Battle of Britain: Fighter engagements between RAF and Luftwaffe were on a smaller scale than previous days due to a reduction of Luftwaffe activity near the British coastline. What activity there was, however, was almost entirely directed towards attacks on shipping. Bombs damaged convoys off Dover and a naval unit was bombed off Swanage. A convoy off the Norfolk Coast was also reconnoitered, and one raid approached the coast of Montrose. Patrols were maintained over convoys at periods during the day. [battleofbritain1940 web site]
Weather: Fair, with high cloud.
As the convoy “Bread” continued its journey in the Channel, it again became the target for the Luftwaffe but were continually being harassed by fighters and most bombs missed the merchant ships. The Luftwaffe attacked another convoy making its way through the Dover Straits and 74 Squadron Hornchurch (Spitfires), 111 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes) and 615 Squadron Kenley (Hurricanes) intercepted.
Things pick up around 15:00, when about 40 Stukas of II./LG 1, with Bf 109s from III./JG 3 and JG 51, attack the “Bread” convoy off Dover. Other Luftwaffe bombers from KG2 with with their own fighter escort join the party, and soon there is a wild melee over the water composed of 100 or more aircraft. Several British ships are damaged and the 779-ton cargo ship SS Island Queen is sunk. The Luftwaffe loses three Stukas and three fighters, while the RAF loses a Hurricane of No. 615 Squadron (the pilot perishes).
Many people watch the epic dogfight from the Cliffs of Dover, including BBC reporter Charles Gardner. He spots someone bailing out into the Channel who he describes with some indifference as being a Luftwaffe pilot. In fact, it is a badly injured RAF airman who later perishes.
In the evening, the weather closes in and once again there are just scattered bomber raids, with the Luftwaffe losing a couple of bombers during a raid on Avonmouth and other areas. The Luftwaffe bombs Manston airfield and Swanage Harbour, Dorset.
During the night several raids were reported over the country. Bombs were dropped in the Bristol area, north- northwest of the Isle of Wight, Kent and Suffolk. Some 18 raids appeared off the Thames Estuary and Harwich and were suspected of minelaying.
RAF Statistics for the day: 163 patrols were flown involving 612 aircraft. Luftwaffe casualties: Fighters – 3 confirmed, 1 unconfirmed; Bombers – 3 confirmed, 1 unconfirmed. RAF casualties: 1 Hurricane.
RAF Casualties: (July 14th 1940)
1530hrs. Dover. Hurricane L1584. 615 Squadron Kenley. (Crashed into sea)
P/O M.R. Mudie Died of injuries. (Bailed out badly injured, rescued by Navy, died on July 15th 1940)
The British respond to the shoot-down of the He 59 floatplane on 11 July, claiming that it is justified because they believe that the German search-and-rescue planes are circling British convoys for purposes of reconnaissance for later attacks.
The Air Ministry issues Bulletin 1254 in response to suspicions, confirmed by some evidence, that German search-and-rescue planes are being used for other purposes. This authorizes RAF planes to shoot down Luftwaffe planes performing search-and-rescue missions:
“It has come to the notice of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom that enemy aircraft bearing civil markings and marked with the Red Cross have recently flown over British ships at sea and in the vicinity of the British coast and that they are being employed for purposes which HM Government cannot regard as being consistent with the privileges generally accorded to the Red Cross…
“HM Government is unable, however, to grant immunity to such aircraft flying over areas in which operations are in progress on land or at sea, or approaching British or Allied territory, or territory in British occupation, or British or Allied ships…
“Ambulance aircraft which do not comply with the above requirements will do so at their own risk and peril.”
This makes all search-and-rescue aircraft over the English Channel legitimate targets for the RAF.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches out 6 Blenheims to Kiel; the aircraft turned back because of clear weather conditions.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 80 aircraft to widespread targets in Germany and minelaying overnight. 1 Wellington lost.
The RAF sends 9 Whitley bombers of No. 102 Squadron against Paderborn and also a dozen Whitley bombers of No. 10 Squadron and EAF No. 51 Squadron against Diepholz.
Luftwaffe minelaying operations in Thames estuary and along British coast.
The Italians send a fighter sweep over the Grand Harbor of Malta at 06:45. Otherwise, the day is fairly quiet. The British are expanding Luga Airfield. The defending fighter force, vital for chasing away hesitant Regia Aeronautica bombers, is down to two Gladiators and one Hurricane of the Hal Far Fighter Flight. There is a myth of just three Gladiator biplanes named Faith, Hope, and Charity defending the island, but that is never the case. This is as close as it gets.
