January 31, 1940: HITLER PROMISES FIGHT

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 31, 1940:

 

 

 

Chamberlain Moked

Before Large Crowd

BY ALVIN J. STEINKOPF.

BERLIN, Jan. 30.—(AP)—Adolf Hitler, his voice shrill with emotion and knife-sharp with bitter irony, predicted ominously tonight before a vast sports palace mass meeting that England and France alike will get "the fight" he said they had asked for, and voiced his utmost confidence that Germany would win the war. It was the seventh anniversary of his elevation to chancellor. His speech, the first formal one he had made since Nov. 8, when he barely escaped death in the Munich beer hall explosion, was announced to the world only a few hours before he went to the platform, and the place in which he was speaking was known outside Germany only when the radio broadcast began to come over loudspeakers.

A wildly enthusiastic throng, however, was there to hear him pronounce the determination of  the German people and its leadership unshakable; it’s army the greatest in the world; its position safe "from the rear" because of its alliance with Russia and bulwarked by unchanged, "clos friendship" with Italy.

 

Finn Airmen Strike

Back on Soviet Soil

HELSINKI, Jan. 30.—/P—Finland's air force, apparently growing in power, was officially reported today to have struck back at Russia by bombing "a certain harbor and vessels lying there, enemy motor lorry columns, troops quarters and certain railway stations." Informed sources indicated the harbor was Kronstadt, Russia's greatest west coast naval base, near Leningrad. (Indicating how the Finnish air force is growing, dispatches from Bergen, Norway, reported that a shipment of American-made warplanes for the Finns had been landed there from two United States steamers and started by rail for Finland.)

Finland's defense against enemy air raiders also apparently were increasing in effectiveness, for the high command communique announced that 21 Russian planes had been shot down in the course of yesterday's widespread raids on Finnish cities and towns.

 

 

Russian field guns wnrc reported to be pumping thou-

sands of shells into Finland's Karelian Islhmus defenses (A)

to relieve the' hard-pressed fragments of four red divisions

on the Lake Ladoga front (B). At Kitela, one large group of

Russian troops was reported to be surrounded with a would-be

relief unit blocked b.v the Finns 20 miles from its destination.

Nine Russian planes tried to bomb Viipuri (C) but were turned

back by Finnish planes. Soviet planes over Helsinki were

driven off by anti-aircraft fire.

 

 

 

 

 



January 30, 1940; ARIEL RAIDS RESUMED ON BRITISH SHIPS:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 30, 1940:

FUEHRER SAYS

GERMANY, ITALY
STILL FRIENDS

German Nation Declared So

Strong "Nothing Can
Defeat Us"

BERLIN, Jan. 30. (AP)—(via radio)—Adolf Hitler declared tonight that Germany, bound to Italy by "close friendship and protected from the rear by Russia, could not lose a war which he said had been forced upon her by the "arrogant" British.

The first phase of the war has been ended—ended. Hitler said, by Germany's blitzkreig in Poland.

First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill, he said, was "burning to start the second phase of the war.

Addressing himself over the radio from the Berlin sports-palace directly to Churchill, Hitler accused him of letting "middlemen express the hope that the fight soon may not stop short of women and children."

England's Way
"That always has been England'; way—war against women and children," he said. "Concentration camps are an English invention into which the British put women and children."

His speech, commemorating the start of his seventh year in power, was rebroadcast in the United States. It was his first address to the German nation since his narrow escape from death In the Munich bombing last Nov. 8.

Germans Renew Aerial

Raids on British Ships

LONDON, Jan. 30. (AP)—Germany renewed today widespread air attacks on shipping along the east coast of the British Isles, and Britain reported one of the Nazi raiders had been shot down.

  Reds Renew Aerial Assault on Finns

After Heavy Losses in Monday Raids

HELSINKI, Jan. 30. (IP) — The Finnish high command announced today that Finnish planes and antiaircraft batteries downed 21 Russian planes in yesterday's widespread raids over southern Finland.

