Winston Churchill gave a speech over the radio titled “Dwelling in the Cage with the Tiger”, a metaphor he used to describe the precarious geographical situation of the Dutch. As with his January 20 speech, Churchill primarily spoke about neutral countries and said, “It might have been a very short war, perhaps, indeed, there might have been no war, if all the neutral States, who share our conviction upon fundamental matters, and who openly or secretly sympathize with us, had stood together at one signal and in one line. We did not count on this, we did not expect it, and therefore we are not disappointed or dismayed … But the fact is that many of the smaller States of Europe are terrorized by Nazi violence and brutality into supplying Germany with the material of modern war, and this fact may condemn the whole world to a prolonged ordeal with grievous, unmeasured consequences in many lands.” In the wake of the Altmark Incident and with Operation Wilfred about to go into action, Churchill said of Germany’s neutral neighbors that “we understand their dangers and their point of view, but it would not be right, or in the general interest, that their weakness should be the aggressor’s strength, and fill to overflowing the cup of human woe. There could be no justice if in a moral struggle the aggressor tramples down every sentiment of humanity, and if those who resist him remain entangled in the tatters of violated legal conventions.”
It is a popular address, and Winston Churchill is one of the great orators of his time and any other time. When looked at closely, the speech betrays barely concealed cynicism about the futility of trying to find accommodation with the Reich. It also betrays a sense that the war is descending into unique savagery and lawlessness. One can liken his prescription to, “fight fire with fire.”
British Prime Minister Chamberlain called off the mining of the Norwegian coast in protest of the French resistance to the mining of the Rhine River. The French are not interested in mining the Rhine River, which is a favored project of the British. In return, the British call off the mining of the Norwegian territorial waters, Operation WILFRED. The two sides are annoyed with the other for not supporting their respective pet projects, and the interesting feature is that each nation only wants the project completed that the other would actually implement. Thus, the two separate operations have basically become quid pro quos for each other. Chamberlain explodes in frustration at the French unwillingness to implement Operation ROYAL MARINE in the Rhine and tells Charles Corbin, the French ambassador, “No mines, no Narvik!”
The New York Times observes: “Recent British attempts to intercept German iron ore supplies from Swedish mines indicate that the Russian-Finnish peace may be but a truce and that eventually the theatre of war operations may be extended to Scandinavia and the whole Baltic area.”
As noted previously, the British government has grown concerned about the increasing number of evacuated children and others who have returned to vulnerable cities over the past six months. While 1 million schoolchildren were evacuated in the days following 3 September 1939, only about 300,000 remain in their evacuation areas.
The British Ministry of Information introduced paper rationing to publishing and printing industries. The ration, based on consumption over the year 1938-1939, would continue until 1948.
The British 44th Infantry Division begins shipping to France.
The New York Times is cynical about the course of the war: “As the 8th month of war begins, it seems likely April will be much like March, with no large-scale military operations.”
It illustrates the parochialism of American newspapers and U.S. society in general, as the Finns and Chinese certainly would disagree that there have been no “large-scale military operations.
Soldiers and police with revolvers and bayonetted rifles raided Saint Anne’s estate in Clontarf, Ireland today and arrested fifteen members of the outlawed Irish Republican Army who were engaged in military drilling.
The Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic was created by merging the KASSR with the Finnish Democratic Republic, created from territory ceded by Finland in the Winter War by the Moscow Peace Treaty. This territory included the Karelian Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia, and the cities of Viipuri and Sortavala.
The Soviets have been occupying bases in Estonia per the agreement reached in 1939. Tallinn now reports that the Soviets are demanding immediate possession of Baltiski, which the Soviets have leased as of 1 May.
Mussolini informed King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy that Italy would soon enter the European War. Mussolini tells King Victor Emmanuel that Italy will fight a parallel war.
One of Professor Eugen Fischer’s assistants travels to the ghetto in Łódź to take photographs to be used for comparison with pictures in a book on Jewry in antiquity, which Fischer is planning.
Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani becomes prime minister of Iraq. This is a pro-Axis change, as Ali is considered anti-British.
French MS.406 aircraft are intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters and take heavy losses near Morhange. The MS.406 is France’s best fighter. Seven French planes were shot down today in a series of air battles over the Western Front in which thirty-six French Morane pursuit planes and twenty-five Messerschmitts participated, it was officially announced in Berlin.