Vichy French bombers attacked Gibraltar, causing no damage.
British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill gave his “war of the unknown warriors” speech in a BBC radio broadcast. Winston Churchill gave a radio address declaring that Britain would fight on alone, saying that “be the ordeal sharp or long, or both, we shall seek no terms, we shall tolerate no parley; we may show mercy-we shall ask for none.”
He also describes the Royal Navy destruction of the French fleet in North Africa as having “come to an end” – as long as they don’t try to go back to German-controlled ports in Europe.
During the night, Operation AMBASSADOR takes place. This is a landing on the islands of Guernsey and Little Sark (accidentally) by Col. Gubbins’ new commando force. The 140 men, taken from H Troop of No. 3 Commando (John Dumford-Slater) and No. 11 Independent Company, follows reconnaissance on Guernsey by Channel Islands native 2nd Lieutenant Hubert Nicolle on 6 July. Landed by destroyers HMS Scimitar and HMS Saladin, the men wander about for a while, cut some telegraph lines, find some empty German barracks, and leave at 03:00 on the 15th. Three commandos are left behind and become POWs, as is one of the destroyer men thrown from a dinghy that sinks. The enemy is never sighted. Overall, the operation is a fiasco that is perhaps of some use for training purposes and as a “dry run” for later endeavors.
Operation Fish continues when British merchant cruiser HMS Esperance Bay leaves Plymouth with £10,000,000 in gold bound for Halifax. Unlike previous shipments, however, this one runs into problems. About 100 miles out to sea, the Luftwaffe finds and bombs the ship. While 7 crew perish, the Esperance Bay makes it back to port with the gold.
Bastille Day was declared a Day of National Mourning in Vichy France. Bastille Day in the unoccupied portion of France was observed solemnly with flags at half mast.
Free French leader Charles de Gaulle celebrated Bastille Day at the Cenotaph in London, England, United Kingdom.
The French dictatorship of Marshal Henri Philippe Petain has begun a “purge” at Vichy with the arrest of at least twenty persons, mostly Jews and Leftist journalists, who are known to have been strongly pro-British, it was reported tonight.
Facilities using forced (slave) labor in the production of synthetic rubber and gasoline begin operation at Auschwitz.
Warning that all of Eire “may soon be the seene of military operations,” Frank Aiken, Coordinator of Civil and Military Defense, today told the Irish people to keep stout hearts and support Premier Eamon de Valera’s isolationist policy. The Irish contend the threat of invasion comes just as much from Great Britain as from Nazi Germany.
A serious warning to Switzerland to be more friendly to Italy and less tolerant of Britain is given by Virginio Gayda in today’s Voce d’Italia. At the same time Italian political circles emphasized that the warning goes for all small countries, which should have “a more realistic attitude” toward the present political situation.
Soviet organized rigged elections were held in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania where non-communist candidates were disqualified, harassed and beaten. The “results” of the Latvian elections were published in advance in London by accident.
General Wavell begins inspection of British bases in Sudan and Kenya.
1st King’s African Rifles is withdrawing from Moyale, Kenya under Italian pressure.
South African 1st Infantry Brigade departs South Africa for Kenya.
U-A, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans Cohausz, sank Norwegian steamer Sarita at 15-22N, 26-28W, 120 miles southwest of St Vincent. At 1145 hours the unescorted Sarita (Master Carsten Grøm) was hit on the port side in the #7 tank by one stern torpedo from U-A and was abandoned by the crew in one lifeboat and two rafts. After one hour, the U-boat surfaced and fired 34 rounds from the deck gun at the tanker of which 11 were hits. The ship developed a list to port and did not sink because the empty starboard tanks kept her afloat, but the U-boat fired with the 2cm AA gun holes into the hull and she sank at 1338 hours. The Germans then came alongside of the lifeboat and took the master on board with the ship´s papers. He was allowed to go back to the boat and after they took care of two injured men the U-boat left the area. The survivors distributed themselves on the rafts, but on 16 July after three ships had passed by without spotting them, all returned to the lifeboat and set sail for Barbados. They were picked up two days later by the British steam merchant Dunstan in 15°31N/30°04W and taken to Pernambuco. The 5,824-ton Sarita was carrying ballast and was headed for Trinidad.
