The Battle of Britain: During the day Luftwaffe activity in general was on a restricted scale, owing to weather conditions. [battleofbritain1940 web site]
The weather continues to be poor, with a low cloud ceiling and occasional light rain. This prevents much flying activity. The prospects for Operation Sea Lion diminish further with each such day. This reveals the weakness of the German plan, which requires as a preliminary to the invasion major accomplishments which can only be performed in good weather. The Luftwaffe still tries to entice the RAF fighters into giving battle as part of its attrition strategy. The theme of the day is timid Luftwaffe attacks being chased off by patrolling RAF fighters.
The weather again restricts flying operations on July 30th, although Fighter Command managed to fly over 680 sorties. The morning saw very low and threatening cloud that with the exception of general patrol and a few observation duties there was no combat action. Low clouds and rain restricted both German and British flights all day. Five German raids targeted the northeastern British coast in the morning, while other waves of aircraft attacked convoys in the English Channel off Essex and Suffolk, England. A small number of German aircraft were shot down on this day at no cost to the British RAF. Overnight, German bombers conducted raids over southern and central England and southern Wales.
At 09:00, the Luftwaffe approaches the coast at Swanage, but never get near the coast as RAF fighters scare them off.
Around 09:45, another raid in the vicinity of the Isle of Wight runs into RAF No. 601 Squadron. There are some dogfights, with possible losses on both sides.
Some time after 11:00, an attempted raid on Portland fizzles when RAF fighters appear. Another raid around the same time by Stukas on a convoy does not cause any damage.
Significant operations only begin around noon due to the weather.
A few Heinkel 111s attempt to raid Montrose. RAF No. 603 Squadron rises to the defense and chases them off. The Germans lose one of the bombers.
An attack by Bf 110 fighter-bombers is intercepted by RAF No. 85 Squadron, with the Germans losing a plane off of Southwold around 15:30.
Around the same time, the Luftwaffe mounts its major effort of the day. A large formation of about fifty planes heads from the area of the Seine toward the Isle of Wight. Once again, patrolling RAF fighters shoo off most of the attackers. However, some of the planes make it across the coast near Dungeness, where RAF No. 65 Squadron shoots down a Bf 109.
During the evening at 18:48, another, slightly smaller effort approaches from the Cherbourg area. The large formation splits into multiple parts. This raid accomplished whatever objectives it had, as the patrolling RAF fighters never encountered it.
A Junkers Ju 88 suffers engine failure and crashes while attacking shipping in the Channel, the crew taking to a lifeboat.
Shortly before dusk, small raids take place around Esher, Chessington, Heysham, Tolworth, and Swm Bargoed railway tracks.
During the night Luftwaffe activity was on a much reduced scale, owing to the weather conditions. After dark, there are minor raids around Bristol, Plymouth, Dorset, Devon, South Wales, and the Midlands. The raids do not cause much damage, and the attacking forces lose a Heinkel He 111 from KG 55.
Destroyer HMS Delight, bombed on the 29th, sinks in Portland harbor.
The Channel is closed to convoys, with the area now known as “Hellfire Corner.”
RAF Statistics for the day: 205 patrols were flown involving 798 aircraft. Luftwaffe casualties: Fighters – nil; Bombers – 2 confirmed. RAF casualties: None.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 24 Blenheims to attack airfields in France. One is lost.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 14 aircraft to attack Cologne and the Ruhr overnight. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command continues its attacks on barges, oil installations, and airfields in northwest Europe. Coastal Command raids German guns on the Norwegian coast and the Kriegsmarine base at Emden.
The RAF raids Italian forces near Kassala.
The Anglo-Maltese League launches an appeal in England for funds to purchase fighter planes for Malta. Of course, the underlying problem is not lack of planes, but the inability to get them to Malta. However, this plays into the stirring accounts in the British media of the heroic defense of the island.
On the island itself, there is only one attempted raid in the morning which turns back before dropping any bombs. Air reconnaissance sights an Italian convoy heading south from Messina, Sicily, which may be an invasion fleet or simply carrying supplies to Libya.