It was declared that Finnishn planes had bombed "a certain harbor and vessels lying there"—and informed circles here assumed that

this meant the Russian naval base of Kronstndt near Leningrad.
The Finnish command said only one Finnish plane was lost.
(The Russian 'high command insisted, however, that seven Finnish planes had been downed yesterday.)
200 Red Planes
A high command communique, describing increased sea and land fighting as well as air activity, estimated 200 Russian planes took part in the raids in which "over 30 civilians were killed and about 50 wounded.

 

January 29, 1940; PRIESTS TORTURED

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 29, 1940:

 

 

 

 

By ELEANOR PACKARD

VATICAN CITY —(U.P.)— Beating, torture and murder of priests in Poland and a barbaric program of extermination, of Poles generally were charged against Germany in a report of Pope Pius XII released for publication today by Polish sources by authorization of August Cardinal fflond, primate of Poland.

The report detailed names, towns, and regions in relating  story of persecution of individuals, groups, and masses of Poles by the Gestapo, the German secret police. "

Presented to the pope Jan. 6 the report is divided into sections covering dioceses and archdioceses of Catholic Poland.

Allegations of cruelty, desecration and extermination centered in areas which Germany has annexed formally and intends to make Purely German-populated.

From these areas, it is charged, Poles are being deported, destitute, to other areas — called the "general government of Poland"—which have been stripped of foodstuffs, or are being sent into Germany, to concentration camps, forced labor gangs, or in the case of boys as young as 14 years to Nazi educational centers.

It charged priests have been ordered  to pray for Adolph Hitler and had to preach' in German, churches could remain open only for two hours a week, churches have been desecrated, church funds have been seized, priests and Poles generally have been deported, nuns were not spared.

 The War

Today

VATICAN CITY—

Details of Nazi cruelty to Catholic priests in captured Poland are chanced in a report from the primate of Poland.

BERLIN—

German officials keep mum on Polish charges.

WITH. THE FINNS—

Russian attack now appears –without hope of success but Finns keep battling-, say nothing yet of definite victory. Red bombers hit hospital.

LONDON —

German planes raid shipping- along- the coast. British assert they drove raiders off.

WASHINGTON —

Question of an embargo against Japan nears senate foreign relations committee, which meets Wednesday.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­__________________________________________________

In its first section, dealing with the arch-diocese of: Gniezno of the clergy, who live in terror and are threatened continually.. .' -

The Germans have- shot, the following priests . . ."

There follow the names of 10 priests. The name of one priest is given who was said to have been beaten to death- by soldiers with the butts of their- rifles; of another who died under "treatment"; of another killed by-a bomb.

"Dozens of priests are in prison where they are being humiliated, beaten and maltreated," continues the report. "A certain number of them have been deported to Germany and there is no news of them. Others have been, placed in concentration camps."

******************

Priests, who are arrested are forced to do hard labor if they cannot pay for their food and "lodging" in prison, it is charged.

The report continues: • "It is not rare to see priests among workmen in the country repairing roads and bridges, pulling coal cars . . . some priests have been confined in a pig sty at night, beaten barbarously and subjected to other tortures . . .

 



January 28, 1940; RUSSIAN TROOPS LAUNCH NEW OFFENSIVE:

THIS WAS REPORTEDTODAY, JANUARY 28, 1940:

 

 

 

Cold and Hunger

Helping Finns

Fight Reds

DRIVE ON FLANK

1000 Die as 40,000

Russ Retreat

In Arctic

HELSINKI, Jan. 27.—(INS)—Russian troops launched a new and furious offensive north of Lake Ladoga today In a desperate effort to save a force estimated at between three and four divisions caught in a Finnish trap at Kitelac. Hoping to divert Finnish troops in an attack from the north, the Russians faced a triple threat of cold, hunger and the murderous cross-fire of ghostly Finnish ski patrols in their effort to free their entrapped comrades.

Record low temperatures of nearly 10 degrees below zero combined with the Finnish fire to take a terrible toll of the trapped divisions, according to advices from the front, and made the task of rescue immeasurably more difficult.

AIMED AT FLANK.

Apparently, the new offensive was aimed at turning the northern flank of the Finnish army and threatening the vital Finnish Mannerhelm line from the rear. Helsinki military circles admitted this new attack, if successful, would free the majority of the trapped Russians. These troops were suffering heavily.