A burst of activity by rival air forces in the war today followed land actions marked by German artillery fire which harassed French positions along a 30-mile front. The evening communique of the French high command said: “Fairly intense activity by both air forces.” In its morning communique the high command reported “artillery fire in the region northwest of Bitche and bursts of machine-gun fire along the Rhine in upper Alsace.” German “nomad batteries” were held responsible by the French for fire on French positions along a 30-mile front between Saar and Vosges with which small infantry attacks were coupled
Luftwaffe aircraft attacked the Orkneys, Shetland and shipping in the North Sea. Aircraft driven off by fighters; 1 German Do 17 aircraft severely damaged. No damage on land. A Belgian fishing trawler is fired upon by a German bomber.
There also are interventions by Allied fighters over France. Hurricane fighters chase off a Dornier Do 17 at maximum altitude, 19,000 feet.
The first German armed merchant cruiser, Atlantis, sails for operations against Allied shipping. It will prove to be the most successful raider. In a cruise lasting until November 22, 1941 she will sink 22 ships of 145,700 tons. Raiders Atlantis, Orion, and Widder set out from Kiel for extended solo missions. They will be resupplied at sea in the same fashion as happened with the Admiral Graf Spee. World War I-era battleship SMS Hessen acts as an icebreaker and escort for the first part of their journey. These ships are heavily armed and designed to appear as neutral vessels, complete with actual false flags.
U-boats start withdrawing from the Western Approaches in preparation for the German invasion of Norway. German submarines for the Weserubung operation began to depart German ports. By 6 April, the entire Hartmuth force (the submarine deployment of the Weserubung operation) was at sea.
The Norwegian cargo ship Nylanden foundered 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) off Arinagour, Isle of Coll, United Kingdom. Her fourteen crewmen were rescued.
The British cargo ship Farndale arrived at Takoradi, Gold Coast on fire. She was beached the next day and was gutted. She was declared a constructive total loss.
The British fishing trawler Walsingham was helping a neutral steamship, which had gone aground on the east coast of England when the steamship slipped on a shelf and collided with Walsingham, which foundered (51°40′N 1°35′E). Her crewmen were rescued.
U-43 lost a man, Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Wilhelm Behrens, overboard in the Atlantic.
Convoy OA.120G departed Southend escorted by destroyers HMS Campbell and HMS Wolverine. Submarine L.23 departed Southend for Portsmouth in this convoy, and arrived on 2 April. Convoy OB.120G departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers HMS Montrose and HMS Wakeful and from Milford Haven on 1 April, by French destroyer Verdun and anti-submarine trawler HMS Leeds United to 3 April. Wakeful was detached on 3 April to escort convoy HG.24.,and Montrose on 4 April. The convoys merged to form convoy OG.24 on 3 April.
Convoy ON.24 with one British, thirteen Norwegian, one Swedish, five Danish, one Finnish ships departed Methil at 1200 escorted by destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Tartar, HMS Zulu, and HMS Escapade. British steamer CREE (4791grt) with engine trouble had to put back. The convoy was held up in heavy weather and was joined off Kirkwall on 2 April by destroyers HMS Somali, HMS Matabele and HMS Mashona. Three merchant ships from Kirkwall joined the convoy. When the two groups met at 0900 on 2 April, Faulknor, Zulu, and Escapade proceeded to Scapa Flow. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo from Sullom Voe provided anti-aircraft protection. The convoy was unsuccessfully attacked by German bombers which dropped four bombs during the afternoon on 2 April. At 1140 on 3 April, the convoy was attacked by six German bombers, again with no damage. Convoy ON.24 arrived safely at Bergen on 4 April.
Convoy HN.23 B departed Bergen escorted by destroyers HMS Javelin, HMS Juno, and HMS Eclipse. Twenty two of the original 37 ships returned to Bergen. Only 12 ultimately sailed. These escorts were joined by destroyers HMS Eskimo, HMS Punjabi, and HMS Bedouin after they escorted convoy ON.23 to Bergen. On 1 April, light cruisers HMS Galatea and HMS Arethusa were relieved as close support by light cruisers HMS Sheffield and HMS Penelope, which departed Rosyth on 1 April. Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta maintained herself in a position to cover both convoys HN.23A and B. HN.23 B with 34 ships, escorted by Bedouin, Eskimo, and Punjabi, arrived at Methil on 4 April at 1300. Sheffield and Penelope reached Scapa Flow on 5 April.
Convoy FN.134 of 25 ships departed Southend escorted by destroyers HMS Vega and HMS Woolston. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on 2 April.
Convoy MT.41 of 27 ships departed Methil escorted by sloop HMS Londonderry, destroyer HMS Vimiera, anti-submarine trawlers of the 1st Anti-submarine Group. On the convoy’s arrival off the Tyne, the destroyer and sloop took over convoy FS.134, which departed later that day. The convoy arrived at Southend on 2 April.