U-52, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Salman, sank Greek steamer Thetis A. in 47-40N, 13-20W. Nine crewmen were lost on the Greek steamer. At 1818 hours the unescorted Thetis A. was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-52 and sank in 5 minutes west-southwest of the Scillies after the survivors abandoned ship in the starboard lifeboat. The ship had been spotted at 1633 hours and attacked with a G7a torpedo at 1813 hours, but the torpedo malfunctioned. The 4,111-ton Thetis A. was carrying grain and was headed for Limerick, Ireland.
British operation AMBASSADOR was a small commando raid on the island of Guernsey. Late on the 14th, destroyers HMS Saladin and HMS Scimitar from Dartmouth carried Commandos to Guernsey, but had no success as they made no contact with the enemy.
Destroyers HMS Keppel, HMS Active, HMS Watchman, HMS Vortigern, and HMS Douglas departed Gibraltar for Liverpool arriving on the 20th. The destroyers were formed into the 12th Destroyer Flotilla for duty with the Home Fleet.
Destroyers HMS Wrestler and HMS Vidette departed Gibraltar to meet troopship Athlone Castle and relieve escorting destroyer HMS Hurricane. The ships arrived at Gibraltar on the 17th.
Armed merchant cruiser HMS Esperance Bay, carrying ten million pounds in gold, was bombed and badly damaged shortly after leaving England at 1250 in 49-30N, 6-40W, one hundred miles west of Land’s End. Lt Cdr H. Close RNR, and six ratings were killed. Destroyer HMS Vanoc and Canadian destroyer HMCS Restigouche escorted the merchant cruiser. Dutch tug Zwarte Zee was sent. Destroyer Vanoc and tug Zwarte Zee was reassigned when it was found the armed merchant cruiser could proceed on her own to Plymouth with the gold.
Turkish minelaying sloop Yuzbasi Hakki was attacked by German bombers off Weymouth at 1145 near the Shambles. The British delivery crew was still on board. One crewman was killed and the Captain was wounded. The sloop arrived at Weymouth on the 15th.
Minesweeper HMS Fitzroy was damaged in a collision with Minesweeping trawler HMS Sea Mist (324grt) off the Humber. Minesweeper Fitzroy was repaired in the Humber from 15 July to 10 August.
Anti-submarine trawlers HMS Cape Warwick from Balta Sound and HMS Thirlmere from Dundee arrived at Scapa Flow.
British minefield MN in the Straits of Dover was laid by minelayer HMS Plover and Dutch minelayer HNLMS Willem Van Der Zaan, escorted by four motor torpedo boats. The force departed Dover at 2215 on the 13th for the minelay early on the 14th.
German armed merchant cruiser Thor sank British steamer Gracefield (4631grt) in the South Atlantic at 20-20S, 30-43W. The crew was made prisoners of war.
British steamer Island Queen (779grt) of convoy CW.5 was badly damaged by German bombing four cables off A Buoy, Dover, east of Folkestone Gateway Light Vessel. Steamer Island Queen sank in tow of British trawler Kingston Alalite (412grt) later that day one half mile 350° from Folkestone Light Vessel. Three crewmen were lost on the British steamer.
British steamer Mons (641grt) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing one and a half miles south of Dover Pier.
Norwegian steamer Balder (1129grt) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing off Dover. Steamer Balder was taken in tow by British tug HMS Lady Brassey and escorted by destroyers HMS Griffin and HMS Boreas.
Belgian trawler Providentia (139grt) was sunk by German bombing in 49-55N, 9-12W. The entire crew was lost.
Heavy cruiser HMS Kent arrived at Durban after escorting West Afircan troop convoy to Mombasa and preparatory to escorting convoy WS 1 from the rendezvous in the vicinity of Durban.
Battleship Bismarck departed the drydock after completing the propeller and MES magnetic system installation.
Convoy OA.184 departed Methil by sloops HMS Rochester, HMS Hastings, and HMS Leith from 14 to 19 July. The sloops were detached to convoy HX.56.
Convoy FN.222 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Wallace and HMS Wolfhound. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 16th.
Convoy MT.109 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 15th.
The War at Sea, Sunday, 14 July 1940 (naval-history.net)
British operation AMBASSADOR was a small commando raid on the island of Guernsey.
Late on the 14th, destroyers SALADIN and SCIMITAR from Dartmouth carried Commandos to Guernsey, but had no success as they made no contact with the enemy.
Destroyers KEPPEL, ACTIVE, WATCHMAN, VORTIGERN, and DOUGLAS departed Gibraltar for Liverpool arriving on the 20th.
The destroyers were formed into the 12th Destroyer Flotilla for duty with the Home Fleet.
