Diary June 13, 1940

Evacuated British school-children at a beach.
Evacuated British school-children at a beach. They were always carrying their gas-masks (in the white bags) with them.
Diary for Thursday, June 13, 1940:

Home Fronts

Britain: 120,000 school-children to be evacuated from London.
Germany: Hitler gives an interview to American journalist Carl von Wiegand: he had no desire to smash British Empire but would ‘destroy those who are destroying that Empire’. US aid to Britain would not affect the outcome of the war.

France

Paris declared a ‘open city’; all French forces withdraw south of the capital. Oil stores in suburbs set on fire. Germans reach northern outskirts in evening. Germans capture Le Havre.

Politics

Final meeting of Allied Supreme War Council: Reynaud tells Churchill that France must make separate peace; Churchill suggests ‘last ditch’ appeal to Roosevelt.

Sea War

Carrier Ark Royal launches 15 Skua dive-bombers (8 lost) to attack battlecruiser Scharnhorst at Trondheim; one direct hit (unexploded bomb). French cruisers and destroyers, with air cover, bombard Genoa area in Italy (night June 13-14). Armed merchant cruiser Scotstoun (17,000 t) sunk by U-boat U-25 off Ireland. German disguised raider Orion lays mines off Auckland, New Zealand.

China

Japanese bombers make devastating fire raid on city of Chungking.

Neutrals

Spain: Franco prepares for closer collaboration with Germany and Italy by announcing new policy of ‘non-belligerency’.

Air War

Italian bombers attack Toulon naval base, South France.

Oval@3x 2

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