Finnish sources claimed. Some detachments were wiped out completely. Latest reports Indicated the Finnish lines cutting off the Russian retreat were holding firmly.

Russian bombers resumed attacks in northern Finland today as the weather cleared. A total of 140 bombs were reported dropped in eight unrevealcd localities with one woman killed and three wounded.

RED PLANES DOWNED.

Three Russian planes were shot down, the Finns claim. Helsinki heard that a Russian submarine was destroyed when she struck a mine near the Aaland islands, separating the Baltic and the Gulf of Bothnia.

Altogether more than 60,000 Russian troops are engaged in the largest offensive of the war.

 

War at a Glance

By International News Service.

HELSINKI—

Russia launches furious flanking movement north of Lake Ladoga in effort to extricate three of four Red divisions trapped by Finnish ski

troops; 40,000 Russians continue retreat in Arctic, leaving 1000 dead.

LONDON—

New U-boat campaign feared; U-boat which sunk two neutral ships Friday hunted off Britain's northeast coast.

TOKYO—

Japanese army electrifies barrier around Anglo-French concession at Tientsin; special cabinet meeting called Sunday to consider Anglo-Japanese crisis and expired U. S. trade treaty.

WASHINGTON—

Members of senate foreign relations committee counsel caution in imposing Jap embargo.

PARIS—

Western front quiet.

BERLIN—

Nazis draft polite reply to Pan-American protests against infringement of western hemisphere neutrality; high officials boast of sea warfare

success.

MANCHESTER—

Cries for Oswald Moseley, British Fascist leader, interrupt speech of Winston Churchill.

BALTIMORE—

The City of Flint, once-captured by Germans, arrives in Baltimore harbor

 

Plight of Baltic

Countries Told

Sympathetic toward Finland but occupied by Russian soldiers, the little Baltic republic of Lithuania has a future shrouded with uncertainty.

Plight of the Baltic countries Saturday had been explained by Dr. Kazys Pakstas, professor of geography at the University of Vytauas The- Great in Lithuania.

Russia has appointed herself protector of Lithuania and has garrisoned 20,000 soldiers in four strategic, places in the country, Dr. Pakstas said.

Maintaining a degree of independence in domestic affairs, the Lithuanian government must approve anything asked by the Reds prevent its overthrow by Russian troops.

'Officially our sympathies are with democracy, but we can't express our sympathy in Europe," Dr. Pakstas remarked in telling of Russian censorship In Baltic countries.

QUESTION.

"We can't tell whether 20,000 Russians are stationed in Lithuania or whether 3,000,000 Lithuanians are living in a Russian country," he said. The country is not located so that it can be used as a war base for the campaign against Finland, but may be required to help the Red army if any nation tries to attack Russia through Lithuania.

The Baltic country of Esthonia is now being used as a base for Russian air raids on Finland, the professor pointed out.

Although Estonians and Finns are of the same- origin, Estonia is now being used as a base for Russian air raids on Finland, the professor pointed, out. Protesting he was not a prophet. Dr. Pakstas made three predictions as to Lithuania's fate. If Russia and Germany win the war, small Baltic states will probably lose their independence, ho said. Another possible result of Russo-German victory is that Lithuania may be permitted to remain independent under a Russian protectorate, with Red troops garrisoned in the country.

IF ALLIES WIN.

A victory for the Allies would probably restore pre-war conditions. Dr Pakstas believes. Memel, taken from Lithuania last June, would be restored,

Russian troops evacuated and the republic would maintain its democratic government.

 

January 25, 1940; MINES TAKE HEAVY TOLL

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 25, 1940:

Norwegian Boat

Goes Down
In North Sea

Steamer Biarritz

Survivors, 19 of Them,
Are Rescued

AMSTERDAM, Jan. 25 (AP)—Twelve passenger's and 26 crewmen lost 1heir lives today when the 17;"i2-lon Norwegian steamer Biarritz struck a mine, and sank in 30 seconds in the North sea.

Rescue 19
The Norwegian steamer Borghohn rescued 12 passengers and . seven of the crew, bringing the survivors to Ijmuiden.

The Biarritz went down at 2 a. in. 30 miles northwest of Ijmuiden after a tremendous explosion, which the first officer said was due to a mine.

