The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed at 6:36 PM. A German occupation zone was established in the north and west of France with the remainder left “free” to be governed by the French. At Compiègne, France, in the very same rail carriage and at the same location as when the WW1 armistice was signed, General Charles Huntziger signed for France and Colonel General Wilhelm Keitel signed for Germany. Germany gained control of Northern France, while Marshal Philippe Pétain was allowed to be Prime Minister of the unoccupied southern area. Huntzinger and Keitel signed the armistice at 1830 hours. Meanwhile, France dispatched officials to go to Rome to negotiate peace with Italy.
As specified by Hitler, the French are left with a 40% rump state which has no Atlantic ports (but does retain the Mediterranean ports). The Germans set up their headquarters in Paris, the French in the spa town of Vichy, under Prime Minister Marshal Philippe Pétain. French must pay for the cost of German occupation at a rate of 400 million francs/day – at an artificially inflated exchange rate.
A provision which the French do not contest because they believe that British defeat is just around the corner is that French POWs will remain imprisoned until there is “peace.” In addition, the French must surrender any German POWs and anyone else in the country who has fled Germany. Any French from this point forward resisting the occupation are subject to summary execution.
Among the terms of the armistice is the specification that the French fleet, except portions necessary to safeguard France’s colonial interests, will be gathered in French metropolitan ports and demobilized and disarmed under German and Italian control. The British, watching from the outside, are not satisfied that this will keep the ships out of German hands.
It is impossible to exaggerate the impact of the French surrender has on the German martial psyche. After this, Hitler truly does acquire a virtually god-like status in the minds of many ordinary German civilians and military troops alike. This day erases a stain on the collective German memory that had been festering for 22 years, and the affair is masterfully stage-managed on short notice for maximum propaganda effect. In fact, Hitler easily could have completed the surrender on the 21st, but he stretches it out to this second day to prolong the good times.
The French forces which have been driven out of the Maginot Line and were still resisting, finally surrendered on General Maxime Weygand’s orders.
German spearheads continue advancing toward La Rochelle and down the Rhone valley. The Germans entered La Rochelle, but not before all the seaport’s naval facilities were blown up. Other towns occupied include Lorient and St. Malo. Panzer columns advance down the Rhone valley.
Italian 1st Army and 4th Army continue attacks against French Army of the Alps. The Italian offensive reached the eastern approaches of Menton but was unable to advance any further.
Reduced British evacuations continue at St. Jean de Luz.
Mussolini prepares for reception of French delegation to negotiate surrender. The Armistice with Germany does not include Italy, and a separate French delegation leaves for Rome to negotiate with Mussolini. Mussolini hounds his commanders to grab as much territory in southern France as possible before the conclusion of hostilities. They only make it to the outskirts of Menon despite having over a dozen divisions against scattered French resistance. The Italians make no progress at all in the Alps.
De Gaulle made a third broadcast over the BBC. “Honour, common sense, and the interests of the country require that all free Frenchmen, wherever they be, should continue the fight as best they may,” he declared. “It is therefore necessary to group the largest possible French force wherever this can be done. Everything which can be collected by way of French military elements and potentialities for armaments production must be organized wherever such elements exist. I, General de Gaulle, am undertaking this national task here in England. I call upon all French servicemen of the land, sea, and air forces; I call upon French engineers and skilled armaments workers who are on British soil, or have the means of getting here, to come and join me.”
Once again, de Gaulle uses his support from the British to establish his name in the public consciousness at a very emotional moment in the life of his country. Very few people know who de Gaulle is in France, which is probably why he always refers to himself in his speeches… repeatedly. It is a dangerous rhetorical tool that amazingly works – gloriously. De Gaulle reads the public mood perfectly and knows despairing patriots are looking for a savior, a strong man who stands for the world they knew just two months previously and, more importantly, is fighting to return it to reality. This speech is not as famous as some of his others, but de Gaulle’s creation of a cult of personality is a gradual process that accumulates like a snowball rolling down the Alps where Frenchmen are still fighting successfully.
Churchill broadcast: “His Majesty’s Government have heard with grief and amazement that the terms dictated by the Germans have been accepted by the French government…”
In Britain, the second evacuation plan by the London County council resulted in over 100,000 children being evacuated to the west.
British Foreign Secretary Halifax had his undersecretary Richard Butler contact Swedish Minister in London, England, United Kindom Björn Prytz for possible Anglo-German negotiations. Germans intercepted Prytz’s report back to Stockholm and concluded that the war with Britain was likely to end by the end of the summer.
