Diary June 22, 1940

War Diary, 06-1940, Diary WW2, Year 1940 / 1 minute of reading

Hitler's victory dance — Hitler‘s victory dance at his headquarters immediately after the arrival of the news that France has signed the armistice terms.

Diary for Saturday, June 22, 1940:

France

ARMISTICE BETWEEN FRANCE AND GERMANY signed at Compiegne by General Keitel (Germany) and General Huntziger (France). Signing ceremony takes place in Marshal Foch‘s old railway carriage, previously used for signature of Armistice of World War One, November 11, 1918. Armistice terms: Germany to occupy two-thirds of Metropolitan France inc. entire Channel and Atlantic coastlines; all major industrial areas; Alsace-Lorraine and Paris. French armed forces to be disarmed and demobilized, with exception to token defense forces; French Fleet to be disarmed and demobilized under German and Italian supervision; France to pay costs of German army of occupation. French PoWs to remain in Germany until signature of peace treaty.
Three French armies (400,000 men) surrender in Vosges pocket, west of Maginot Line. Germans occupy Lorient.

Air War

Italian three-engines SM81 bombers raid Alexandria; 25 casualties (night June 22-23).

Sea War

Atlantic: U-boat U-46 attacks British Force H as it battles against hurricane-force winds en route from Scapa Flow to Gibraltar; Carrier Ark Royal probably hit, but torpedoes fail to explode.

Neutrals

Baltic States: Left-Wing Governments formed in Estonia and Latvia.

About The Author

Kretaner

My name is Norman 'Kretaner' and since my childhood I am interested in history and strategy games. Later, I have learned programming and the development of computer games, and finally with the Internet, also web design. I'm in the fortunate position to combine all my interests with my work and to live on a place of my choice, on Crete. All information, figures, specifications and statistics used here had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, WW2 and weapons.