He said the fact that one lifeboat hung ready in the davits permitted the 19 survivors to get away. The Borgholm was nearby and rescued them.

 

Soviets Open Double-Pronged

Drive Above Lake Ladoga

Move Supports Report That Stalin

Plans Bitter End of Warfare Regardless of Cost;
Russian Bombs Drop on Kuumo

By PETER PE HEMMER GUDME

HELLSINKI, Jan.' 23, (INS)—Reports from Russia that Dictator Josef Stalin intends.to carry out the war against Finland to the "bitter end and regardless of the cost seemed p a r t ly confirmed today by latest reoorls from the front and especially by resumption of the Soviet drive north of Lake Ladoga.

Double-pronged Drive

In that area ' t h e Russians unleashed a double-pronged offensive but the Finnish command claimed that it had been repulsed with heavy
losses. On that front and before the Mannerheim line on the Carelian isthmus, it was claimed, the Russians have lost thousands of dead. Infantry and large and small tanks, aided by artillery, were thrown into the campaign above the big lake, where the- terrain is more favorable to mechanized forces than on the Carelian isthmus.

 

French Naval-

Vessel Sends
Call for Help

GKNOA, ,lan. 25 (AP)-The French auxiliary naval Vessel Forfait, 622 tons, was reported to have radioed for help today,

104 Are Given

Up For Lost

GENOA, Jan. 25 (AP)—Italian officials- today gave up for lost 104 persons--44 passengers and 60 crew members—-in the burning of the liner Orazio.

 

68 Missing From

Lost British Ship

..LONDON, Jan.. 25. (AP)—The British admiralty announced today that 68 men were missing, instead of the 73 reported Sunday, in the sinking of the destroyer. Grenville by' a mine or torpedo. Eight others were known to be dead.

 

January 25. 1942: ADMIRAL KIMMEL and GENERAL SHORT BLAMED, BUT WERE NOT PROPERLY WARNED:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 25, 1942:

Observation Patrols and Raid Detectors Not Operated,

Says Report; Officers and Men Were in Full Readiness

By Joseph L. Myler

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.—(UP)—Admiral Husband E, Kimmel and Lieut. Gen. Walter C. Short are charged by the Pearl Harbor Board of Inquiry with "dereliction of duty" and errors of judgment that "were the effective causes of the success" of Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.

The report was made public by the White House after its submission by Associate Supreme Court Justice Owen J. Roberts, board chairman. The White House announced that action to be taken on the basis of the report is "under study." The charges may lead to courts martial for both officers.

Other officers apparently were exonerated of responsibility for Hawaii's unpreparedness when Japan struck. But the report revealed that an unnamed and "inexperienced" Army lieutenant was notified nearly an hour before the air attack that unidentified airplanes had been heard on sound detection devices. He thought they were our own Navy's planes.

 

In spite of the 13,000 page report, subsequent thorough investigations and reports, have convinced  E.T. that Admiral Kimmel and General Short should have their Rank (posthumously) reinstated and be fully exonerated from any blame for the tragedy on December 7, 1941.

 

Below, E.T. presents an excerpt from “The Two Ocean War” by Samuel Elliot Morison, (U. S. Naval historian)  published in 1963.

(pages 52-53)

   “Admiral Stark and Rear Admiral Turner, the Navy War Plans chief, were in Stark’s office at 0915 Sunday, 7 December when Captain Wilkinson chief of Naval Intelligence and Commander McCollum head of his Far East Section brought in the translation of Tokyo’s Part 14, the “snapper” which broke off diplomatic relations. But even Part 14 did not declare war or threaten immediate attack.  About an hour later, Commander  McCollum brought in the “time of delivery” message, an order from Tokyo to it’s ambassadors to destroy all coding machines after presenting the fourteen-part note to Secretary Hull at 01300.  Sunday was an odd day and one P.M. a strange hour, for presenting a diplomatic note. What could it mean?