On July 30th, after a number of possible invasion dates that had come under heated debate and discussion, Hitler now had made it quite clear that no invasion could take place before September 15th, although it is believed that he personally did not want an invasion until at least early 1941. All his Generals did not favour this, the waiting period was too long, it would also give Britain time to be better prepared and although at this stage the United States showed no signs of becoming involved with the war in Europe. But the question always remained, could Winston Churchill persuade Roosevelt to supply air and land forces to assist the British. If this happened, then Germany’s chance at a successful invasion would be seriously hampered.
Hitler’s military advisors lean toward an earlier invasion rather than later, as time gives the British the ability to regroup the army and form a more effective defense. It is a common dilemma during the war for the Germans: attack quickly with forces available, or wait to build up assets. Usually, a decision to act quickly is more successful, as the main German advantages throughout are surprise tactics rather than larger forces and industrial production. Waiting dissipates the main Wehrmacht advantages.
Hitler decides to wait. He sets 15 September as the earliest time his preconditions for Operation SEA LION could be met. They are so unrealistic, however, that likely no amount of time would be sufficient absent a complete collapse of the British economy due to bombing and the U-boat blockade. In addition, the OKL (Navy high command) and OKW (military high command) have not agreed on a proper size for the invasion and the location. Landings in the south on a broad front as proposed by the army would face the fiercest opposition anywhere in England. The OKL, on the other hand, believes a targeted landing on the short route toward Dover would be most likely to succeed. Basically, the whole subject of an invasion is unresolved at every level, because the Wehrmacht has never anticipated being placed in that opportunity so quickly by a sudden French collapse.
It had been announced on German radio by Dr Joseph Goebbels who denounced the statement by the German Secretary of War that Britain would be overpowered in a short time and that British military forces would come under German control. “Britain” he said, “was already weakening, it cannot muster the number of planes required to conquer our glorious Luftwaffe, they are losing a battle that they are intent on prolonging.” He went on to say that even the United States now have no intention on attempting to save Britain, and that soon, an invasion of Britain will be successful. Of course, Goebbels, Minister for Propaganda, was doing just that, trying to impress the German people that Germany was well under way in winning the war and that the German government would be taking up residence in Whitehall maybe by Christmas.
It is a classic case of talking loudly while in a tight situation rather than, as Teddy Roosevelt suggested, talking softly but carrying a big stick. In fact, the RAF shows no signs of weakening, as this very day’s events show.
Adolf Hitler had decided that before any such invasion take place, the British Royal Air Force must be eliminated both in the air and on the ground, and sent a message to Göring stating that he must have his forces in readiness to commence the great battle of the Luftwaffe against England within twelve hours’ notice.
Adolf Hitler arrived at Innsbruck, Austria.
Germany shuts down the German-Swiss border, heightening Swiss fears of an invasion.
Victoria Crosses are awarded to two soldiers: Lieutenant (now Captain) H. M. Ervine Andrews of the East Lancashire Regiment and (posthumously) to Lance Corporal H. Nicholls of the Grenadier Guards. Andrews receives one for conspicuous gallantry on the Dunkirk perimeter on 31 May, while Nicholls is honored for commanding troops north of Tournai on 21 May despite being wounded and “firing from the hip” as he personally charged the enemy lines.
The Minister of Economic Warfare announces that the British blockade now encompasses all of Europe and North Africa — including Vichy France. The British Minister for Economic Warfare, Hugh Dalton, told the Commons today that the steps were necessary now that Germany controlled the European coast from the North Cape to the Pyrenees. Neutral countries will be granted “Navicerts” to cover domestic needs, but not for re-export. France and all French Africa are to be designated enemy territory.
The Rumanian Government, through Foreign Minister Mihail Manoilescu, today made its first concrete proposal to Hungary and Bulgaria. Rumania offered an exchange of populations.
The new Soviet-controlled governments continued their purge of former national leaders in the Baltic States. The former president of Estonia, Konstantin Pats, was imprisoned by NKVD and deported to the Soviet Union.
A British destroyer flotilla commanded by Captain C. Caslon intercepts a flotilla of four destroyers built in Italy which have been purchased by Sweden and are en route to that country. While not a “war crime” because Sweden is not at war, it is a serious breach of international law, as the Royal Navy has no grounds for seizing the ships of a neutral country. The Swedes issue a diplomatic protest for the safe return of its ships.