The Communist Party of Great Britain published a manifesto calling for a “People’s Government”, claiming that “the same kind of leaders who brought France to defeat are in high places in Britain”. Furthermore the manifesto called upon workers to oust their own ruling classes which would encourage German workers to bring down Adolf Hitler.
The remnants of the Polish army sails for England on the liner Batory from the French port of St-Jean-de-Luz.
Noor Inayat Khan (later code named MADELEINE) arrived at Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom with her family.
The SS rounds up 31 German, Polish and Dutch Jews in Roermond, Netherlands.
Following his transformation yesterday of the Rumanian Renaissance Front into a Nazi-type party of the nation, King Carol broadcast tonight a call to the people to conform to the interests of the revised State.
Istanbul newspapers today print notices calling more soldiers into service on June 30. It is understood that at least four classes have already been ordered up in Anatolia and that technicians and chauffeurs are being summoned individually.
About 10,000 Afrikaner women march to the union buildings in protest of South Africa’s involvement in WWII
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 18 aircraft to attack Merville airfield during the day.
The RAF raids Krupps factories at Essen and aircraft plants throughout Germany during the night.
Italian air force attacks Alexandria, Egypt, before dawn with twelve S.81 bombers flying from Rhodes. Alexandria experienced its first bombing this morning when twenty bombs were dropped in three Italian air raids. Two persons were killed; twenty-three were injured.
Italian air force attacks Bizerte, Tunisia, with 22 bombers escorted by ten fighters.
Italian air force attacks Matruh, Egypt, overnight with twelve SM-79 bombers.
U-30, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Fritz-Julius Lemp, sank Norwegian motor ship Randsfjord from convoy HX.49 seventy miles south, southeast of Queenstown. At 0158, the Randsfjord, dispersed from Convoy HX.49, was hit by one G7a torpedo from U-30 about 70 miles SSE of Queenstown. The torpedo struck on the port side in the foreship and caused the ship to sink, capsizing after three minutes. The master and three crew members were lost. Two men were crushed and injured between the starboard lifeboat and the side of the ship when they lost their grip while lowering themselves down to the boat. Some men jumped overboard and were later picked up by the boat. The U-boat surfaced and the Germans questioned the survivors, handed them a bottle of Brandy before leaving the area at full speed after two destroyers were spotted. The survivors set sail for land, but were picked up after 36 hours by the British steam merchant Port Hobart and landed in Glasgow on 25 June, where three men were admitted to hospital. The 3,999-ton Randsfjord was carrying general cargo, including ammunition and 33 aircraft and was headed for Liverpool, England.
U-32, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch, badly damaged Norwegian motor tanker Eli Knudsen from convoy HX.49 at 50 36N, 08 44W at 0336 hours. The Eli Knudsen (Master Mathias Midbøe) had been in convoy HX.49, which was dispersed approx. 100 miles southwest of Cape Clear after U-47 had torpedoed the San Fernando in the middle of convoy at 2007 hours on 21 June 1940. At 0336 hours the next day, U-32 torpedoed the Eli Knudsen (one of the slowest ships in convoy). All crew members abandoned ship in lifeboats and were picked up a few hours later by HMS Sandwich and taken to Liverpool. The tanker remained afloat and an attempt was made the next day to tow her to port, but she sank on 24 June in tow of the British tanker Corinda at 50.36N/07.51W. The 9,026-ton Eli Knudsen was carrying diesel and fuel oil and was headed for the United Kingdom.
U-38, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe, sank Greek steamer Neion in 47 09N, 04 17W. At 0217, the unescorted and unarmed Neion was hit in the engine room by one G7a stern torpedo from U-38 while steaming without navigational lights lit on a non-evasive course at 10 knots about 40 miles west-southwest of Belle-Ilé, and sank by the stern after five minutes. One crew member was lost. The master, eight officers and 22 crew members abandoned ship in one lifeboat before she sank. The 5,154-ton Neion was carrying general cargo and naphtha and was headed for Falmouth, England. The cargo of naphtha drums was recovered in 1948.
U-46 made an unsuccessful torpedo attack on aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal southwest of Ireland as she and other units were en route to Gibraltar to form Force H.
