Troops of the German 7th Panzer Division under Rommel shelled fortifications defending the port of Cherbourg, France; Cherbourg surrendered at 1700 hours.
The 5th Panzer Division captured Brest, but found the port facilities destroyed by Allied personnel who had already been evacuated. The demolition party escapes just before the arrival of the German 5th Panzer Division. The last Allies depart on the destroyer HMS Broke.
The Germans captured Lorient, but not in time to stop all the seaworthy ships in its port from being scuttled.
The Germans were approaching Lyons. The Germans crash through the hastily prepared French defensive line on the Loire. There is scattered resistance, such as by 800 troops of the Samur Cavalry School led by Colonel Michon against the 1st Cavalry Division. Overall, though, the Germans are mostly unopposed and approach Lyons.
Along the coast, Operation AERIAL continued, evacuating British, and Polish troops from Saint-Nazaire, La Pallice, Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and Gironde.
Evacuation of Polish troops to UK by sea by British and Polish vessels begins, amounting to approximately 20,000 men, per agreement with Polish government-in-exile.
At St. Nazaire, seven empty transport ships wait for a reportedly large Polish group of refugees. About 2,000 men ultimately appear and are taken off.
At Bordeaux and nearby ports on the Garonne River, the Hunt-class destroyer HMS Berkeley (Lieutenant-Commander H. G. Walters) evacuates the remaining British consular staff. The President of Poland and his cabinet also depart.
Polish ships Batory, Sobieski and the Ettrick and Arandora Star take on board everybody looking to escape from Bordeaux and remain through the night.
Petain’s government prepares for armistice negotiations, to be led by General Huntziger.
Charles de Gaulle broadcast again over the BBC. “Faced by the bewilderment of my countrymen, by the disintegration of a government in thrall to the enemy, by the fact that the institutions of my country are incapable, at the moment, of functioning, I, General de Gaulle, a French soldier and military leader, realize that I now speak for France,” he said. “In the name of France, I make the following solemn declaration: It is the bounden duty of all Frenchmen who still bear arms to continue the struggle. For them to lay down their arms, to evacuate any position of military importance, or agree to hand over any part of French territory, however small, to enemy control, would be a crime against our country. For the moment I refer particularly to French North Africa — to the integrity of French North Africa.”
In London, General de Gaulle telegraphs General Nogues, commander in chief of French North Africa and Resident General of Morocco, offering to place himself under Nogues’ orders should he reject the armistice.
Sikorski BBC broadcast from London urging Polish forces in France to evacuate to United Kingdom and continue the fight.
General Alan Brooke, having departed St Nazaire amid chaos, arrives from France after a slow voyage.
Lord Beaverbrook, the Minster of Aircraft Production, announced that British aircraft production had since 10 May 1940 exceeded losses from all causes.
Households in the United Kingdom received pamphlets with information on what to do in case of invasion. Defended by her mighty fleet and with the largest force of trained and experienced troops in her history concentrated in this island, Great Britain tonight hastened preparations to withstand a siege or repel an invasion.
The British Government has resumed its efforts to evacuate schoolchildren. It establishes the Children’s Overseas Reception Board to send them to safer cities overseas. The British Government, convinced that the Battle of Britain has begun, disclosed tonight details of a scheme to send about 20,000 school children to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa and the United States.
The BBC cancels its regular music program to broadcast war news. Reviews for PM Churchill’s “Their Finest Hour” speech of 18 June are good.
The British Jockey Club announced that horse racing would cease until further notice.
Hermann Göring orders seizure of Dutch horses, car, buses and ships.
Premier Benito Mussolini returned quietly from Munich this afternoon to await the results of the parleys that are to be held between the French plenipotentiaries and the German victors. The Italian press warned the United States to stay out of the war.
Spain claimed tonight a share in any division of the spoils of war from France. Responsible quarters said flatly that Spain’s part in peace negotiations was “not just that of go-between” but the role of a nation that expected a voice in any territorial realignments.
Rumanian Government circles today received reports that a large number of Russian troops were being transferred from the Bessarabian frontier of Rumania to the German-Russian border.
Rumanian King Carol conferred today with Professor Horia Sima, Iron Guardist (Fascist), who, according to a Home Ministry communique issued a month ago, was arrested for terrorism immediately after his return from exile in Germany.
A demonstration was staged in Vilnius, Lithuania in support of the Red Army.
James Lacey was relocated to the island of Jersey in the English Channel together with the No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron RAF.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 30 aircraft to attack airfields at Rouen and Amiens during the day.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 112 aircraft to attack targets in Germany overnight.
