of the “corporate” or totalitarian states shouldn’t be deluded unto compromising with them. They are indeed more efficient than the democracies, but only because they have swept aside the democratic system of checks and balances in the legislature, executive, and judiciary: “The new governments generally destroy the legislative and judicial branches and delegate all powers to an executive or a dictator, thus striking at the heart of fundamental liberties by which men should and must live.” He outlines “Five Freedoms” as conditions for a permanent peace:

1. Freedom from fear.
2. Freedom of information.
3. Freedom of religion.
4. Freedom of expression.
5. Freedom from want.

Mr. Roosevelt says that it is an important issue whether the USA should encourage, by lack of opposition, countries which remove these “freedoms.” Such sentiments should give heart to Mr. Churchill and his embattled government.

[Doug64]

July 6, Saturday

Writers included in Nazi “black book”

The Nazis have decided that when they have conquered Britain, all men aged between 17 and 45 will be deported to Germany. Himmler’s SS has also prepared a Black Book with the names of 2,820 people who are to be rounded up as dangerous adversaries. They include Noel Coward, Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, F.M. Forster, J.B. Priestley, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell, and Beatrice Webb. Bernard Shaw isn’t on the list, which has Sigmund Freud, who died last year, and “Lady Carter-Bonham.”

[Doug64]

July 8, Monday

Over a million men join the British Home Guard

In the eight weeks since Anthony Eden’s appeal, 1,060,000 men have signed on with the Local Defence Volunteers. However, they still have no uniforms, no ranks, and few weapons apart from rifles borrowed from museums and even from London’s Drury Lane theater.

The LDV average age is high, and some units include several generals from the last war now in the ranks. In two days, the first course begins at the LDV training school set up at Osterley Park, near London. It is run by Tom Wintringham, the former commander of the British volunteers in Spain, whose articles in Picture Post on guerrilla fighting inspired its publisher, Edward Hulton, to set up the “guerrilla” school.

The LDV may soon see a change of name. Churchill recently suggested to Eden that they be given the shorter title “Home Guard.”

[Potemkin]

July 8, Monday

Over a million men join the British Home Guard

In the eight weeks since Anthony Eden’s appeal, 1,060,000 men have signed on with the Local Defence Volunteers. However, they still have no uniforms, no ranks, and few weapons apart from rifles borrowed from museums and even from London’s Drury Lane theater.

The LDV average age is high, and some units include several generals from the last war now in the ranks. In two days, the first course begins at the LDV training school set up at Osterley Park, near London. It is run by Tom Wintringham, the former commander of the British volunteers in Spain, whose articles in Picture Post on guerrilla fighting inspired its publisher, Edward Hulton, to set up the “guerrilla” school.

The LDV may soon see a change of name. Churchill recently suggested to Eden that they be given the shorter title “Home Guard.”

Or as we now call them, “Dad’s Army”.

[Doug64]

Or as we now call them, “Dad’s Army”.

Yeah, not exactly Sparta or Republican Rome, were they? Still, if the Germans had invaded they would have done what they could.

[Potemkin]

Yeah, not exactly Sparta or Republican Rome, were they? Still, if the Germans had invaded they would have done what they could.

Indeed. Most of them didn’t lack courage, though even the British affectionately parodied them in that 1970s TV comedy series. The main purpose of the Home Guard, of course, was to boost morale on the home front. And it seems to have worked.

[Doug64]

@Potemkin, true, there's nothing wrong and quite a bit right with giving people the feeling that they're contributing something, even if it's mostly pointless.

[Potemkin]

@Potemkin, true, there's nothing wrong and quite a bit right with giving people the feeling that they're contributing something, even if it's mostly pointless.

Of course. Though the Germans (who, as usual, didn’t get the joke) were to produce their own version of the Home Guard, the ‘Volksturm’, in the dying days of the War. I don’t think anyone is planning to make a hit situation comedy about them any time soon though….

[Doug64]

July 9, Tuesday

British and Italian navies clash in Med

The British propaganda machine will make much of a brief clash today off Punta Stilo in Calabria, Italy, between equally-matched units of Italian and British ships. After battleships of “Force H,” the Gibraltar-based British squadron, open fire, the Italian ships retreat behind a smoke screen. One Italian ship, the Bolzano, is hit, as is HMS Gloucester. Italian planes attack both sides but score no hits.

The encounter helps quell fears of a strong Italian navy in the Mediterranean and is a good boost to British morale. Bewilderingly, though, Mussolini tells his fleet, “You have obtained our first naval victory!”

[Potemkin]

July 9, Tuesday

British and Italian navies clash in Med

The British propaganda machine will make much of a brief clash today off Punta Stilo in Calabria, Italy, between equally-matched units of Italian and British ships. After battleships of “Force H,” the Gibraltar-based British squadron, open fire, the Italian ships retreat behind a smoke screen. One Italian ship, the Bolzano, is hit, as is HMS Gloucester. Italian planes attack both sides but score no hits.