U-65, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans-Gerrit von Stockhausen, sank the unescorted French steam tanker Monique was torpedoed and sunk in the Bay of Biscay in the eastern Atlantic Ocean at position 47° 00’N, 5° 30’W. At 1804 hours U-65 reported the sinking of an unescorted tanker of 7,000 grt with a spread of two G7e torpedoes about 70 miles southwest of Penmarch in the Bay of Biscay. The ship was immediately covered in burning oil and apparently broke in two before it sank. On 17 June the Monique had been re-routed to Brest and then to Belle-Ile due to the German advances, but was reported missing after being last seen by the French motor tanker Rhéa in the evening of 17 June. A radio message indicated that the ship had been attacked by aircraft off Verdon on 21 June, but it is more likely that she was sunk by this U-boat attack one day later because HMS Broke (D 83) (Cdr B.G. Scurfield, RN) reported that she scuttled a wreck identified as Monique in position 46°45N, 06°10W in the late evening of 22 June. The bodies of two of her sailors later washed ashore near La Coruña, Spain.The 7,011-ton Monique was carrying crude oil and was headed for Le Havre, France.
Anti-submarine yacht HMS Campeador V (195grt, Cdr C H Davey OBE Rtd) was mined and sunk three miles 310° from Nab Tower off Portsmouth. Davey, Temporary Lt J R Muir RNVR, Temporary Lt V W M Macandrew RNVR, Temporary Lt C E Turner RNVR, and fifteen ratings were lost. There were only two survivors.
British-built French Flower Class corvette La Bastiaise was mined and sunk on trials off Hartlepool. Losses included the French Captain and a number of crew and shipyard employees.
British liner Ettrick (11,279grt) embarked 2000 troops and King Zog of Albania from St Jean De Luz.
French steamer Amienois (3713grt) was sunk by German bombing off Le Verdon.
British Trinity House Light Vessel Vestal evacuated light house personnel and civilians from Alderney.
French light cruiser Emile Bertin departed Halifax with the 300 tons of gold brought there from Brest to proceed to Fort de France. Heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire shadowed the French light cruiser, but lost touch with her. Light cruiser Emile Bertin arrived at Martinique on the 24th.
German armed merchant cruiser Pinguin, carrying 300 moored mines and 25 torpedoes and 80 mines to replenish U boats at sea, departed Bergen to raid in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Antarctic.
The Mediterranean Fleet began to sortie from Alexandria to bombard Augusta and raid in the Messina area in Operation BQ. A number of steamers were to departed Malta and proceed to Alexandria during this operation. At 1700, aircraft carrier HMS Eagle and destroyers HMS Hyperion, HMS Hostile, HMS Hasty, HMS Hereward, HMS Havock, HMS Hero, HMS Imperial, and HMS Ilex of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of Force C departed. At 2000, battleships HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Ramillies, also of Force C, departed Alexandria. Force B with light cruisers HMS Orion (VAD), HMS Liverpool, and HMS Gloucester with destroyers HMS Juno and HMS Janus departed Alexandria at 2130. At 2200, battleship HMS Warspite, light cruisers HMS Neptune and HMAS Sydney, and destroyers HMS Nubian, HMS Mohawk, HMS Dainty, HMS Defender, and HMS Decoy of Force A were to sail. However, at 2153 the operation was cancelled due to the French Armistice. French heavy cruisers Tourville and Duquesne (VAX), light cruiser Duquay Trouin, and destroyers HMAS Stuart and HMAS Vampire of Force D did not cast off. Force A returned to Alexandria immediately. Forces B and C returned to Alexandria the next day.
Italian Cruiser Squadron 7 (Sansonietti) with light cruisers Eugenio, D’Aosta, Attendelo, and Montecuccoli escorted by destroyer Division 13 sortied from Messina westward as far west of Minorca to interfere with French convoys which were being escorted by French Cruiser Division 4 (Contre Amiral C. J. L. Bourrague, light cruisers Georges Leygues and Montcalm) and destroyers between Marseilles and Oran.
French Cruiser Division 3 (Contre Amiral A. A. A. Marquis, light cruisers Marseillaise, La Galissoniere, and Jean De Vienne) sortied from Algiers on the 23rd to intercept the Italian force, but Sansonietti returned to base before the French Force made contact.
At 0800/22nd, battleships Dunkerque, Strasbourg, Provence, and Bretagne, light cruisers Georges Leygues and Montcalm, and destroyers Mogador, Volta, Le Fantasque, L’Audacieux, Le Terrible, Tigre, Lynx, Brestois, and Tornade were at Oran.
Submarine Le Redoubtable was at Bone.