Luftwaffe bombers attack Bordeaux. The Luftwaffe bombs Bordeaux during the night, where the French government has fled, killing 63 and wounding 180. They also attack St. Jean-de-Luz on the Spanish border. These are both major evacuation ports for the British.
The Luftwaffe raids England again during the night.
The Regia Aeronautica’s Italian bombers attack Bizerte, Tunisia overnight.
Italian aircraft bomb Calvi and Bonifacio, Corsica.
Italian aircraft attack British vehicles in the Western Desert.
French bombers attack Italian airfields in Libya.
A rough day at sea for the British, as the U-boat war is heating up. Eight ships, about 40,000 grt, are sunk. Only 3 are British-registered, one is French, but most are carrying cargo to Britain.
U-25, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn, torpedoed a tanker in the Bay of Biscay, at 47° 39’N, 7° 25’W. U-25, while still submerged, was rammed by the ship following the tanker. Upon surfacing, she observed a ship stopped. Returning to the scene 45 minutes later, the heavily damaged tanker could not be found. The U-boat’s conning tower and periscope were damaged and the U-boat had to abort her patrol. The ship was the 7,638-ton French steam tanker Brumaire. The damaged Brumaire was sunk the next day by German aircraft off Belle-Île in position 47°14N, 03°16W.
U-28, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke, sank Greek steamer Adamandios Georgandis (3443grt) in 49 35N, 11 15W. At 1929 hours the unescorted Adamandios Georgandis was hit in the engine room by a torpedo from U-28 and sank southwest of Ireland after being hit aft by a coup de grâce at 2000 hours. One crewman was lost on the Greek steamer. The 3,443-ton Adamandios Georgandis was headed for Cork, Ireland.
U-32, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans Jenisch, torpedoed and then sank by gunfire the Yugoslavian steamer Labud (5334grt) southwest of Fastnet. At 1847 hours the unescorted Labud was stopped by U-32 with gunfire southwest of Fastnet, Ireland and torpedoed at 1916 hours after the crew abandoned ship. The vessel remained afloat after the torpedo hit and was sunk by gunfire. The entire crew of the Yugoslav steamer was rescued. The 5,334-ton Labud was carrying maize and was headed for Liverpool, England.
U-48, commanded by Korvettenkapitän Hans Rudolf Rösing, sank Norwegian steamer Tudor (6607grt) from convoy HG.34F, escorted by sloop HMS Scarborough, in 45 10N, 11 50W. At 0125 hours the Tudor (Master Hans Bjønnes) in convoy HG.34F was hit on the port side by one G7e torpedo from U-48 northwest of Cape Finisterre. The torpedo had been spotted by a lookout but the evasive maneuver was too late and it struck between #1 and #2 hatch. The crew abandoned ship in four lifeboats as the ship settled by the bow and one of them was destroyed by the propeller that came out of the water. The second engineer was lost in the incident and the third mate was injured. The boats remained near the ship until she sank about 4 hours after the hit and then set sail for the Spanish coast. During the day, 15 survivors in one boat were picked up by HMS Arabis (K 73) (LtCdr B. Blewitt, RNR) and the remaining survivors in the other two boats by HMS Calendula (K 28) (LtCdr A.D. Bruford, RNVR) and landed in Plymouth on 21 and 22 June. The 6,607-ton Tudor was carrying steel and general cargo and was headed for Liverpool, England.
U-48 also sank British steamers Baron Loudoun (3164grt) and British Monarch (5661grt) in 45N, 11 21W from convoy HG.34F. At 0256 hours on 19 June 1940 the Baron Loudoun (Master Joseph Henderson Johnson) in convoy HG.34F was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 west-northwest of Cape Ortegal. Three crew members were lost. The master and 29 crew members were picked up by HMS Scarborough (L 25) (Cdr C.T. Addis, RN) and landed at Liverpool. The 3,164-ton Baron Loudoun was carrying iron ore and was headed for Barrow, England.
At 0346 hours the British Monarch (Master John Ferguson Scott) in convoy HG.34F was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 about 200 miles north-northwest of Corunna. The master and 39 crew members (all hands) were lost. The 5,661-ton British Monarch was carrying iron ore and was headed for Glasgow, Scotland.