The encounter helps quell fears of a strong Italian navy in the Mediterranean and is a good boost to British morale. Bewilderingly, though, Mussolini tells his fleet, “You have obtained our first naval victory!”

That whole incident achieved peak Italian.

[Doug64]

Early start in the morning, so …

July 10, Wednesday

Petain and Laval at France’s new helm

The Third Republic, which has governed France since 1875, is no more. It has been replaced by the Etat Francais [French State], based in the southern spa town of Vichy. Marshal Philippe Petain will be the “Head of the French State” and Prime Minister.

Today, the National Assembly votes by 569 to 80, with 17 abstentions, to grant Petain the power to promulgate a new constitution. Pierre Laval, the Vice-Premier, will aid Petain.

Nazi: “Put Jews on Madagascar”

Franz Rademacher, the official in charge of Jewish affairs at the German foreign office, has proposed moving the estimated four million Jews expected to be living under German rule after the war to the French Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. In the document The Jewish Question after the Peace Treaty, he says that putting the Jews on Madagascar—which France will hand over to the Reich—rather than in the Lublin area of Poland, as planned at present, will make them easier to control.

Luftwaffe steps up convoy offensive

Today, the Luftwaffe mounts its biggest attack yet on a convoy off the southeast coast. Spitfires and Hurricanes, warned by RDF of a build-up of raiders, find the sky full of German bombers and fighters.

Although heavily outnumbered, the British fighter pilots tear into the Germans, and a tremendous dogfight starts. Machine-gun fire can be clearly heard in coastal towns as the planes whirl overhead. The fury of the RAF attack drives off the attackers, who succeed in hitting only one ship in the convoy. Two German fighters are destroyed for the loss of six British aircraft, including a Hurricane which crashes into the Channel after colliding with a Dornier Do17, which also crashes. The German raids on coastal shipping are becoming so intense that this part of the country is now known as “Hellfire Corner.”

Psst ... paratrooping Nazi nuns wield death rays in Scotland!

Britain is alive with reports of parachute landings, which are officially denied today. In the invasion of Holland, some parachutists were disguised as clergymen. Some rumors say that they have been disguised as nuns in Scotland. Other rumors of “fifth column” activity include secret death rays in operation, which stop car engines dead, and spy messages concealed in the personal column of The Times. It is now an offense to spread the rumors—a man was fined £25 yesterday for saying that twenty parachutists had landed in Kent. The Ministry of Information has asked people to join the “Silent Column” and to report defeatist talk.

Home secretary to ban British Fascists

The pro-German Fascist organization now calling itself the British Union is effectively outlawed tonight. Sir John Anderson, the home secretary, signs an order under Regulation 18A of the new Defence Regulations. This makes it an offense to call or attend a meeting of the Union, distribute leaflets about any such meeting, or otherwise invite support.

Sir Oswald Mosley, the leader of the organization—which dropped “Fascist” from its title last year, was interned last month along with more than 700 others who had been in the BUF. His wife Diana, a sister of Hitler’s doting admirer the Honorable Unity Mitford, was detained two weeks ago.

[Doug64]

July 13, Saturday

Germans decide on plan for invasion

While Hitler still hopes that Britain will make peace, he has already set in train preparations for invasion. On July 2nd he ordered a study of the idea, and today he issues a military directive that Germany must gain air superiority over the RAF before an invasion can take place. Today, Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, the German naval commander, states that invasion should be regarded as a last resort to make Britain sue for peace. He believes, however, that Britain can be brought to its knees more effectively by throttling its maritime trade and bombing its cities.

Beaverbrook demands pans for Spitfires

Lord Beaverbrook’s appeal to the women of Britain to “give us your aluminium and we will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes, Blenheims and Wellingtons” has brought an amazing response. Women, keen to help the RAF pilots who are defending them, have rushed to the depots set up by the Women’s Voluntary Service to hand over some of their cooking utensils. A typical response to the minister of aircraft production’s appeal is that of a woman aged about eighty who walked a mile and a half to donate a saucepan. “It is very useful,” she said, “but I give it gladly to the country.”

Hundreds of tons have already been collected, although the appeal is only a couple of days old. In one town, so much is collected that a steamroller is used to flatten the utensils to make more room. Pots and pans, tennis racket presses and cigarette cases, an artificial leg, and an aluminium racing car are among the possessions that their owners hope will be turned into fighters and bombers.

[Doug64]

July 14, Sunday

De Gaulle lays wreath to mark Bastille Day in London

General de Gaulle’s Free French volunteers celebrate Bastille Day on foreign soil in London today.