Destroyer L’Alcyon and submarines Le Tonnant, Fresnel, Pascal, Monge, Vengeur, and Turquoise were at Bizerte.
Submarines Marsouin and Requin were at Sousse.
Submarines Nautilus and Souffleur were at Sfax.
Heavy cruisers Algerie, Dupleix, Foch, and Colbert, destroyers Vauban, Lion, Aigle, Guepard, Verdun, Valmy, Vautour, and Cassard, escort vessels Les Eparges and Yser, and submarines Venus, Iris, Aurore, Ceres, Pallas, Le Conquerant, Galatee, Le Diamante, and Perle were at Hyeres.
Refitting submarines Naiade, Archimede, L’Espoir, Argonaute, Atalante, and Arethuse were at Toulon.
Destroyers Tartu and Chevalier Paul were at Sete.
Destroyers La Palme, Mars, and Tempete were at Port Vendres.
Italian submarine Ascianghi fired four torpedoes at a steamer south of Balearic Islands. She then fired several rounds from her deck gun but was forced to retire after several hits without sinking the steamer.
Italian submarine Capponi sank Swedish steamer Elgo (1888grt) north of Sfax. One crewman was lost from the Swedish steamer.
French light cruiser Duguay-Trouin was interned by the British at Alexandria, Egypt.
Destroyer USS Dickerson arrived at Bilbao, Spain to safeguard American interests.
French battleship Jean Bart arrives in Casablanca
Convoy FN.202 departed Southend, escorted by sloops HMS Black Swan and HMS Hastings. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 24th.
Convoy FS.202 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers HMS Wallace and HMS Wolfhound. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 24th.
The War at Sea, Saturday, 22 June 1940 (naval-history.net)
Heavy cruiser SUSSEX and light cruiser NEWCASTLE arrived at Scapa Flow.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON departed the Clyde for Scapa Flow where she arrived on the 23rd.
Destroyers ATHERSTONE and WANDERER arrived in the Clyde.
British troopships AQUITANIA (45,647grt) and MAURETANIA (35,738grt) departed the Clyde for Liverpool escorted by destroyers WINCHESTER and WITHERINGTON.
The ships arrived safely later the same day.
Destroyer WINCHESTER then departed Liverpool for Rosyth where she arrived on the 24th.
British troopship EMPRESS OF CANADA (21,517grt) escorted by destroyer WANDERER departed the Clyde for Liverpool.
British oilers CLAM, CONCH, and ROSEWOOD departed Scapa Flow escorted by anti-submarine trawlers IMPERIALIST, CAPE WARWICK, and ELM for passage through the Minches and onward passage to Curacoa and Port of Spain.
Destroyer WALPOLE departed Scapa Flow at 1400 escorting British trawler SEA MONARCH (329grt) to Aberdeen.
Destroyer WALPOLE then escorted British steamers DEVON CITY (4928grt) and ARBROATH (553grt) from Aberdeen to Scapa Flow, arriving on the 23rd.
Anti-submarine yacht CAMPEADOR V (195grt, Cdr C H Davey OBE Rtd) was mined and sunk three miles 310° from Nab Tower off Portsmouth. Davey, Temporary Lt J R Muir RNVR, Temporary Lt V W M Macandrew RNVR, Temporary Lt C E Turner RNVR, and fifteen ratings were lost. There were only two survivors.
British-built French Flower Class corvette LA BASTIAISE was mined and sunk on trials off Hartlepool. Losses included the French Captain and a number of crew and shipyard employees.
French auxiliary patrol vessel HEUREUX and tugs ABEILLE 8 and ABEILLE 22 departed Plymouth to attempt to recover an incomplete 15,000 tons tanker at La Falaise.
As Submarine TRIBUNE was leaving her patrol area to return to Rosyth, she sighted a German steamer. At 0136, submarine TRIBUNE fired torpedoes at a 7000- to 8000-ton merchant ship near Stadlandet.
There was no damage.
Submarine SNAPPER departed Rosyth on patrol.
Convoy FN.202 departed Southend, escorted by sloops BLACK SWAN and HASTINGS. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 24th.
Convoy FS.202 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WOLFHOUND. Patrol sloop SHEARWATER from convoy FN.201 joined on the 22nd. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 24th.
Convoy FS.202 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 24th.
Light cruiser GALATEA and Canadian destroyer FRASER operated off St Jean de Luz.
British liner ETTRICK (11,279grt) embarked 2000 troops and King Zog of Albania from St Jean De Luz.