Destroyers WRESTLER and VIDETTE departed Gibraltar to meet troopship ATHLONE CASTLE and relieve escorting destroyer HURRICANE.
The ships arrived at Gibraltar on the 17th.
Armed merchant cruiser ESPERANCE BAY, carrying ten million pounds in gold, was bombed and badly damaged shortly after leaving England at 1250 in 49-30N, 6-40W, one hundred miles west of Land’s End.
Lt Cdr H. Close RNR, and six ratings were killed.
Destroyer VANOC and Canadian destroyer HMCS RESTIGOUCHE escorted the merchant cruiser. Dutch tug ZWARTE ZEE was sent.
Destroyer VANOC and tug ZWARTE ZEE was reassigned when it was found the armed merchant cruiser could proceed on her own to Plymouth with the gold.
Turkish minelaying sloop YUZBASI HAKKI was attacked by German bombers off Weymouth at 1145 near the Shambles.
The British delivery crew were still on board. One crewman was killed and the captain was wounded.
The sloop arrived at Weymouth on the 15th.
Minesweeper FITZROY was damaged in a collision with Minesweeping trawler SEA MIST (324grt) off the Humber.
Minesweeper FITZROY was repaired in the Humber from 15 July to 10 August.
Anti-submarine trawlers CAPE WARWICK from Balta Sound and THIRLMERE from Dundee arrived at Scapa Flow.
British minefield MN in the Straits of Dover was laid by minelayer PLOVER and Dutch minelayer WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN, escorted by four motor torpedo boats.
The force departed Dover at 2215 on the 13th for the minelay early on the 14th.
British Leading Airman I. G. Farquhar, at the 1 SFTS Netheraven, was killed when his Hind undershot in forced landing and crashed at Pylle, near Shepton Mallet.
Convoy OA.184 departed Methil by sloops ROCHESTER, HASTINGS, and LEITH from 14 to 19 July. The sloops were detached to convoy HX.56.
Convoy FN.222 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers WALLACE and WOLFHOUND. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 16th.
Convoy MT.109 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 15th.
German armed merchant cruiser THOR sank British steamer GRACEFIELD (4631grt) in the South Atlantic at 20‑20S, 30‑43W.
The crew was made prisoners of war.
U-A sank Norwegian steamer SARITA (5824grt) at 15‑22N, 26‑28W, 120 miles southwest of St Vincent.
The survivors were picked up by British steamer DUNSTAN (5149grt) on the 18th at 15-31N, 30-04W.
U-52 sank Greek steamer THETIS A (4111grt) in 47‑40N, 13‑20W.
Nine crew were lost on the Greek steamer.
British steamer ISLAND QUEEN (779grt) of convoy CW.5 was badly damaged by German bombing four cables off A Buoy, Dover, east of Folkestone Gateway Light Vessel.
Steamer ISLAND QUEEN sank in tow of British trawler KINGSTON ALALITE (412grt) later that day one half mile 350° from Folkestone Light Vessel.
Three crew were lost on the British steamer.
British steamer MONS (641grt) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing one and a half miles south of Dover Pier.
Norwegian steamer BALDER (1129grt) from convoy CW.5 was damaged by German bombing off Dover.
Steamer BALDER was taken in tow by British tug LADY BRASSEY and escorted by destroyers GRIFFIN and BOREAS.
Belgian trawler PROVIDENTIA (139grt) was sunk by German bombing in 49-55N, 9-12W.
The entire crew was lost.
Heavy cruiser KENT arrived at Durban after escorting West African troop convoy to Mombasa and preparatory to escorting convoy WS 1 from the rendezvous in the vicinity of Durban.
President Roosevelt, withholding any action that might check the movement to draft him for a third term, returned to the White House tonight from an overnight yacht trip on the Potomac still silent on his plans for the political future. His recent announcement that he will not go to Chicago appeared to leave him three methods for imparting his decision to the delegates and the nation: A statement from the White House; a letter to a political lieutenant at Chicago such as Secretary of Commerce Hopkins who reportedly is marshaling the third term forces there; or a radio address to the convention which also would be broadcast to the nation.
Inclusion in the Democratic platform of an anti-war plank much stronger than understood to be favored by President Roosevelt was demanded today by Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Montana, member of the party’s resolutions committee and a candidate for the Presidential nomination. Senator Wheeler coupled his demand, which he made at an executive meeting of the platform writers this morning, with a threat to take the controversial foreign policy issue to the convention floor if his views were ignored. Specifically, he asked for a reaffirmation of the principles of the present Neutrality Act and the strongest possible statement against sending American troops to fight in wars outside the Western Hemisphere.