U-52, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Salman, sank British steamer The Monarch (824grt) in 47 20N, 04 40W and Belgian steamer Ville De Namur (7463grt) in 46 25N, 04 35W, 250 miles off Corunna. At 0457 hours the unescorted The Monarch (Master John McNeill) was hit in the stern by a G7a torpedo from U-52 and sank within 4 minutes 60 miles west of Belle Ile in the Bay of Biscay. The master and eleven crew members (all hands) were lost. The 824-ton The Monarch was carrying ballast and was headed for Falmouth, England.
At 2005 hours the unescorted Ville de Namur (Master J. Grymonprez) was hit by two torpedoes from U-52 and sank within 5 minutes west of La Rochelle. The German commander suspected that the ship carried weapons behind large wooden structures on deck, but these were stables for horses. The 7,463-ton Ville de Namur was carrying horses and was headed for Liverpool, England.
U-43 refueled from German tanker Bessel (1878grt) at Vigo.
After reports of eight unknown destroyers and three escort vessels east of the Orkneys at 1304 and 1335 from Burgh Head, Deerness, battlecruiser HMS Renown with destroyers HMS Tartar, HMS Maori, and HMS Mashona which had been carrying out firing practices in Pentland Firth were sent to intercept. It was later determined these unknown ships were Destroyer HMS Zulu, proceeding south from Lerwick, with minesweepers HMS Bramble, HMS Seagull, and HMS Speedy in the swept channel. The British Renown force returned to Scapa Flow at 1500 that day.
At 0300, French battleship Jean Bart (Capitaine de Vaisseau P. J. Ronarc’h), in an incomplete state, sailed from St Nazaire. Destroyer Vanquisher (Vice Admiral T. J. Hallett, CB, CBE Rtd aboard), which had departed Sheerness on the 18th, had been sent to assure that Jean Bart sailed or was destroyed. Tugs had also been dispatched to St Nazaire to assist Jean Bart and joined French tugs Minotaure (889grt), Ursus (472grt), Titan (276grt). Destroyer HMS Vanquisher left St Nazaire with battleship Jean Bart, destroyers Le Hardi (Vice Amiral E. M.J. M. Laborde aboard, CC A. de Tannenberg), Mameluck (CC P. P. L. Charrasse) and Epee (C. F. J. M.A. V. Molas), and tanker Odet. However, Odet could only make eight knots and oiler Tarn was substituted at the last moment. Battleship Jean Bart was attacked three times in the St Nazaire Channel and was hit once by a bomb that failed to pierce the armored deck. Battleship Jean Bart was refueled. Destroyer Vanquisher remained in company until the French ships turned south for Casablanca where they arrived on the 22nd. Destroyer HMS Watchman, departing Gibraltar on the 23rd, was stationed off Casablanca to observe the French ships.
British steamers City Of Mobile, Floristan, Essex Druid, and Dundrum Castle embarked troops at St Nazaire, protected by destroyer HMS Vanoc. Steamer Floristan was damaged by German bombing at St Nazaire.
Scuttled at Cherbourg were incomplete French submarines Roland Morillot and Le Martinique on the slips.
French steamer Mexique (12,220grt), entering Verdon Roads, was sunk on a mine. The entire crew was rescued.
French trawler Tanche (277grt) was sunk on a mine at Lorient.
Operation AERIAL continued. From Bayonne and St Jean de Luz 19,000 troops were evacuated from 19 to 25 June. Although DYNAMO was more widely known, the later CYCLE and AERIAL operations succeeded in evacuating 191,870 troops before France fell.
German auxiliary minesweeper M.1802 (trawler Friedrich Muller: 497grt) was sunk on a mine northwest of Helgoland.
British steamer Patella (7468grt) reported a German submarine twenty miles southwest of Ailsa Craig. Escort vessels HMS Jason and HMS Gleaner were sent to search.
British steamer Roseburn (3103grt) was badly damaged by German motor torpedo boats S.19 and S.26 five miles off Dungeness. Steamer Roseburn was taken in tow by destroyer HMS Vesper. Tug HMS Lady Brassey (362grt) later relieved destroyer Vesper which screened the ships to Denge Marsh, west of Dungeness where the steamer was run aground a total loss. British drifter HMS Lord Howe (75grt) picked up all the crew members which had abandoned ship.
Motor barge Golden Grain (101grt) was damaged by German bombing off Felixstone.
Submarine HMS Orpheus (Lt Cdr J. A. S. Wise) was sunk, possibly by depth charges from the Italian destroyer Turbine, but more probably from striking a mine, off Tobruk. Submarine Orpheus was declared lost on the 27th and presumed mined. Lt Cdr Wise, Lt C. T. Davies, Lt P. F. Fawkes, S/Lt J. D. Symonds, Warrant Engineer E. K. Cross and the fifty ratings of the crew were lost with Orpheus.