French steamer AMIENOIS (3713grt) was sunk by German bombing off Le Verdon.
British Trinity House Light Vessel VESTAL evacuated light house personnel and civilians from Alderney.
French light cruiser EMILE BERTIN departed Halifax with the 300 tons of gold brought there from Brest to proceed to Fort de France.
Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE shadowed the French light cruiser, but lost touch with her.
Light cruiser EMILE BERTIN arrived at Martinique on the 24th.
German armed merchant cruiser PINGUIN, carrying 300 moored mines and 25 torpedoes and 80 mines to replenish U boats at sea, departed Bergen to raid in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctic.
U-30 sank Norwegian motor ship RANDSFJORD (3999grt) from convoy HX.49 seventy miles south, southeast of Queenstown.
Four crew were missing from the Norwegian ship. The survivors were picked up on the 23rd.
U-32 badly damaged Norwegian motor tanker ELI KNUDSEN (9026grt) from convoy HX.49 in 50‑36N, 08‑44W. The entire crew was saved — 38 crew by sloop SANDWICH and 14 by anti-submarine trawler AGATE (627grt). Destroyers IMOGEN, GRIFFIN, HMCS ST LAURENT, and HMCS SKEENA and corvettes ARABIS and HEARTSEASE searched for the submarine. Destroyers WARWICK and WINCHELSEA were nearby searching for U-47 which sank steamer SAN FERNANDO on the 21st. The tanker was taken in tow on the 23rd, but sank later that day in 50-36N, 7-51W.
U-38 sank Greek steamer NEION (5154grt) in 47‑09N, 04‑17W. One crewman was missing.
U-46 made an unsuccessful torpedo attack on aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL southwest of Ireland as she and other units were en route to Gibraltar to form Force H.
U-65 sank Dutch steamer BERENICE (1177grt) in 47‑10N, 03‑35W. Eighteen crew and 21 passengers were lost.
The Mediterranean Fleet began to sortie from Alexandria to bombard Augusta and raid in the Messina area in Operation BQ. A number of steamers were to departed Malta and proceed to Alexandria during this operation.
At 1700, aircraft carrier EAGLE and destroyers HYPERION, HOSTILE, HASTY, HEREWARD, HAVOCK, HERO, IMPERIAL, and ILEX of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla of Force C departed. At 2000, battleships ROYAL SOVEREIGN and RAMILLIES, also of Force C, departed Alexandria.
Force B with light cruisers ORION (VAD), LIVERPOOL, and GLOUCESTER with destroyers JUNO and JANUS departed Alexandria at 2130.
At 2200, battleship WARSPITE, light cruisers NEPTUNE and SYDNEY, and destroyers NUBIAN, MOHAWK, DAINTY, DEFENDER, and DECOY of Force A were to sail.
However, at 2153 the operation was cancelled due to the French Armistice.
French heavy cruisers TOURVILLE and DUQUESNE (VAX), light cruiser DUQUAY TROUIN, destroyers HMAS STUART and HMAS VAMPIRE of Force D did not cast off.
Force A returned to Alexandria immediately. Forces B and C returned to Alexandria the next day.
Italian Cruiser Squadron 7 (Sansonietti) with light cruisers EUGENIO, D’AOSTA, ATTENDELO, and MONTECUCCOLI escorted by destroyer Division 13 sortied from Messina westward as far west of Minorca to interfere with French convoys which were being escorted by French Cruiser Division 4 (Contre Amiral C. J. L. Bourrague, light cruisers GEORGES LEYGUES and MONTCALM) and destroyers between Marseilles and Oran.
Destroyers INDOMPTABLE and MALIN were on patrol off Minorca.
On convoy duty and at sea were destroyers GERFAUT, KERSAINT, TRAMONTANE, BOULONNAIS, TYPHON, BORDELAIS, TROMBE, and BALISTE, submarines HENRI POINCARE, LE CENTAURE, PEGASE, NARVAL, and CAIMAN, aircraft tender COMMANDANT TESTE.
French Cruiser Division 3 (Contre Amiral A. A. A. Marquis, light cruisers MARSEILLAISE, LA GALISSONIERE, and JEAN DE VIENNE) sortied from Algiers on the 23rd to intercept the Italian force, but Sansonietti returned to base before the French Force made contact.