The Senator criticized the President’s anti-involvement statement, made in a defense message to Congress last week and understood here to be the basis for the foreign policy platform plank desired by Mr. Roosevelt. He termed it “ambiguous” and “wholly unsatisfactory.”
“It is not sufficient to say we will not send troops to fight in Europe’s wars,” said Senator Wheeler. “We must make it clear that we will not participate in those wars in any way whatsoever. If they don’t write a plank satisfactory to me and those who share my views you can bet your last dollar there will be a fight on the floor of the convention.”
Satisfied that renomination of President Roosevelt is now assured, with only a small minority of delegates against it, supporters ef the President decided today to leave the Vice-Presidential nomination open for the present in the belief that after his renomination Mr. Roosevelt will be able to name his running-mate with little opposition. With the Democratic National Convention scheduled to open tomorrow at noon in the Chicago Stadium, the main news development of the day was the rise of a boom for the renomination of Vice President Garner to run with President Roosevelt on the theory that naming the ticket of Roosevelt and Garner for the third time would present to the country a picture of party harmony, which in reality does not exist. The talk of nominating Mr. Garner again for the Vice Presidency emanated entirely from his Texas supporters. Representative Sam Rayburn, Senator Tom Connally, and others in talks with party leaders suggested that renomination of the Vice President would be the best way to settle the controversy over a running mate for the President.
To this suggestion Texas delegates added a warning that Wendell L. Willkie, Republican nominee, seemed to have great strength in the Lone Star State and that, unless Mr. Garner or another Texan should be named for second place on the national ticket, there might be danger of the Democrats losing the electoral vote of Texas at the November election. The other Texan who figured in the talk of Vice Presidential possibilities was Jesse H. Jones, Federal Loan Administrator. Mr. Jones has a good deal of support for second place on the ticket, but appeared to be stymied, at least for the present, by the boom for Vice President Garner.
So far as could be learned, the Garner boom for a third Vice Presidential nomination did not come from the leaders of the “Draft Roosevelt movement. In fact, one of those in the inner Roosevelt circles expressed doubt that President Roosevelt would accept the Vice President as his running mate for this campaign. It was pointed out that in his candidacy for the Presidential nomination Mr. Garner had come out in opposition to a third term for the President as a violation of American tradition, and that the nomination of a Vice President for a third term would be just as much of a violation.
The strongest argument for the renomination of Vice President Garner is that it would pave the way for bringing more pressure to bear on Postmaster General Farley to continue in his post as national chairman and thus enable the Democratic party to present a “united front” against the Republican enemy in the coming battle of the ballots. A second argument is that renomInation of Mr. Garner might easily make it possible to obtain President Roosevelt’s renomination by acclamation by bringing about the withdrawal of Mr. Garner and Mr. Farley as candidates for the Presidential nomination, which probably also would cause the withdrawal of Senator Burton K. Wheeler, who, the Roosevelt supporters believe, would not care to have his name presented to the convention as the only candidate against President Roosevelt.
Support of foreign policies and endorsement of President Roosevelt’s domestic and a program for the training of all young men in the country’s armed forces or in civilian and vocational fields were voiced today in a resolution adopted by the national committee of the Young Democratic Clubs of America.
The War Department and State military officials acted today to ease the manifold personal complications confronting the 50,000 National Guardsmen facing probable mobilization. Married men in enlisted ranks will be allowed to resign rather than be activated for extended duty.
Golden Gate International exposition officials today ordered extraordinary precautions at Treasure island during observance of the anniversary of the fall of the French Bastille after series of anonymous telephone calls had warned of a bomb outrage similar to that at the New York fair on the Fourth of July.
William Donovan departs New York by air for London to meet with British officials.
Major League Baseball:
The Red Sox took a twin bill from the reeling Browns today, coming from behind to win the first by 5–4 in the eleventh and taking the seven-inning second, 7–3. The St. Louis losing streak has now reached twelve games.
The Athletics dealt a severe setback to the hopes of the second-place Tigers today by taking a doubleheader, 8–2 and 5–2, before a crowd of more than 21,000. The victories lifted Philadelphia out of the American League cellar into sixth place.
Fresh from their twin shut-out victory over the Red Sox, the White Sox charged into Yankee Stadium yesterday to run smack into the second best pitching performance Charley Ruffing has furnished this year. It followed that the clan of Jimmy Dykes bowed to the Yankees, 4–0. The triumph was New York’s fourth in a row.