Destroyers HMS Maori and HMS Fury departed Scapa Flow at 0010 to search for a German submarine reported at 2050 by anti-submarine trawler HMS Le Tiger (516grt) in 56-42N, 5-33W, astern of her convoy off Cape Wrath. The destroyers were recalled at 1238 later that day.
Battlecruiser HMS Repulse with destroyers HMS Fortune, HMS Echo, and HMS Firedrake departed Scapa Flow at 1800 for low angle and high angle full caliber firings.
Heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk arrived at Reykjavik.
Armed merchant cruiser HMS Mooltan departed Devonport for Freetown. Off Land’s End, she was damaged by German bombing, and proceeded to Liverpool for repairs which were completed 23 August. Mooltan departed Liverpool on 30 August to return to Freetown.
British minefield BS.29 was laid by minelayers HMS Plover and HNLMS Willem Van Der Zaan with destroyers HMS Intrepid and HMS Esk.
Submarine HMS Ursula departed Blyth on patrol off southern Norway.
Dutch submarines HNLMS O.21 and HNLMS O.22 departed Rosyth on patrol.
A Swordfish of 812 Squadron collided with another Swordfish south of North Coates during an exercise. Lt J. H. Barnes and S/Lt R. M. Andrews were killed in one, and S/Lt J. Gaillard and Lt D. Groome in the other.
Minesweeper HMS Niger was damaged in a collision with minesweeping trawler HMS Laurel (590grt) in the North Sea. Niger was repaired at Grimsby completing in August.
Minesweeper HMS Tedworth was damaged by German bombing at Dover, and repaired at Portsmouth from 6 August to 12 December.
Belgian motor trawler John (197grt) was damaged by German bombing 35 miles WNW of Bull Rock, southwest Ireland.
Aircraft carrier HMS Argus, with destroyers HMS Encounter, HMS Hotspur, HMS Gallant, and HMS Greyhound arrived at Gibraltar.
Convoy HG.40 with 24 ships departed Gibraltar escorted locally by destroyer HMS Wishart and anti-submarine trawler HMS Leyland, which was detached on 3 August. Sloop HMS Wellington escorted the convoy from 30 July to 14 August. Destroyer HMS Westcott from outbound convoy OG.40 escorted the convoy from 10 to 14 August, which arrived at Liverpool on 14 August.
Units of the Mediterranean Fleet, including battleship HMS Ramillies and the light cruisers and destroyers operating in the Aegean on the 28th, arrived back at Alexandria.
Submarine HMS Oswald departed Alexandria on the 19th for patrol in the Straits of Messina. On the 30th, she sighted an Italian cruiser and later in the day, four other cruisers escorted by destroyers, but was unable to attack either contact. She then made an attack against an Operation TVL convoy of steamers Maria Eugenia, Gloria Stella, Mauly, Bainsizza, Col Di Lana, Francesco Barbaro, and Citta Di Bari en route to Tripoli from Naples escorted by destroyers Maestrale, Libeccio, Grecale,and Scirocco with torpedo boats Procione, Orione, Orsa, and Pegaso but this attack was also unsuccessful.
Submarine HMS Regulus, which arrived from Hong Kong at Singapore on the 2nd, departed Singapore on the 3rd, but on the 4th encountered bad weather with damage to her superstructure. She arrived Colombo on 9 July, departed Colombo on the 10th, arrived Aden on the 20th, departed Aden on the 23rd, and Port Said on the 28th. Regulus arrived at Alexandria for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet on the 30th.
Submarine HMS Regent, which departed Hong Kong on 30 June, arrived Singapore on the 6 July, departed Singapore on the 11th, Colombo on the 18th, then arrived with Australian sloop HMAS Parramatta at Aden on the 30th. She left Aden on the 31st for Suez and duty with the Mediterranean Fleet, while Parramatta began escort duties in the Red Sea.
Convoy OA.192 departed Methil escorted by destroyer HMCS St Laurent and sloop HMS Sandwich from 30 July to 3 August , then anti-submarine trawler HMS St Kenan from 30 July to 1 August. The destroyer and sloop were detached to inbound convoy HX.60.
Convoy FN.237 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer HMS Vivien and sloop HMS Lowestoft. Destroyers HMS Javelin and HMS Jupiter joined on the 31st, and the convoy arrived in the Tyne on 1 August.