At 0800/22nd, battleships DUNKERQUE, STRASBOURG, PROVENCE, and BRETAGNE, light cruisers GEORGES LEYGUES and MONTCALM, and destroyers MOGADOR, VOLTA, LE FANTASQUE, L’AUDACIEUX, LE TERRIBLE, TIGRE, LYNX, BRESTOIS, and TORNADE were at Oran.
Submarine LE REDOUBTABLE was at Bone.
Destroyer L’ALCYON and submarines LE TONNANT, FRESNEL, PASCAL, MONGE, VENGEUR, and TURQUOISE were at Bizerte.
Submarines MARSOUIN and REQUIN were at Sousse.
Submarines NAUTILUS and SOUFFLEUR were at Sfax.
Heavy cruisers ALGERIE, DUPLEIX, FOCH, and COLBERT, destroyers VAUBAN, LION, AIGLE, GUEPARD, VERDUN, VALMY, VAUTOUR, and CASSARD, escort vessels LES EPARGES and YSER, submarines VENUS, IRIS, AURORE, CERES, and PALLAS, submarines LE CONQUERANT, GALATEE, LE DIAMANTE, and PERLE at Hyeres, and refitting submarines NAIADE, ARCHIMEDE, L’ESPOIR, ARGONAUTE, ATALANTE, and ARETHUSE were at Toulon.
Destroyers TARTU and CHEVALIER PAUL were at Sete.
Destroyers LA PALME, MARS, and TEMPETE were at Port Vendres.
Italian submarine ASCIANGHI fired four torpedoes at a steamer south of Balearic Islands. She then fired several rounds from her deck gun but was forced to retire after several hits before sinking the steamer.
Italian submarine CAPPONI sank Swedish steamer ELGO (1888grt) north of Sfax.
One crewman was lost from the Swedish steamer.
Light cruiser DANAE departed Penang for Singapore.
A $4,000,000,000 warship construction program to make the American navy the greatest assemblage of sea power the world has ever known was voted by the House today after scarcely two hours debate. The swift action, together with final congressional approval of a $1,000,000,000 tax defense bill and a $1,708,013,908 emergency appropriation for the army and navy, shared attention at the capitol with reports of strong opposition within the Senate Naval Committee to confirmation of Colonel Frank Knox’s nomination to be secretary of the navy. The naval committee voted at a closed session to ask Knox to appear before it for questioning on his views toward United States policy and the war. One member, who said he favored approval of the nomination, told reporters an informal poll indicated if a vote were taken today the nomination would be rejected, 11 to 5. The navy expansion bill swept through the house with a chorus of “ayes” on a voice vote. The exact number of new ships proposed is a military secret, the measure cloaking this by providing only for 385,000 tons of battleships, 200,000 tons of aircraft carriers, 420,000 tons of cruisers, 250,000 tons of destroyers and 70,000 tons of submarines. There have been unofficial estimates, however, completion of the program, together with other naval construction already authorized, would give the United States a fleet of 618 warships capable of meeting simultaneous threats in the Atlantic and Pacific. This fleet would be comprised of 26 battleships, 14 airplane carriers, 70 cruisers, 338 destroyers and 170 submarines. This compares with the existing navy of 15 battleships.
Congress passes the National Defense Act, which raises the national debt limit from $45 billion to $49 billion and frees up $994 million annually for defense. Congress quickly adopted today the National Defense Tax Bill designed to yield $994,300,000 a year to defray the cost of the accelerated defense program. The measure, which also raised the national debt limit from $45,000,000,000 to $49,000,000,000, was sent to the White House. The Senate adopted the conference report by a vote of 45 to 21 after a short debate in which Senator La Follette criticized the measure as a “hodge-podge” and denounced the action of the conferees in eliminating his 40 percent excess profits levy. Eliminated also by the conferees was Senator Connally’s “take the profits out of war” amendment, which would have imposed a whole new schedule in wartime. There was no opposition in the House to the conference report and it was adopted after explanations.
Congress took a recess at 9:10 o’clock tonight, adopting a resolution to reassemble on July 1 after the Republican National Convention at Philadelphia, and to take a similar week’s recess during the Democratic National Convention at Chicago.
Confirmation of Colonel Frank Knox as Secretary of the Navy probably will be opposed by the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, according to some members questioned after a stormy executive session today. If members maintain the opposition shown today, an adverse report will be made to the Senate, it was said.