Convoy HX.31 departs Halifax for Liverpool.
For the month of March 1940, German U-boats sank 26 Allied ships (73,071 tons). Total Allied losses are 45 ships, for 107,009 tons. Three U-boats are sunk.
The War at Sea, Sunday, 31 March 1940 (naval-history.net)
Destroyer HASTY departed Scapa Flow at 0100 with tanker WAR BHARATA (5604grt). Destroyer HOSTILE was detailed to escort the tanker also, but fouled the buoys of the new torpedo baffle inside Switha Gate. Destroyer FEARLESS replaced HOSTILE and departed Scapa Flow at 0400 to join. HASTY, FEARLESS, and WAR BHARATA arrived at Sullom Voe at 2205. HASTY was damaged in berthing with WAR BHARATA in a gale. On 2 April, after emergency repairs, HASTY departed Sullom Voe at 1600 with WAR BHARATA, arriving at Scapa Flow on 3 April at 1330. On 3 April at 2015, HASTY departed Scapa Flow for Dundee arriving on 4 April at 0800 for repairs lasting until the third week of April.
Light cruiser BIRMINGHAM and destroyer FEARLESS departed Scapa Flow on Operation DV to capture German fishing vessels off the Norwegian coast and to cover British forces laying mines in early April. Destroyer HOSTILE departed Scapa Flow later in the day at 1350 as a replacement for destroyer HASTY. HOSTILE refueled at Sullom Voe and joined BIRMINGHAM and FEARLESS 12 miles 310° from Muckle Flugga at noon on 1 April.
Destroyer JUPITER departed Scapa Flow at 0700 to reinforce destroyer GRIFFIN on Moray Firth Patrol. The two destroyers were to rendezvous at 1400 in 58-45N, 0-00E.
Armed merchant cruiser CALIFORNIA arrived in the Clyde after Northern Patrol.
Armed merchant cruiser WORCESTERSHIRE departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol.
Convoy ON.24 with one British, thirteen Norwegian, one Swedish, one Finnish, and five Danish ships departed Methil at 1200 escorted by destroyers FAULKNOR (D.8), TARTAR, ZULU, and ESCAPADE. British steamer CREE (4791grt) with engine trouble had to put back. The convoy was held up in heavy weather and was joined off Kirkwall on 2 April by destroyers SOMALI (D.6), MATABELE and MASHONA. Three merchant ships from Kirkwall joined the convoy. When the two groups met at 0900 on 2 April, FAULKNOR, ZULU, and ESCAPADE proceeded to Scapa Flow. Anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO from Sullom Voe provided anti-aircraft protection. The convoy was unsuccessfully attacked by German bombers which dropped four bombs during the afternoon on 2 April. At 1140 on 3 April, the convoy was attacked by six German bombers, again with no damage. Convoy ON.24 arrived safely at Bergen on 4 April.
Convoy HN.23 B departed Bergen escorted by destroyers JAVELIN, JUNO, and ECLIPSE. Twenty-two of the original 37 ships returned to Bergen. Only 12 ultimately sailed. These escort was joined by destroyers ESKIMO, PUNJABI, and BEDOUIN after they escorted convoy ON.23 to Bergen. On 1 April, light cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA were relieved as close support by light cruisers SHEFFIELD and PENELOPE, which departed Rosyth on 1 April. Anti-aircraft cruiser CALCUTTA maintained herself in a position to cover both convoys HN.23A and B. HN.23 B with 34 ships, escorted by BEDOUIN, ESKIMO, and PUNJABI, arrived at Methil on 4 April at 1300. SHEFFIELD and PENELOPE reached Scapa Flow on 5 April.
Destroyers FORTUNE, FORESTER, and FOXHOUND departed Plymouth at 1400 after escorting battlecruiser HOOD. They were soon recalled and arrived back at Plymouth at 1955.
Destroyers KASHMIR and DIANA departed Scapa Flow at 2345 escorting steamer DEVON CITY (4928grt) to Rosyth.
Submarines STERLET and SEAWOLF arrived at Harwich after patrol.
Submarine NARWHAL arrested trawler POLAR PRINCE (194grt) fishing in the East Coast mine barrage and escorted her to Methil.
French submarine SYBILLE of the 10th Submarine Flotilla departed Harwich on patrol. After a brief patrol off Terschelling in the North Sea, she arrived back at Harwich on 5 April to refuel prior to the start of the Norwegian campaign.