Submarine HMS Parthian fired two torpedoes into Tobruk Harbor again Italian coastal defense ship San Giorgio. The torpedoes exploded in the harbor mud and no damage was done.
Light cruiser HMS Delhi departed Gibraltar for Dakar. The destination was later changed to Freetown in view of the Armistice.
Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart bombarded Centre Peak Island W/T Station off Massawa.
Italian submarine Galilei, which had departed Massawa on the 10th, surfaced near anti-submarine trawler HMS Moonstone (615grt) off Aden and attacked her with gunfire. Trawler Moonstone returned fire killing the Italian commanding officer and capturing the submarine at 12 48N, 45 12E. The submarine was towed to Aden by destroyer HMS Kandahar. From information gained from documents from Galilei, four Italian submarines were located: the wreck of Macalle lost on the 14th and submarines Toricelli and Galvani which would soon be dealt with.
Convoy FS.199 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloop HMS Black Swan and HMS Hastings. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 21st.
Convoy MT.91 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer HMS Vimiera and sloop HMS Londonderry. The convoy arrived in the Tyne the next day.
The War at Sea, Wednesday, 19 June 1940 (naval-history.net)
After reports of eight unknown destroyers and three escort vessels east of the Orkneys at 1304 and 1335 from Burgh Head, Deerness, battlecruiser RENOWN with destroyers TARTAR, MAORI, and MASHONA which had been carrying out firing practices in Pentland Firth were sent to intercept.
It was later determined these unknown ships were Destroyer ZULU, proceeding south from Lerwick, minesweeper BRAMBLE, SEAGULL, and SPEEDY in the swept channel.
The British RENOWN force returned to Scapa Flow at 1500 that day.
Destroyer HIGHLANDER departed Aberdeen for Lerwick.
Destroyer VETERAN departed Rosyth for Harwich.
Submarine SWORDFISH arrived at Blyth after patrol.
Submarine H.31 departed Blyth on patrol.
At 0300, French battleship JEAN BART (Capitaine de Vaisseau P. J. Ronarc’h), in an incomplete state, sailed from St Nazaire.
Destroyer VANQUISHER (Vice Admiral T. J. Hallett, CB, CBE Rtd aboard), which had departed Sheerness on the 18th, had been sent to assure that JEAN BART sailed or was destroyed.
Tugs had also been dispatched to St Nazaire to assist JEAN BART and joined French tugs MINOTAURE (889grt), URSUS (472grt), and TITAN (276grt).
Destroyer VANQUISHER left St Nazaire with battleship JEAN BART, destroyers LE HARDI (Vice Amiral E. M.J. M. Laborde aboard, CC A. de Tannenberg), MAMELUCK (CC P. P. L. Charrasse), and EPEE (C. F. J. M.A. V. Molas), and tanker ODET. However, ODET could only make eight knots and oiler TARN was substituted at the last moment.
Battleship JEAN BART was attacked three times in the St Nazaire Channel and was hit once by a bomb that failed to pierce the armour deck.
Battleship JEAN BART was refueled. Destroyer VANQUISHER remained in company until the French ships turned south for Casablanca where they arrived on the 22nd.
Destroyer WATCHMAN, departing Gibraltar on the 23rd, was stationed off Casablanca to observe the French ships.
British steamers CITY OF MOBILE, FLORISTAN, ESSEX DRUID, and DUNDRUM CASTLE embarked troops at St Nazaire, protected by destroyer VANOC.
Steamer FLORISTAN was damaged by German bombing at St Nazaire.
Scuttled at Cherbourg were incomplete French submarines ROLAND MORILLOT and LE MARTINIQUE on the slips.
French steamer MEXIQUE (12,220grt), entering Verdon Roads, was sunk on a mine.
The entire crew was rescued.
French trawler TANCHE (277grt) was sunk on a mine at Lorient.
Operation AERIAL continued.
From Bayonne and St Jean de Luz 19,000 troops were evacuated from 19 to 25 June.
Although DYNAMO was more widely known, the later CYCLE and AERIAL operations succeeded in evacuating 191,870 troops before France fell.
Destroyer HIGHLANDER (D.9) arrived at Plymouth from St Nazaire with Captain L.H. K. Hamilton DSO, on board.
D 9 reembarked on destroyer HAVELOCK on the 20th.
Destroyer GREYHOUND arrived at Dover at 1331 to join the 1st Destroyer Flotilla.