Convoy MT.125 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne later that day.
Convoy FS.237 departed the Tyne, and arrived at Southend on 1 August.
The War at Sea, Tuesday, 30 July 1940 (naval-history.net)
Destroyers MAORI and FURY departed Scapa Flow at 0010 to search for a German submarine reported at 2050 by anti-submarine trawler LE TIGER (516grt) in 56‑42N, 5‑33W, astern of her convoy off Cape Wrath. The destroyers were recalled at 1238 later that day .
Battlecruiser REPULSE with destroyers FORTUNE, ECHO, and FIREDRAKE departed Scapa Flow at 1800 for low angle and high angle full calibre firings.
Heavy cruiser NORFOLK arrived at Reykjavik.
Armed merchant cruiser MOOLTAN departed Devonport for Freetown. Off Land’s End, she was damaged by German bombing, and proceeded to Liverpool for repairs which were completed 23 August. MOOLTAN departed Liverpool on 30 August to return to Freetown.
British minefield BS.29 was laid by minelayers PLOVER and WILLEM VAN DER ZAAN with destroyers INTREPID and ESK.
Submarine URSULA departed Blyth on patrol off southern Norway.
Dutch submarines HrMs (HNMS) O.21 and HrMs (HNMS) O.22 departed Rosyth on patrol.
A Swordfish of 812 Squadron collided with another Swordfish south of North Coates during an exercise. Lt J. H. Barnes and S/Lt R. M. Andrews were killed in one, and S/Lt J. Gaillard and Lt D. Groome in the other.
Minesweeper NIGER was damaged in a collision with minesweeping trawler LAUREL (590grt) in the North Sea. NIGER was repaired at Grimsby completing in August.
Minesweeper TEDWORTH was damaged by German bombing at Dover, and repaired at Portsmouth from 6 August to 12 December.
Convoy OA.192 departed Methil escorted by destroyer HMCS ST LAURENT and sloop SANDWICH from 30 July to 3 August, then anti-submarine trawler ST KENAN from 30 July to 1 August. The destroyer and sloop were detached to inbound convoy HX.60.
Convoy FN.237 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer VIVIEN and sloop LOWESTOFT. Destroyers JAVELIN and JUPITER joined on the 31st, and the convoy arrived in the Tyne on 1 August.
Convoy MT.125 departed Methil, and arrived in the Tyne later that day.
Convoy FS.237 departed the Tyne, and arrived at Southend on 1 August.
Belgian motor trawler JOHN (197grt) was damaged by German bombing 35 miles WNW of Bull Rock, southwest Ireland.
Aircraft carrier ARGUS, with destroyers ENCOUNTER, HOTSPUR, GALLANT, and GREYHOUND arrived at Gibraltar.
Convoy HG.40 with 24 ships departed Gibraltar escorted locally by destroyer WISHART and anti-submarine trawler LEYLAND, which was detached on 3 August. Sloop WELLINGTON escorted the convoy from 30 July to 14 August. Destroyer WESTCOTT from outbound convoy OG.40 escorted the convoy from 10 to 14 August, which arrived at Liverpool on 14 August.
Units of the Mediterranean Fleet, including battleship RAMILLIES and the light cruisers and destroyers operating in the Aegean on the 28th, arrived back at Alexandria.
Submarine OSWALD departed Alexandria on the 19th for patrol in the Straits of Messina. On the 30th, she sighted an Italian cruiser and later in the day, four other cruisers escorted by destroyers, but was unable to attack either contact. She then made an attack against an Operation TVL convoy of steamers MARIA EUGENIA, GLORIA STELLA, MAULY, BAINSIZZA, COL DI LANA, FRANCESCO BARBARO, and CITTA DI BARI en route to Tripoli from Naples escorted by destroyers MAESTRALE, LIBECCIO, GRECALE, and SCIROCCO with torpedo boats PROCIONE, ORIONE, ORSA, and PEGASO but this attack was also unsuccessful.
Submarine REGULUS, which arrived from Hong Kong at Singapore on the 2nd, departed Singapore on the 3rd, but on the 4th encountered bad weather with damage to her superstructure. She arrived Colombo on 9 July, departed Colombo on the 10th, arrived Aden on the 20th, departed Aden on the 23rd, and Port Said on the 28th. REGULUS arrived at Alexandria for duty with the Mediterranean Fleet on the 30th.