In the morning, General de Gaulle, accompanied by Vice-Admiral Muselier, the head of his naval force, and M. Labarth, the Director of Technical Services, lays the wreath at the Cenotaph. He shouts, “Vive l’Angleterre!” and then, “Vive la France!” and the crowd takes up his cry. Later, units of the Free French forces march to the stature of Marshal Foch at Victoria, and 2,000 of de Gaulle’s men attend a movie. Mr. Churchill sends a message saying he looks forward to the time, “not far distant,” when they will celebrate July 14th in France.

[Doug64]

July 15, Monday

Farcical commando raid on Guernsey

Britain’s latest commando raid (the first was last month) has ended in farce. A team of untrained men designated as special forces of No. 3 Commando was to raid Guernsey airport. Compass failure sent it in error to tiny Sark. Other men hit undefended points on Guernsey to no purpose. As they withdrew, their commanding officer slipped and fired his revolver, alerting the enemy. Three men say that they couldn’t swim to the pick-up boat.

Bell-ringing rector is sent to prison

The rector of Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, is sentenced to four weeks’ jail for ringing his church bell. He claims he didn’t know of the order prohibiting ringing church bells except to warn of airborne invasion. It came into force a month ago, on June 14th. PC Peck says he found the rector in his belfry pulling the bell rope on June 16th.

The rector, the Reverend Robert Grant Colvin Graham, insists he is a loyal citizen. He hadn’t read the letter from his bishop banning bell-ringing.

[Doug64]

July 16, Tuesday

Hitler issues battle orders for invasion

Hitler is talking about invading England with twenty divisions, to be put ashore on the south coast between Ramsgate and Lyme Regis. In a directive to the armed forces, he says the aim is “to eliminate the English mother country as a base from which the war against Germany can be continued.”

General Alfred Jodl says that the invasion should be seen as a river crossing on a broad front. In place of bridging operations, the navy would keep the sea lanes secure against British attacks. The Luftwaffe would, of course, knock out the RAF. Operation Sealion, as it is called, will be ready in nine weeks.

But the admirals in the Kriegsmarine are unhappy. In the absence of purpose-built landing craft, they say that they cannot guarantee to protect hundreds of river barges being towed slowly across the Channel. Among other things, Hitler’s famed mechanized army uses several thousand horses to pull its guns. Ask the admirals, how do you propose getting horses across the Channel under fire?

[Doug64]

July 18, Thursday

Burma Road closed to stop arms flow

In a bid to reduce tensions in the Far East, Britain has bowed to Japanese demands and agreed to close the 72-mile (1,160-km) Burma Road to China for three months. The decision stops the flow of arms, ammunition, gasoline, trucks, and railway materials.

Mr. Churchill tells the Commons that Britain will not agree to a permanent closure as this would be to default on obligations to China. Observers say that the closure will have little real effect on the Chinese war effort as traffic is slight because of the monsoon.

[Doug64]

July 19, Friday

Roosevelt approves “two-ocean” navy

The US Congress today passes the bill asked for by President Roosevelt to pay for a “two-ocean” navy. The House of Representatives approves a bill appropriating an additional $4 billion to build enough warships to enable the US to confront the danger of war with Germany and its allies in the Atlantic and simultaneously with the Japanese in the Pacific.

It will take six years for the first new ships to be ready, but by 1947, the US Navy will have 701 ships, as opposed to 369 today. The number of battleships will rise from 15 today to 35.

[Doug64]

July 20, Saturday

British women called up to aid war effort

Now that the so-called “phony” war is over, women all over Britain are expecting to be asked to play a larger part in the war effort—whether they want to or not.

For many, working in a munitions factory, even on a part-time basis, seems out of the question. Caring for children and elderly relatives, just keeping a home together, takes even more time than in peacetime. There are long queues for essential provisions, and little economies around the home to make things last longer and go further all take time. Many are also taking the full responsibility of raising families alone with their husbands away.

Their menfolk’s disapproval reinforces many women's reluctance to take jobs outside the home. There have been public outcries over nearly every new opening, however small, for women that the war has created. The Land Girls have been seen as a threat to agricultural training programs and moral standards; the women pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary have been accused of taking the jobs not “for the sake of doing something for their country but for the sake of publicity.”

Add these popular beliefs to the very real burdens of caring for a family in wartime, and it’s no wonder that many women prefer to remain at home.

[Doug64]

July 21, Sunday

Baltic states vote to join Soviet Union

The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania today succumb to Russian pressure and “unanimously” decide to become Soviet Republics and join the Soviet Union.

The newly-elected parliaments of the three countries meet to announce their decision, but the Soviet influence is easy to see under the façade of democracy. Estonia’s parliamentary session is attended by Stalin’s representative, Mr. Zhdanov, and the hall is decorated with Soviet flags. The Baltic peoples are bitter at losing their hard-won freedom from Russia, but there is nothing they can do in the face of Soviet might.