Leading Republican presidential nomination contenders arrived in Philadelphia today denying fast-flying rumors of impending “deals,” and looking forward to the party’s first wide-open contest for the nomination since 1920. Wendell Willkie, New York utilities man risen from dark horse ranks; Thomas E. Dewey, young New York district attorney, who swept preference primaries, and Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio, fresh from the firing line in Washington, reached town to join Senator Styles Bridges, Frank Gannett and Gov. Arthur H. James of Pennsylvania, contenders who had previously taken their quarters here. Senator Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, prominent contender, was not due in town until tomorrow. With the arriving candidates came a rush of delegates and party camp followers who jammed hotel lobbies, bars and restaurants, talking excitedly of this rumor or that and arguing endlessly about platform planks and candidates. Dewey, holding a press conference, said flatly there was no truth in reports his forces were teaming with those of Senator Taft in an effort to “stop Willkie.” Asked whether he would accept a vice-presidential nomination, he said; “I trust the question is academic.”
A battle between divergent views on the war and peace issue loomed yesterday among delegates to the Republican National Convention, opening tomorrow. Thomas Dewey, Robert Taft, and Wendell Willkie, rival candidates for the Presidential nomination, reached Philadelphia to press their campaigns. No leader or group of leaders was in a position to dominate the proceedings or the committee on resolutions. The effect of a speech by Mr. Hoover to the convention Tuesday night is expected to decide what, if any part, he will play as a Presidential nominee.
In press conferences, Mr. Dewey declared for aid to the Allies without violating international or domestic law or entering the war; Mr. Willkie for aid to the Allies without going to war, and for reciprocal trade treaties.
The national committee approved a change in the rules, under which districts which fail to show a poll of 1,000 Republicans would be deprived of representation at future conventions. Other rules changes approved would ease penalties on states which do not give a majority for the national ticket.
Drafters of the Republican platform, split over aid to the Allies, hinted that a stand on the foreign policy plank might be left largely to the decision of the Presidential nominee.
Professor Albert Einstein advocated a world-wide federation of nations with “control over the whole military power of its members” soon after he had taken his final examination for American citizenship here today. He predicted the recreation of Woodrow Wilson’s League of Nations “in a more powerful form.”
The production of aircraft engines in America is expanding at a rate which will reach 25,000 units of at least 1,000 horsepower each by next March.
James Forrestal, president of Dillon, Read Co., New York investment concern, was appointed a $10,000-a-year administrative assistant to President Roosevelt today.
First Dairy Queen restaurant opens in Joliet, Illinois.
Harold Rome’s pro-labor musical revue “Pins and Needles” produced by ILGWU, closes at the Windsor Theatre, NYC, after 1,108 performances.
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Dickerson (DD-157) arrived at Bilbao, Spain. She would remain there safeguarding American interests until July 3.
Major League Baseball:
The Pirates beat the Dodgers, 7–2. Elbie Fletcher hit his ninth and tenth home runs of the year, and Vince DiMaggio hit his sixth. Truett Sewell went the distance for the Pirates and got the win.
The Cardinals squash the Boston Bees, 9–2 with a seven-run 6th inning. Boston contributes 8 errors including 3 in the Birds’ big frame. Stuart Martin reaches base twice on errors in the 6th, the only National League player to do so this century.
The Reds down the Giants, 3–1, on Ernie Lombardi’s two-run homer in the eighth inning. Jim Turner won for Cincinnati. Bill Lohrman took the loss for New York.
The Cubs put together six hits, a base on balls and an error for seven runs in a big sixth inning today to wallop the Phillies, 10 to 2. Stan Hack, Billy Herman, Jim Gleeson and Bill Nicholson hit consecutive doubles in this uprising, as the Cubs routed Ike Pearson and Lloyd Brown to give Claude Passeau his sixth triumph of the campaign, against seven defeats.
The rampaging Indians found Boston pitching to their liking today and scored their seventh straight victory. The 7–5 decision, second for Cleveland in as many days over the Red Sox, gave Boston its sixth setback in a row.
The Tigers edged the Yankees, 3–2. After Hank Greenberg doubled in the bottom of the ninth, Frank Higgins singled to score Greenberg and end the game. Reliever Anton Benton got the win for Detroit. The Yankees have lost six of their last seven games.
After winning 1–0 yesterday, the Senators trip the Browns, 11–10. The Browns take an early lead on Harlond Clift’s grand slam and two homers by Johnny Berardino, the 2nd with 2 men on.