Submarine REGENT, which departed Hong Kong on 30 June, arrived Singapore on the 6 July, departed Singapore on the 11th, Colombo on the 18th, then arrived with Australian sloop PARRAMATTA at Aden on the 30th. She left Aden on the 31st for Suez and duty with the Mediterranean Fleet, while PARRAMATTA began escort duties in the Red Sea.
President Roosevelt’s appeal for power to call out the national guard and officers reserve corps for training, a proposal backed unreservedly by the army, received quick approval of the senate military committee today. Its action came after General George C. Marshall, the chief of staff, described such an authorization as urgently necessary and endorsed selective conscription, a proposal apparently bogged down in congressional controversy.
John L. Lewis, addressing the convention of the United Automobile Workers of America, attacked today the pending conscription bill as one that would inevitably lead to a change in the form of government in this country and, sooner or later, to “a man on horseback” who would assume dictatorial powers.
Alfred E. Smith, Democratic nominee for President in 1928, formally announced yesterday that he was taking another “walk” this year and that he would support Wendell L. Willkie, Republican nominee, as he did Alf M. Landon in 1936. The Democratic party should be defeated this year, he said, to rid itself of the minority bloc of New Dealers controlling it and return to the principles of Thomas Jefferson. The Smith announcement was not unexpected in view of his 1936 stand and his publicly expressed opposition to policies of President Roosevelt. Recently Mrs. Smith and Alfred E. Smith Jr., City Councilman, appeared at the World’s Fair wearing Willkie buttons. How active a part the former Governor will play in the campaign has not yet been determined. He has not talked with other bolting Democrats about organizing dissenting party members. Asked if he expected to make any speeches during the campaign, he said: “I suppose so.”
President Roosevelt tonight rejected the idea that the United States has been defeated in its efforts to maintain “liberal trade principles” and asserted that if it adopted “totalitarian control” over foreign trade it would be taking a step toward economic dictatorship.
Presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25), accompanied by auxiliary Cuyahoga (AG-26), returns to Washington Navy Yard with President Roosevelt embarked.
Declaring that talk of preparedness in 1942 is “folly,” Professor Sidney Post Simpson of the Harvard Law School told an American defense meeting at the Harvard Summer School tonight that the deadline for defense preparation in this country would come next April or sooner.
The question of adequate depreciation allowances on plant facilities built for national defense, which has been one of the major drawbacks to speedy signing of some defense contracts, was thoroughly discussed today by William S. Knudsen, member of the National Advisory Defense Commission in charge of production, in an all-day conference with representatives of leading aircraft manufacturers. While the meetings will continue tomorrow and no final agreement was announced, it was reported that considerable progress had been made. Although the Treasury recently announced a procedure whereby corporations might obtain speedy depreciation write-offs for tax purposes by building facilities on leased land, it is still planned to enact legislation which will specifically permit a five-year write-off.
In order to provide equivalent American homes for the poorer children in the British cross section that will soon be on its way here, the United States Committee for the Care of European Children yesterday called on its 172 local branches to enlist the greatest possible number of persons willing to sponsor an unknown child financially in an unknown American home that could not otherwise receive the child.
The House and Senate passed and sent to the White House today a bill appropriating $25,000,000 for starting work on a new Tennessee Valley Authority dam and steam power plant, which was urged by the National Defense Advisory Committee to remove a bottleneck in plane manufacture.
Fire sparked by explosions in a paint and chemical factory swept the R. M. Hollingsworth Co. plant in downtown Camden, New Jersey, and destroyed a block of houses and shops nearby. One person was known dead, at least seven were missing, and more than 150 were injured by the explosions and flames in the five-story paint factory.
Pony League umpire James Gaynor quits baseball to enter the service, the first professional umpire to enter the military for WW2.
Major League Baseball:
An electric storm could not stop the Dodgers, but the Pirates could and did by an 8–2 margin, under the floodlights at Ebbets Field last night. Thunder, lightning and a heavy downpour threatened to call the whole thing off, but the elements relented just before game time and thereafter it was “Pittsburgh night” in Brooklyn. The Pirates scored four times in the opening frame and never looked back. Truett Sewell hurled a six-hitter for Pittsburgh.