McCollum and his assistant, Lieutenant Commander A. D. Kramer, and Colonel Rufus S. Bratton of Army Intelligence, guessed the answer by consulting a time chart on the wall. One P.M. in Washington was 0730 at Pearl Harbor. That might be only a coincidence, but it might also mean an attack there --- for one P.M. in Washington is nighttime at Manila and Guam. Wilkinson suggested that Admiral Stark at once call Admiral Kimmel on the telephone. Stark demurred, feeling that since the Army was responsible for the defense of Hawaii, General Marshall should do it. Marshall, contacted on returning from his Sunday morning horseback ride came into Stark’s office at about 1115. In tense silence he read all fourteen parts, agreed that they meant immediate war, and that Pearl Harbor and Manila should be alerted at once. Marshall’s communicator said he would get the word to Pearl in twenty minutes. Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes, Director of Naval Communications, offered to send it through Navy channels. Stark declined (again Navy-Army punctilio), and the message---Just WHAT SIGNICANCE THE HOUR SET MAY HAVE WE DO NOT KNOW, BUT BE ON THE ALERT ACCORDINGLY ---- WAS FILED AT NOON 0630 in Hawaii. General Marshall called Army communication center thrice to make sure that the message had been filed and sent, and was assured that it had --- but by Western Union! There was a foul up that morning and the officer in charge intrusted the message to commercial channels. A boy on a bicycle delivered it to General Short some hours after the attack was over.”

January 22,1940; SHIPPING HIT HARD BY NAZIS

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 22, 1940:

Three British and Three Neutral Vessels Added to

Heavy Toll as Germans Strike Anew in Sea Warfare—
118 Officers and Men Saved From Destroyed
Warship—Disastrous Week-End is Sad
Sequel to Churchill's Statement "Things Going Well

LONDON, Jan. 22.—(AP)—Four British ships, one of them a sleek destroyer, were sent to the bottom in a wave of weekend shipping losses.

Three neutral victims also added to the heavy toll of men and ships, especially in icy waters around the British Isles, which some sources blamed on a sharp increase in mines.

Sinking of the destroyer Grenville, 1,485-ton flotilla leader, "by a mine or torpedo" was announced by the Admiralty yesterday. She was the fourth British destroyer sunk in nearly five months of war and Britain's 21st acknowledged loss to her fleet. When she sank was not disclosed.

 

Italian Steamer Bursts Into Flames Following Explosion

Off Coast Of France—Rescues Effected

By Other Ships—Those Reaching Port Tell Of

Harrowing Scenes As Flames Raged—All But

Two of Victim's Life Boats Destroyed

MARSEILLE, France, Jan. 22.—(AP)—Italian officials announced late this afternoon that all of the 412 passengers aboard the burned Italian motorship Orazio had been rescued despite heavy-seas and speed with which fire ravaged the vessel.

Local agents of the Italian Line, owners: of the vessel, said, that "only a few" members of the crew of 231 still were missing after a new check-up of survivors taken aboard half a dozen rescue ships.

GENOA, Italy, Jan. 22.— -(AP)— Italian officials announced today that 104 persons, including 40 passengers, were missing in the burning of the 11,669-ton Italian motorship Orazio in the Mediterranean off the French' coast yesterday.

Of the 643 passengers arid crew members aboard when 'the liner left Genoa Saturday, a total of' 539 were known to have been rescued by noon (6:00 a. m. eastern standard time) officials stated.

Those rescued were picked up by half a dozen vessels, and authorities said that possibly' some others also had been saved but not reported :by their rescue vessels.' Seaplanes flew over stormy seas all day today-looking for survivors.

HUNDREDS OF

REDS KILLED

AT KARELIAN

Finns Shoot Down 11 Raiders;

Russians May Cross

Frozen Lake to

Strike Anew

HELSINKI Jan. 22.—(AP)

—Hundreds of Russians had been killed, the high command reported today in each of a number of futile attempts to crack-Finnish resistance on the Karelian Isthmus and the eastern front.

On the Karelian Isthmus, where the Finns have reported almost dally attacks, the army said the invaders sought to give. effect to their drives by loudspeaker exhortations that the Finns surrender under the threat that the Germans .were coming to help their foe.

Reviewing developments in this conflict- yesterday, the high command reported in its regular evening communique.