The 10th Mine Sweeping Flotilla, composed of auxiliary minesweepers MEDWAY QUEEN and PRINCESS ELIZABETH arrived at Dover.
Two more auxiliary minesweepers of this Flotilla would join when refitting was completed.
The 11th Mine Sweeping Flotilla, composed of auxiliary minesweepers JEANIE DEANS, SCAWFELL, GOATFELL, HELVELLYN, and MERCURY departed Dover at 0630/22nd for Portland.
Convoy FS.199 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloop BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 21st.
Convoy MT.91 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer VIMIERA and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the Tyne the next day.
S/Lt (A) D. K. Marks, who had been lent to the RAF, was killed when his Hurricane of 7 OTU crashed near Brynford, Holywell.
In a raid by British 801 Squadron against Boulogne and Calais, Lt J. W. Collett was wounded. The Skua he was observer in forced landed at Manston on its return.
German auxiliary minesweeper M.1802 (trawler FRIEDRICH MULLER: 497grt) was sunk on a mine northwest of Helgoland.
U-25 torpedoed a tanker in the Bay of Biscay.
U-25, while still submerged, was rammed by the ship following the tanker. Upon surfacing, she observed a ship stopped. Returning to the scene 45 minutes later, the heavily damaged tanker could not be found.
U-28 sank Greek steamer ADAMANDIOS GEORGANDIS (3443grt) in 49 35N, 11 15W.
One crewman was lost on the Greek steamer.
U-32 sank Yugoslavian steamer LABUD (5334grt) southwest of Fastnet.
The entire crew of the Yugoslav steamer was rescued.
U-48 sank Norwegian steamer TUDOR (6607grt) from convoy HG.34F, escorted by sloop SCARBOROUGH, in 45 10N, 11 50W.
One crewman was lost from the Norwegian steamer. The survivors were rescued by corvette ARABIS. Corvette CALENDULA picked up five survivors.
Corvettes CALENDULA, ARABIS, and GARDENIA were searching in the area.
U-48 sank British steamers BARON LOUDOUN (3164grt) and BRITISH MONARCH (5661grt) in 45N, 11 21W from convoy HG.34 F.
Three crew were missing from steamer BARON LOUDOUN. There were no survivors from steamer BRITISH MONARCH.
U-52 sank British steamer THE MONARCH (824grt) in 47 20N, 04 40W and Belgian steamer VILLE DE NAMUR (7463grt) in 46 25N, 04 35W, 250 miles off Corunna.
There were no survivors from the British steamer. There were five crew killed and twenty missing from the Belgian steamer.
U-43 refueled from German tanker BESSEL (1878grt) at Vigo.
British steamer PATELLA (7468grt) reported a German submarine twenty miles southwest of Ailsa Craig.
Escort vessels JASON and GLEANER were sent to search.
British steamer ROSEBURN (3103grt) was badly damaged by German motor torpedo boats S.19 and S.26 five miles off Dungeness.
Steamer ROSEBURN was taken in tow by destroyer VESPER. Tug LADY BRASSEY (362grt) later relieved destroyer VESPER which screened the ships to Denge Marsh, west of Dungeness where the steamer was run aground a total loss.
British drifter LORD HOWE (75grt) picked up all the crew members which had abandoned ship.
Motor barge GOLDEN GRAIN (101grt) was damaged by German bombing off Felixstone.
British troopship EMPIRE TROOPER (13,615grt), captured German liner CAP NORTE, arrived in the Tyne in tow of tugs SCOTSMAN, SEAMAN, and PRIZEMAN and escorted by destroyers GALLANT and WALPOLE.
The destroyers returned to Rosyth arriving that same day.
Submarine ORPHEUS (Lt Cdr J. A. S. Wise) was sunk by Italian destroyer TURBINE off Tobruk.
Submarine ORPHEUS was declared lost on the 27th and presumed mined.
Lt Cdr Wise, Lt C. T. Davies, Lt P. F. Fawkes, S/Lt J. D. Symonds, Warrant Engineer E. K. Cross and the fifty ratings of the crew were lost with ORPHEUS.
Submarine PARTHIAN fired two torpedoes into Tobruk Harbour again Italian coastal defense ship SAN GIORGIO. The torpedoes exploded in the harbour mud and no damage was done.
Light cruiser DELHI departed Gibraltar for Dakar. The destination was later changed to Freetown in view of the Armistice.
French large destroyer GERFAUT, which departed Brest, passed Gibraltar en route to Toulon, where she arrived on the 21st.