Johnny Mize hit his twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth homers today while the Cardinals were overwhelming the Bees, 13–5. The league-leading slugger rapped a homer when he opened the fifth inning against starter Bill Posedel and collected his second one of the game against Al Javery in the ninth with Enos Slaughter on base.
The Phils beat up the Cubs, 7–3, at Shibe Park, as the Cubs lose Augie Galan as well. The veteran left fielder breaks his left kneecap in the 5th inning when he crashes into the concrete wall, and is out for the year. Galan injured the same knee three days before the end of the 1938 season. Earlier the Cubs lose Gabby Hartnett, when he is struck by Mel Mazzera’s bat after the latter strikes out. Hugh Mulcahy, staked to a three-run lead in the 4th when Johnny Rizzo homers, keeps the Cubs scoreless till the 8th. The veteran Mulcahy, who made the all-star team this year, appears ready to shed the sobriquet “losing pitcher” as he ends the month with a 12–10 season mark. Alas, he will embark on a 12–game losing streak and finish at 13–22.
The Reds push across four unearned runs in the eighth inning to beat the Giants, 6–3. Paul Derringer gets the win for Cincinnati, his sixth straight and fifteenth of the season. Hal Schumacher (7–9) took the loss.
The Indians rally for four runs in the 8th inning to trip the Red Sox, 12–11. Ken Keltner has a grand slam for the Tribe. Jimmie Foxx returns to the Sox lineup as catcher and has two hits and two RBIs. The move behind the plate is to keep hard-hitting Lou Finney, the first major leaguer to reach 100 hits this season, at first base. Veteran Finney hits so well for the Red Sox early in the season that manager Joe Cronin must make a place for him in the lineup.
Charley Ruffing exploded his first home run of the campaign at Briggs Stadium today and supplied the punch that gave a temporary setback to the pennant aspirations of the Tigers. For, under the crushing weight of that mighty blow, the Yanks submerged Del Baker’s pretenders to the American League throne, 8–6, in the first struggle of their crucial three-game series before a roaring gathering of 14,845 fans.
The White Sox, getting brilliant, ninth-inning relief hurling by Pete Appleton, today defeated the Philadelphia Athletics, 3–1. The Sox, in taking their fourteenth victory in their last twenty starts, scored all their runs in the second and seemed to have the game sewed up after Jack Knott, starting hurler, breezed along in such style that only two Philadelphians hit safely in eight innings.
Dutch Leonard stopped the Browns with seven hits and struck out seven tonight as the Senators pounded out eleven safeties for a 4–0 victory. Gerald Walker led the Washington attack with three hits, scoring two runs and driving in another. His fourth-inning single, Cecili Travis’s double and Jim Bloodworth’s infield out accounted for the first tally.
Pittsburgh Pirates 8, Brooklyn Dodgers 2
St. Louis Cardinals 13, Boston Bees 5
Philadelphia Athletics 1, Chicago White Sox 3
Boston Red Sox 1, Cleveland Indians 2
New York Yankees 8, Detroit Tigers 6
Cincinnati Reds 6, New York Giants 3
Chicago Cubs 5, Philadelphia Phillies 7
Washington Senators 4, St. Louis Browns 0
U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Phoenix arrived at Balboa, Panama Canal Zone.
U.S. Navy destroyers USS Walke and USS Wainwright arrived at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Twenty-one members of the Pan-American Union approved a convention which established the Inter-American Commission on Territorial Administration to protect the sovereignty of American republics. The delegates also approved the Act of Havana, where American states, acting jointly or individually, should act in their own defense and in defense of the Western Hemisphere. This included taking over and administering any European colonies in the hemisphere which were endangered by aggression. The declaration was aimed at preventing the Germans from gaining control of Dutch and French colonies in the Western Hemisphere. While elegantly phrased in lawyerly language, the agreement basically provides that the signing nations will take over any areas controlled by nations invaded by Germany that look like they are going over to the Axis.
The American republics have “cleared the decks for effective action whenever it may be necessary,” declared United States Secretary of State Cordell Hull at the conclusion of the second consultative meeting of American Foreign Ministers.