Destroyer BOADICEA carried the British Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) to Boulogne. The CIGS returned on 3 April on destroyer BEAGLE.
Convoy OA.120G departed Southend escorted by destroyers CAMPBELL and WOLVERINE. Submarine L.23 departed Southend for Portsmouth in this convoy, and arrived on 2 April. Convoy OB.120G departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers MONTROSE and WAKEFUL and from Milford Haven on 1 April, by French destroyer VERDUN and anti-submarine trawler LEEDS UNITED to 3 April. WAKEFUL was detached on 3 April to escort convoy HG.24, and MONTROSE on 4 April. The convoys merged to form convoy OG.24 on 3 April.
Convoy FN.134 of 25 ships departed Southend escorted by destroyers VEGA and WOOLSTON. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on 2 April.
Convoy MT.41 of 27 ships departed Methil escorted by sloop LONDONDERRY, destroyer VIMIERA, anti-submarine trawlers of the 1st Anti-submarine Group. On the convoy’s arrival off the Tyne, the destroyer and sloop took over convoy FS.134, which departed later that day. The convoy arrived at Southend on 2 April.
Armed yacht RHODORA (709grt) made an attack on a submarine contact off Bull Point in 51-20N, 4-05W.
French destroyers FOUDROYANT, BRESTOIS, and BOULONNAIS arrived at Cherbourg from the Dunkirk-Boulogne area for operations off Norway.
Aircraft carriers ARK ROYAL and GLORIOUS with destroyers BULLDOG, WESTCOTT, and HMAS VOYAGER departed Malta for Alexandria where they arrived on 4 April.
Australian light cruiser HMAS PERTH was refitting at Sydney from 31 March to 15 April.
After a submarine report from a French steamer, destroyer ACTIVE and a flying boat were sent to investigate. ACTIVE, joined by destroyers DOUGLAS and WRESTLER, sweeping 50° WSW of Cape Trafalgar in 36 01N, 07 02W made a contact at 1828, but the attacks were unsuccessful. French destroyer MISTRAL, three French trawlers, and aircraft also searched for the contact, which was later determined to be non-submarine and the search was abandoned at 1908.
German armed merchant cruiser ATLANTIS departed Kiel to raid in the South Atlantic. She was escorted by torpedo boats LEOPARD and WOLF in the Skagerrak and by U-37 as far as the Denmark Strait.
U-43 on patrol lost a crewman overboard in heavy weather.
German submarines for the WESERUBUNG operation began to depart German ports. By 6 April, the entire HARTMUTH force (the submarine deployment of the WESERUBUNG operation) was at sea.
Senate leaders made plans to bring the bill extending for three years the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act to a final vote Wednesday to clear the way for four important appropriation measures and a possible determination of how far the spending drive will go. The pending bill, already debated for a week, has two hurdles to meet. One is the O’Mahoney amendment, requiring affirmative votes of both the House and Senate to make trade agreements effective. The other, discussion of which will be resumed tomorrow, is by Senator McCarran to exempt from trade agreements products subject to excise taxes instead of tariffs, such as copper, lumber, coal and oil.
Administration leaders, fresh from their 44-to-41 victory to defeat the Pittman amendment to require Senate ratification of trade agreements, were confident today that they could hold their lines and send the measure to the White House in the form approved by the House. The appropriation measures ready for Senate action are those for the Navy, embodying a major part of the Administration’s national defense program, and the Interior Department, the legislative establishment and the civil functions of the War Department, dealing with rivers and harbors and flood-control works.
Secretary Hopkins tonight told his force of 120,000 enumerators that the census which they will begin on Tuesday was not “an inquisition,” and that their patience would be necessary in some instances because some people had been “misinformed” and were “confused.” The Secretary’s statement, sent out to be posted in every district office throughout the country, advised the enumerators not to minimize “the importance of this responsibility.”
Britain’s plans to tighten the blockade against Germany and extend contraband control to the Pacific have especial interest for the United States.
The United States is now producing an income in goods and services about equal to that of 1929, but since its population is some 10,000,000 greater its standard of living has been lowered 7% percent, William Green asserts in an article in the April issue of The American Federationist. This decrease in national living standards is a new thing for the United States, the A.F.L. president states.
Clearing weather came to the aid of flood-harassed northern California today, but the rising Sacramento river poured through levee breaks and inundated thousands of acres of rich farm lands in Glenn and Colusa counties. Authorities estimated approximately 22,000 acres were covered by varying depths of water which spread through six holes in levees which were battered by a similar flood a month ago. Scores of farm families were driven to safety on higher ground, and the small communities of Afton and Butte City were isolated. The division of water resources at Sacramento reported the exact area of the flooded region was not known, but belief was expressed that it was not as large as in February. Flooding also plagues the Susquehanna River area of Pennsylvania in the eastern U.S.