Pittsburgh Pirates 7, Brooklyn Dodgers 2
St. Louis Cardinals 9, Boston Bees 2
Boston Red Sox 5, Cleveland Indians 7
New York Yankees 2, Detroit Tigers 3
Cincinnati Reds 3, New York Giants 1
Chicago Cubs 10, Philadelphia Phillies 2
Washington Senators 11, St. Louis Browns 10
U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull announced today that all twenty Latin-American countries had accepted the invitation of the United States to attend a special Pan-American conference to meet economic and political problems growing out of recent developments in Europe.
American warships on duty in Latin-American waters have seldom received such an enthusiastic welcome as the Uruguayan Government and people continue to extend to the United States cruiser Quincy on every possible opportunity.
The Brazilian Chief of Staff, General Pedro Aurelio Goes Monteiro, appealed today for coopera tion in a program for the defense of Brazil “since it is necessary to save the conquests of our culture from the imperialistic virus.”
Military authorities of the British colony of Hong Kong announced today that Japanese troops had begun to occupy areas of South China contiguous to the colony’s border. A communique emphasized, however, that there was no cause for alarm. Chinese troops, mostly irregulars and guerrillas, have been in possession of these areas since early January. Masses of Chinese refugees trooped across the border tonight into this British crown colony as swiftly moving Japanese forces occupied the adjacent mainland and others. In near-by Kwangsi province were reported to be driving toward French Indo-China. Chinese border officials fled as the Japanese took over most of the nine Chinese maritime customs stations along the frontier opposite British territory and, at sundown, the Japanese had reached Shumchun on the railway line connecting Hong Kong with Canton. British officials discouraged alarmist interpretations of these military moves, asserting that the Japanese had given advance notice of their operations, the purpose of which was said to be a “clean-up” of Chinese guerrillas.
Nevertheless uneasiness prevailed in the light of reports from Chungking that Japan’s real intention was invasion of French Indo-China, “and after that,” said Chungking’s army mouthpiece, the newspaper Sao Tang Pao, Burma, then the Philippines and the Netherlands Indies.
The Japanese along the Hong Kong border are now estimated at 3,000. Most of them landed from ships, and met no opposition from the Chinese. The Japanese military spokesman at Canton made the surprising statement that the action was designed to cut off supplies sent from Hong Kong to Chungking. A small force of British troops is at the border to maintain order during a rush of refugees.
The United States Government made plain today, as news dispatches from the Orient reported that Japanese troops were moving toward French Indo-China, that it would regard any attempt to alter that colony’s status by force as a threat to peace in the entire Pacific area. Previous statements on the Pacific to which Secretary of State Cordell Hull referred when asked about French Indo-China today were issued when concern first arose here about the future of the Netherlands Indies, a source of rubber and tin — vital defense materials — for the United States.
In one issued April 17, the Secretary said that this government’s position regarding the Netherlands Indies was based on a doctrine “which has universal application and for which the United States unequivocally stands.” This statement also said that any alteration of the status quo of the Netherlands Indies by other than peaceful processes “would be prejudicial to the cause of stability, peace and security, not only in the region of the Netherlands Indies but in the entire Pacific area.”
Yosuke Matsuoka was announced as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Japanese Prime Minister Prince Fumimaro Konoe’s new government. Matsuoka is an admirer of Nazi Germany.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 122.83 (+0.22)
Born:
Abbas Kiarostami, filmmaker (“Under the Olive Trees”, “Close Up”, “Taste of Cherry”), in Tehran, Iran (d. 2016).
Esther Rantzen, journalist and television presenter (“That’s Life”), in Berkhamsted, England, United Kingdom.
Died:
Walter Hasenclever, 49, German Expressionist poet and playwright (suicide).
Monty Noble, 67, Australian cricketer.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Assurance-class rescue tug HMS Diligent (W 18) is launched by Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd. (Selby, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Dance-class ASW trawler HMS Pirouette (T 39) is launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. (Goole, U.K.); completed by Amos & Smith.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Primula (K 14) is launched by William Simons & Co. Ltd. (Renfrew, Scotland).
The Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Raccoon is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander John Lewis Diver, RCNR.
The Royal Navy auxiliary minelayer HMS Menestheus (M 93) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Captain Wiliam Howard Dennis Friedberger, RN.
The Marine Nationale (French Navy) Flower-class corvette La Bastiaise (J4138) is commissioned. She is mined and lost on trials off Hartlepool the very same day. She was the only Flower to enter French service before the armistice, and had one of the shortest naval careers in history.
As the first phase of the war comes to an end, Germany is the master of Europe.
Britain now stands alone.
History Diaries 