Australian light cruiser HMAS HOBART bombarded Centre Peak Island W/T Station off Massawa.
Italian submarine GALILEI, which had departed Massawa on the 10th, surfaced near Anti-submarine trawler MOONSTONE (615grt) off Aden and attacked her with gunfire.
Trawler MOONSTONE returned fire killing the Italian commanding officer and capturing the submarine at 12 48N, 45 12E.
The submarine was towed to Aden by destroyer KANDAHAR.
From information gained from documents from GALILEI, four Italian submarines were located: the wreck of MACALLE lost on the 14th and submarines TORICELLI and GALVANI which would soon be dealt with.
Italian submarine ZOEA, which departed Taranto on the 18th, arrived at Tobruk with supplies.
In Washington, President Roosevelt conferred with Attorney General Jackson, Jesse Jones, Federal Loan Administrator, signed the bills appropriating funds for the legislative branch of the government and the Interior Department, received Roberto Arias, nephew of the President-elect of Panama, and transacted other official business.
The Senate, by a vote of 75 to 5, adopted the bill increasing taxes and raising the national debt limit, after accepting an amendment imposing an excess profit levy on individuals and corporations. The Senate recessed at 10:30 PM until noon tomorrow.
The House voted 323 to 68 to override a Presidential veto of the bill providing that the Federal government assume part of the expenses of building bridges over navigable streams, refused to accept all Senate increases in the agriculture appropriation bill, and adjourned at 6:25 PM until noon tomorrow.
The U.S. Senate late tonight passed by a vote of 75 to 5 the bill increasing taxes to finance the defense program and raising the national debt limit by $4,000,000,000. Just before passage, an amendment was added providing for the assessment in wartime of drastic supertaxes upon the incomes of corporations and individuals. Estimates that it would yield $8,000,000,000 in levies on individual incomes were credited to Treasury officials. The Senators who voted against the bill were Austin, Gurney, Hale and Taft, Republicans, and Lundeen, Farmer-Laborite. The measure, originally presented to the Senate as a means of raising an estimated $1,007,000,000 in each of five years to offset a special bond issue to finance the immediate defense program, emerged finally with unforeseen amendments, inserted by coalition majorities, which completely changed the character of the original legislation. Approval of the two changes in the measure, which had called the new taxes, took administration lieutenants by surprise. They opposed the excess profits tax, which would be effective at once, but many voted for the proposal to impose heavy additional taxes in the event of war.
Coincident with the collapse of France, and the reaffirmation of the Monroe Doctrine by the American Congress, the United States has warned the German and Italian Governments to keep hands off the Western Hemisphere. The two Axis powers were told in plain language. that they cannot take any spoils in the Americas. This position was reinforced simultaneously by a call by the United States for a conference of Foreign Ministers of the twenty-one American Republics, without delay, to discuss the new problems arising from the European war.
The warning to the totalitarian powers said that under the Monroe Doctrine “the United States would not recognize any transfer and would not acquiesce in any attempt to transfer any geographic region of the Western Hemisphere from one non-American power to another non-American power.” Notes were sent on Monday through the American embassies in Berlin and Rome. At the same time the French, British and Dutch Governments received similar notices, so that the United States stands opposed to any such transfer whether it be the Dutch West Indies or French Guiana to Germany or Italy or even Greenland to Great Britain.
William C. Bullitt, the United States Ambassador to France, who decided to remain in Paris when the French Government fled, is incommunicado and has become useless as a source of information, according to reports that are thoroughly credited in Washington and are not denied by the State Department. His functions, in consequence, are being performed by Anthony J. Drexel Biddle Jr., Ambassador to Poland, who followed that government to France and has gone to Bordeaux, where he is in touch with the French Government and is reporting to the State Department.
The situation, according to the reports, is of Mr. Bullitt’s choosing, not because of any bars the Germans have erected around him. It is said that Secretary of State Cordell Hull directed him to follow the French Government when it fled to Tours and then to Bordeaux, and that the Ambassador refused. While this may have been heroic, it is stressed here that it served no useful purpose, and Mr. Hull is represented as being thoroughly annoyed.
President Roosevelt fired Harry Hines Woodring as Secretary of War for refusing a direct order to transfer a dozen B-17s to Britain. Woodring was offered the governorship of Puerto Rico as consolation, but he refused.
The Republican National Convention continues in Philadelphia.
The Scripps Howard newspapers today in an editorial urged the Republican party to select Wendell Willkie as its presidential nominee, and said that “in our opinion Willkie is the only candidate with whom the Republicans have a chance to win.