Four children and a “girl pilot” (described as such in the news story of the day; aged 25) died today in the flaming crash of a five-passenger private plane in a sawdust pile near Boeing field in southwest Seattle.
The Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, swollen by the thawing of Winter’s accumulated snow and recent heavy rains, was a swirling torrent early today, but Wilkes-Barre, scene of a devastating flood caused by the same combination in 1938, rested securely behind thirty-seven-foot dikes. Captain Conrad P. Hardy of the United States Engineers, who is in charge of the $8,000,000 levee project, predicted that unless there were new and heavy rains in the up-river area, this city would come through unharmed. Midnight readings at the Market Street Bridge, in the heart of Wilkes-Barre, showed water almost thirty feet above the low level. Captain Hardy and Richard Batley, in charge of the State flood control service, agreed in an estimate that the high point would come tonight, between 6 and 8 o’clock, and that it would show thirty-one to thirty-three feet.
Thieves, using blow-torches, drills and crowbars, today cracked the vault of a downtown Los Angeles jewelry store and escaped with precious stones valued at more than $200,000 and about $5,000 in cash. Manager John J. Donovan Jr. said most of the loot consisted of loose stones contained in long envelopes and that it might be found their value would greatly exceed the $200,000 estimate.
The Royal Canadian Navy destroyer HMCS Assiniboine returned to Halifax from Caribbean patrol duties.
Mohammed Ali Jinnah, president of the All-India Moslem League, disclosed tonight that he was inviting Mohandas K. Gandhi to a private conference to discuss the partition of India into Moslem and Hindu States.
Second Battle of Wuyuan: Japanese troops completed the evacuation of Wuyuan, Suiyuan Province, China toward Anpei and Paotou, cautiously followed by Chinese 8th War Area forces. The Chinese 8th War Area does not occupy the city yet.
The new Japanese puppet government of China headed by Ching-wei officially invites Japan to occupy China. Germany and Italy quickly recognize the new government.
Usually well-informed persons in Nanking expressed the belief today that the new Wang Ching-wei regime, established yesterday, would be only temporary while Japan sought peace with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and his Chungking Government. Mr. Wang himself and his close associates profess to believe that the Japanese Army and Government will support Nanking to the limit, but realistic Japanese leaders are talking otherwise. It is said a strong group in the Japanese Army favors a prompt settlement with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek if he agrees to participate in the anti-Comintern pact, to recognize Manchukuo and to admit Japan’s “special position” in North China. If General Chiang could be induced to surrender the three North China provinces, some sources contend, Japanese continental army leaders would favor withdrawing Japanese troops from south of the Yellow River because they believe Japan’s first job is to drive the menace of Russian military planes and submarines away from the Maritime Provinces.
Yakichiro Suma, Foreign Office spokesman, said today that Secretary of State Cordell Hull’s statement refusing recognition to the new Chinese regime of Wang Ching-wei, dissident former Chinese Premier, would damage efforts to improve Japanese-United States relations. Asked at his press conference whether United States recognition of the Japanese-sponsored regime of Mr. Wang was a prerequisite to the settlement of Japanese-American problems in China, Mr. Suma replied: “I wouldn’t go that far, but obviously such an abrupt announcement will hamper our attempts to ameliorate relations with the United States.”
Secretary of State Hull’s reiteration of the determination of the United States Government not to recognize political changes effected by force “should make the Japanese militarists realize the futility of carrying out their plans for domination of Asia and the Pacific Ocean,” Foreign Minister Wang Chung-hui said in Chungking tonight. He praised the State Department declaration, asserting it proved that “America’s role as champion of international law and order cannot be changed by false propaganda or any political disguise.”
Australian Prime Minister R.G. Menzies announced today further restrictions on imports from non-sterling countries.
Born:
Patrick Leahy, American politician (Senator-D-Vermont, 1975–2023), in Montpelier, Vermont.
Barney Frank, American politician (Rep-D-Massachusetts, 1981–2013), in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Gonzalo Márquez, Venezuelan MLB pinch hitter and first baseman (World Series Champions-A’s, 1972; Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs), in Carupano, Venezuela (d. 1984, in a car accident).
Naval Construction:
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “M” (Malyutka)-class (4th group, Type XV) submarines M-200 and M-201 are laid down by Sudomekh (Leningrad, U.S.S.R.) / Yard 196.
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