 

 

 

 

January 21, 1940; MAJOR BATTLE DEVELOPS IN WINTER WAR:

TIS WAS REPORTEDT TODAY, JANUARY 21, 1940:

MAJOR BATTLE

DEVELOPS IN
WINTER WAR'

Finland Army Moves

To Divide Red
Forces

WITH FINNISH ARMIES, on Salla Front, Jan. 20.—(U.P.)—Russian troops defended a strong outpost line at Lake Marka today but Finnish troops were steadily increasing pressure on their right flank in an effort to score a complete victory on the vital Salla sector of the north central front.

For the moment, the battle of Salla appeared to have slackened somewhat after a week of severe fighting during which the Red army forces fell back 30 miles from Lake Joutsi to Lake Marka and sought to consolidate their positions in defense of the village of Salla, which is now the key point of the conflict.

Press on Steadly
There still was strong patrol action and the Finnish troops were pressing steadily against the Russian right flank both to prevent the Soviet forces from joining Red army units at Kuusamo, to the south, and to break up any attempts to start a new Russian offensive toward Kemijaervi.

ICY WEATHER

SPREADS OVER
MOST OF U.S.

72 Deaths Attributed

To Severe Drop in
Temperature

By United Press

Wintery blasts blew the length and breadth of the nation Saturday night, invading the southernmost reaches of Dixieland as well as imposing sub-normal temperatures upon frozen northern regions.
Only the Pacific seaboard escaped the Arctic influence.

No relief was in Sight from the cold wave which swept across the Canadian border a week ago tonight in the wake of a blizzard.

Crops Endangered
The cold wave took a heavy toll of life and property. It was blamed for deaths from fire, fumes and freezing. In addition

Temperatures in Reno yesterday averaged equal with normal, as the cold spell seemed to have broken, according to weather bureau figures. The high was 43 degrees and the low was 22 degrees. The mean and normal temperatures was 32 degrees.. .Cloudy weather it expected to prevail today, with snows scheduled for this vicinity Monday.

 to the property loss in fires, the freezing temperatures in the extreme south threatened citrus fruits and garden crops in Florida and the Rio Grande valley.

 

January 20, 1940;DENMARK / NORWAY MAINTAIN NUETRAL AND INDEPENDENT POSITION:

THIS WAS REPORTEDD TODAY, JANUARY 20, 1940:

Copenhagen, Jan. 19.—(AP)—

Denmark struck out today with a firm declaration adopted by a unanimous vote of the lower house of parliament that her neutrality "must be maintained" and her independence defended.

The declaration was echoed in Norway, where Prime Minister Johan Hygaardsrold told parliament that any attack upon the nation would be met with resistance.

Hygaardsvold did not expand his statement, but he asserted that "the question of an all-party government as proposed by the left and the peazant party might be discussed when Norway has one task to do."

Observers Interpreted this as meaning the time for each discussion would be ripe when and if Norway had to defend herself.

In neighboring Sweden, meanwhile, Stockholm authorities announced a new program or air raid defense, including trenches in parks and additional shelters.

To Correct Ideas
Framed by the six largest political parties. The Danish declaration was designed partly to correct impressions  abroad that Denmark, because of limited armaments, would not resist an attack.

 

Retreat Harassed

Seasoned Fliers From
Sweden Cause Reds
Much Grief

Helsinki, Jan. 19.—(AP)—Seasoned Swedish volunteer pilots inincreasing numbers tonight aided the Finns in harassing artic retreat of 40,000 Soviet troops, fighting back step by step toward their border in the sadly cold of the Arctic circle.

These blue-eyed airmen were pitted against swarms of Soviet lines which, official Finnish sources say, have reached a total of 450 in one day. Waves of Russian bombs have struck repeatedly at both northern and southern Finland for several days. Today, Helsinki's people spent an hour in air-raid shelters while antiaircraft batteries fought the raiders.

Take Toll
The Finns announced tonight that Swedish filers were taking a toll of Soviet troops. From Rova-mi, important west Finland Junction the railroad which the Soviet rules had hoped to reach from the Salla sector, Thomas F. Hawkins, Associated Press war correspondent. said the Swedish filers were active engagements both in the Salla and north of Lake Ladoga.

Swedish volunteer land fighters, he said. also were pouring into the fighting on the northern fronts.