Members of the Republican Resolutions Committee, meeting to write the party’s platform in advance of the national convention next week. were thrown into a high pitch of excitement and political zeal today when John L. Lewis, the CIO leader, denounced President Roosevelt’s compulsory universal service plan as “a fantastic suggestion from a mind in full intellectual retreat.” This characterization of the proposal made by the President came in answer to a question from Alfred M. Landon of Kansas, Republican nominee in 1936, at the end of a speech in which Mr. Lewis had outlined the political demands of his branch of organized labor and virtually threatened a third-term movement unless the demands were satisfied. The forty-odd committee members and the several hundred spectators who had crowded into a hotel ballroom to see and hear the labor chieftain burst into cheers. Some committeemen jumped up from their seats and whistled.
“Then I think you agree with me, said Mr. Landon as the cheering subsided, “that it is an attempt to regiment the youth of this country into labor battalions.” “I certainly do,” Mr. Lewis replied. This episode was a high spot of the events of the day which saw an increasing popular demand for the nomination of Wendell L. Willkie, provoking a counter-movement to “stop” him, and produced suggestions concerning the possible influence of Herbert Hoover in the convention. The resolutions committee heard during the day more than thirty witnesses who suggested stands to be taken by the party on subjects ranging from world peace to dental care, while in the meantime the Republican National Committee passed on a long list of delegate contests.
A movement against Wendell Willkie developed, the opponents of his candidacy buttonholing delegates arriving early at Philadelphia and telling them that he was for long a Democrat and was backed by “Wall Street.”
A committee began an inquiry into fifty-four contests over delegate seatings at the convention. The principal contests were between Dewey and Taft slates.
Attorney General Jackson denounced today the recent action of the House in passing, by a vote of 330 to 42, a bill for the deportation of Harry R. Bridges, CIO labor leader. Mr. Jackson said the bill was arbitrary, a departure from precedent and exiled an individual without giving him a hearing.
Gene Tunney, former heavyweight boxing champion and an executive in several national organizations directing the activities of youth, yesterday called for the removal of “the pro-Communist faction” in the American Youth Congress as “a fifth column threat” to national defense.
New office of Undersecretary of the Navy is created for duration of the emergency.
U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships is established with Rear Adm. S. M. Robinson as Chief; Bureau of Construction and Repair and the Bureau of Engineering are abolished.
Dale Messick, the first women to write a syndicated comic, published her initial “Brenda Starr” comic in the Chicago Tribune.
Major League Baseball:
In a night game following the Medwick beaning, the Cards make 7 errors in an 8–3 loss to Brooklyn. Slick-fielding Cardinal shortstop Marty Marion makes 3 errors in the 7th inning.
District Attorney William O’Dwyer of Brooklyn began an investigation yesterday into the possibility that Joe Medwick, star outfielder recently acquired by the Dodgers from the Cardinals, was the victim of a criminal assault when he was struck on the left side of his head by a pitched ball in the opening inning of the Dodger-Cardinal game at Ebbets Field on Tuesday.
A heavy shower interrupted the Pirates for forty-five minutes today as they moved into sixth place in the National League by drubbing the Boston Bees, 5–1, behind the effective pitching of righthander Joe Bowman. Bowman kept the Bees’ nine hits scattered in all but the sixth inning.
The Tigers took undisputed possession of second place in the American league standing, ran their winning streak to six games and helped two of their pitchers better impressive records by thumping the Athletics twice today, by scores of 5–4 and 9–4. The winning pitchers for Detroit were Louie Newman and Lynwood (“Schoolboy”) Rowe.
The White Sox and Yankees, locked in a pitching duel between Thornton Lee and Marius Russo, go to the eighth inning scoreless before four Chicago singles produce one run. The White Sox win, 1–0.
Johnny Allen hurled steady ball today for a 4–1 victory over Washington, helping the Cleveland Indians to drive within half a game of the league-leading Boston Red Sox, who lost at St. Louis.
The St. Louis Browns beat the Red Sox again today and they did it the hard way. Overcoming a four-run handicap, the Browns toppled the league leaders, 6-4, for their second victory over Boston and their fourth win in a row. Centerfielder Walter Judnich has four RBIs for the Browns on a two-run homer and a single, and later scores a run himself.
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 8
Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Boston Bees 1
New York Yankees 0, Chicago White Sox 1
Washington Senators 1, Cleveland Indians 4
Philadelphia Athletics 4, Detroit Tigers 5
Philadelphia Athletics 4, Detroit Tigers 9
Boston Red Sox 4, St. Louis Browns 6
The Canadian National Unity Party, a fascist organization, has been broken up and 11 of its members are brought to trial.