The Senators score two runs in the 9th inning after two are out to tie the Indians, 5–5. Then with the sacks full in the 11th, Buddy Lewis hits a long drive to bring home the Nats winning run, 6–5. Cleveland stays a game in front of the Tigers, losers of a doubleheader with the A’s.
Taking advantage of every opportunity, the Cincinnati Reds increased their National League lead to two and a half games today with twin triumphs over Philadelphia, 3–2 and 7–1, while second-place Brooklyn split a double-header with Pittsburgh. The Reds got all their runs in the opener in the first inning, on home runs by Lonnie Frey and Ernie Lombardi. Lloyd Moore spun a four-hitter in the nightcap.
Freddie Fitzsimmons of the Dodgers wins his 200th career game, a 4–hitter over Pittsburgh. Fat Freddy will win 6 games each from the Pirates and Philadelphia on the way to a 16–2 won-loss mark. Fitzsimmons will win his 16 in just 134 innings of work, the best ration of wins to innings pitched of any starter in the 20th century.
Bill Nicholson homers in the bottom of the 13th off Paul Dean to give the Cubs a 6–5 win over the Giants in the first game of their doubleheader. Claude Passeau works 6 innings of relief to pick up his 10th win. In the nitecap, Bill Lohrman fans seven and shuts out the Cubs, 2–0, to pin the loss on Ken Raffensberger.
The Cardinals swept their second double-header in two days by beating the Boston Bees, 8–7 and 3–1, today. Homers by Johnny Mize and Enos Slaughter featured a fourteen-hit assault that brought the Cardinals from behind to take the first game.
In the aftermath of the beanball wars, Spalding advertises a batting helmet with ear flaps in The Sporting News. Players express no interest, but next year Brooklyn will introduce a cap liner, which some batters start to use.
St. Louis Browns 4, Boston Red Sox 5
St. Louis Browns 3, Boston Red Sox 7
New York Giants 5, Chicago Cubs 6
New York Giants 2, Chicago Cubs 0
Philadelphia Phillies 2, Cincinnati Reds 3
Philadelphia Phillies 1, Cincinnati Reds 7
Chicago White Sox 0, New York Yankees 4
Detroit Tigers 2, Philadelphia Athletics 8
Detroit Tigers 2, Philadelphia Athletics 5
Brooklyn Dodgers 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 6
Brooklyn Dodgers 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 0
Boston Bees 7, St. Louis Cardinals 8
Boston Bees 1, St. Louis Cardinals 3
Cleveland Indians 5, Washington Senators 6
General elections were held in Cuba. Fulgencio Batista was elected president. Six deaths were reported and it was estimated that forty persons were wounded in disorders during the balloting. Colonel Batista, candidate of the Socialist-Democratic coalition, tonight announced his election as President in a statement from his headquarters in Kohly, a suburb of Havana.
Nazi propagandists in Latin America have speeded up and increased their output with emphasis on anti-Americanism as represented by the hoary “Colossus of the North,” since the calling of the consultative Conference of Foreign Ministers at Havana.
Diplomatic sources said today that economic demands upon Costa Rica were contained in the recent German communication requesting that no action against Germany be taken at the Pan-American Conference July 20.
Nazi and Communist propaganda in Chile is working along the same line in an attempt to weaken the efforts of the United States to gain Chilean economic, political and military cooperation for defense of the Western Hemisphere.
The Japanese Navy moved today to close the last loopholes along the China coast through which supplies have been reaching that part of China still holding out against Japanese invasion. Vice Admiral Shigetaro Shimada, Commander in Chief of the Japanese China Sea Fleet, issued a proclamation prohibiting traffic from midnight, tonight, of all ships in specified areas along the coasts of Chekiang and Fukien Provinces, south of Shanghai. Shipping of all foreign powers, but mainly of Great Britain, will be affected and British authorities announced immediately that they would insist on the right of British ships to remain in the forbidden areas or to enter them or depart. They said they would hold the Japanese responsible for any losses suffered.
Born:
Susan Howatch, English author (“The Rich Are Different”, “Glittering Images”), in Leatherhead, England, United Kingdom.
Naval Construction:
The Вое́нно-морско́й флот СССР (ВМФ) (Soviet Navy) “L” (Leninec)-class (4th group, Type XIII-modified) submarine L-21 is launched by Baltiyskiy Zavod (Leningrad, U.S.S.R.) / Yard 189.
History Diaries 