The Western Hemisphere might be impelled to take action under the new Act of Havana if a free and independent government in Europe lost its independence of action under duress, creating an emergency with respect to its possessions in this hemisphere, Sumner Welles, Acting Secretary of State, said today at his press conference.
British Foreign Minister Lord Halifax issues a diplomatic protest against the recent Japanese arrest of British citizens on espionage charges. Viscount Halifax called in Mamoru Shigemitsu, the Japanese Ambassador, today and told him of the “serious view” the British take of the arrests of British subjects in Japan and the “suicide” of one of them. Telling the House of Lords about the British attitude today, Lord Halifax said of the Japanese allegations of spying: “It is hardly necessary for me to state that there is no foundation whatsoever for this allegation by the Japanese Government.” Lord Halifax also noted the Japanese statement that Melville James Cox, Reuters correspondent in Tokyo, had committed suicide while being questioned, leaving a note that showed his guilt. “Of this allegation,” Lord Halifax said, “His Majesty’s government is entirely unable to accept this totally unwarranted assumption of guilt.”
News of additional arrests on charges of espionage of many unnamed foreigners residing in Japan and Korea aroused the gravest misgivings in foreign communities in China particularly because all Japanese agencies are now denouncing “foreigners” instead of only Britons as formerly. It was reported that several of the Japanese agency offices in Shanghai late yesterday received cabled orders from the head offices in Tokyo to stress anti-American features in news items from China. So far Japan has not attempted to challenge the rights of Americans in China to extraterritorial protection but if the anti-spy mania spreads further even this last security of Americans in Shanghai is likely to be jeopardized.
It is noteworthy that the Japanese-dominated Nanking regime. continues to call for the abolition of foreign settlements and concessions and continues to threaten that if the Wang Ching-wei regime’s demand for the deportation of some foreigners is ignored Nanking will be forced to take “its own adequate measures.” Those measures could scarcely be other than kidnapping from the foreign areas or assassination. Some foreign diplomatic and military observers here believe Tokyo has reached a secret understanding with Berlin and Rome by which Japan will arouse the United States to the verge of war in an effort to halt American exports to Britain. In the event of such a secret arrangement Russia might be placated by some territory from North Manchukuo where persistent Japanese efforts to colonize have not succeeded.
The United States Consulate General today advised six Americans in Shanghai’s International Settlement, whose expulsion has been demanded by the Japanese-supported Wang Ching-wei règime at Nanking, to take precautions. Before the Consulate General issued its warning C. D. Alcott, American radio commentator. advised Consul General Richard P. Butrick that an operative of the Japanese special service section had warned him to cease his radio activities within three days. A serious view of the warning to Mr. Alcott was taken here. He is one of the Shanghai journalists whose expulsion has been demanded by Nanking.
Dispatches from Japanese Korea indicated tonight that anti-espionage arrests had resulted when foreigners ran afoul of the recently decreed Japanese Military Secrets Law, which limits activities of all non-Japanese. A foreigner inquiring how many workers are employed in a Japanese shell factory would be guilty of espionage under this law. The Korean round-up was reported along with the arrests in Japan of two more Britons, identified as E. G. Price of Kobe and J. De Stafford of Nagasaki. Previously eleven Britons had been arrested.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 125.97 (+2.82)
Born:
Pat Schroeder, American politician (Rep-D-Colorado, 1973-1997), and feminist, in Portland, Oregon (d. 2023).
Clive Sinclair, British consumer electronics inventor (Executive pocket calculator; ZX Spectrum computer), in Richmond, Surrey, England, United Kingdom (d. 2021)
Dick Hudson, AFL tackle and guard (AFL Champions-Bills, 1964, 1965; AFL All-Star, 1965; San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills), in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2016).
Died:
Spencer S. Wood, 78, American admiral.
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-129 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 992).
The Nihon Kaigun (Imperial Japanese Navy) destroyer HIJMS Akizuki (秋月; “Autumn Moon”), lead ship of her class of 12 (20 more never completed), is laid down by the Maizuru Naval Arsenal (Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan).
The Royal Canadian Navy auxiliary minesweeper HMCS Reo II, built in 1931, is chartered.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-93 is commissioned. Her first commander is Kapitänleutnant Claus Korth.
History Diaries 