Germany has now begun to exert tremendous political and economic pressure on the Uruguayan Government to halt what Berlin calls an unfriendly anti-German campaign here. The Reich has threatened to break off diplomatic relations if any Nazi leaders are deported.
Japanese government announces special interests in French Indochina and demands an end to transit of war materiel to China, giving a 24-hour ultimatum.
A demand for concrete measures giving Japan powers of supervision and control over all traffic through Indo-China was presented to the French Ambassador, Charles Arsene Henry, yesterday by Masayuki Tani, Vice Foreign Minister. According to the newspaper Asahi these include:
- French authorities shall submit to the Japanese a list of all gasoline, trucks and railway material now in stock.
- Japanese consular officials shall from time to time inspect these stocks.
- Japanese patrols shall be stationed at Hanoi, Loa-kai and Langson to supervise, in cooperation with customs officials, all transportation across. the border.
- If this plan fails to check the traffic, France shall close the border.
Those demands follow France’s undertaking absolutely to prohibit the traffic of transport of material as well as of munitions into China. Japan accepts the French promise but demands the right to supervise its execution with Japanese officials. No doubt whatever is felt in Tokyo that France will immediately and completely comply. Should France fail to show “sincerity,” however, Japan will consider a clean slate exists and will take appropriate steps on her own authority, says Asahi.
France opens northern Indochina to Japanese military mission and supporting troops.
Shanghai’s anxieties were redoubled this morning when word spread to the effect that the Japanese had brought the entire 103d Division here from Kiukiang and that the new arrivals were being billeted on Lincoln Avenue in the West End area and also at Nantao, in a semicircle around the French Concession. A portion of the Twelfth Division is also said to have been retained nearby. This division recently arrived from Northern China and a portion of it has already been transferred southward to Hainan Island.
The French Concession in Shanghai, and also the French concessions at Tientsin and Hankow and the French portion at the island of Shameen in the Pearl River at Canton are in precarious situations as a result of the French collapse in Europe. It is well known in third power army and navy circles in Shanghai that Japan is busy concentrating a large military and naval force on Hainan Island. Some move toward French Indo-China, therefore, is considered most likely. It would be based upon the grievance that the Hanoi-Yunnan Railway has been transporting war supplies to China. American naval circles refuse to confirm or deny that some United States submarines and destroyers are leaving Tsingtao and Chefoo where they have been summering, bound for Manila, considerably in advance of the usual schedule.
A sore spot that had virulently infected British-Japanese relations and led to serious complaints by the United States disappeared today when Sir Robert Craigie, the British Ambassador, and Hachiro Arita, the Japanese Foreign Minister, formally signed the Tientsin agreement.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 123.86 (+0.65)
Born:
Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney, American drag racer (NHRA Top Fuel Championship in 1977, 1980, 1982; International Motorsports Hall of Fame), in Burlington, Vermont.
Keith McCreary, Canadian NHL left wing (Montreal Candiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Flames), in Sundridge, Ontario, Canada.
Frank Marsh, AFL defensive back (San Diego Chargers), in LaGrande, Oregon.
Paul Shane, English comedian and actor, in Thrybergh, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom (d. 2013).
Ian Smith, Australian actor, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Died:
Maurice Jaubert, 40, French composer (died of wounds sustained in combat).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Dance-class ASW trawlers HMS Quadrille (T 133) and HMS Polka (T 139) are laid down by Hall, Russell & Co. Ltd. (Aberdeen, Scotland).
The Royal Navy “U”-class (Third Group) submarine HMS Ultimatum is laid down by Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-205 is laid down by F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 634).
The Royal Canadian Navy auxiliary minesweeper HMCS Ross Norman is commissioned via charter from owners. Built at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “M” (Malyutka)-class (3rd group, Type XII) submarine M-59 is commissioned.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “M” (Malyutka)-class (3rd group, Type XII) submarine M-60 is commissioned.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “S” (Stalinec)-class (2nd group, Type IX-modified) submarine S-31 is commissioned.
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “S” (Stalinec)-class (2nd group, Type IX-modified) submarine S-32 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy submarine HMS P 711, formerly the Italian Archimede-class submarine Galileo Galilei, is commissioned into the Royal Navy after her capture. Her first commander in British service is Lieutenant Commander (retired) Patrick Ernest Heathfield, RN. She was used as a training boat.
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