An Italian army under command of General Guglielmo Nasi invaded British Somaliland from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) with a total of 350,000 troops and an overwhelmingly superior artillery contingent against a defending British force of 25,000. Italian General de Simone crosses the Ethiopian frontier into British Somaliland with 12 Eritrean battalions and four Blackshirt battalions. He has six battalions in reserve. On the morning of the invasion he spoke to his motorcycle troops, “as only a valorous soldier can speak”, according to one present. “Your task is to be the vanguard, an arduous and difficult work which I know you will carry out to your uttermost. Our end is to reach Berbera and reach it we will.”
Winston Churchill warned the British people against believing rumors that invasion threat is over.
Two Japanese businessmen were arrested in London, England, United Kingdom. In a classic tit-for-tat, the British arrest two Japanese businessmen in London for suspicion of espionage. When the Japanese ambassador protests, the British adamantly deny that it has anything whatsoever to do with the Japanese arrest of about a dozen British businessmen in Tokyo six days before.
Mamoru Shigemitsu, Japanese Ambassador, protested today to Viscount Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, against the arrest of two Japanese who are held under the Aliens Order in the interest of national security.
William Donovan departs London by air for New York City.
German Ambassador to Vichy France Otto Abetz takes office.
Hitler tells the new German ambassador to Paris, Otto Abetz, that he wants to resolve the Jewish problem for all of Europe and that he wants to force the conquered countries (and persuade Germany’s allies) to send their Jewish citizens away, not to Madagascar, but to the United States.
The Bank of France today was “virtually placed under German control,” the British Broadcasting Corp. announced in a report heard here by the National Broadcasting Co. The British radio said the information had been broadcast by the German-controlled radio in Paris. The announcement as heard by N.B.C. said the Bank of France will be allowed to deal only in transactions as ordered by the German commissioner.
German occupiers in France impose censorship rules on film, requiring approval prior to exhibition, and forbidding depiction of German losses in WWI.
General Charles de Gaulle, leader of French forces continuing the fight against Germany, today denounced the French surrender as the act of “a makeshift government giving way to panic, forgetting honor and delivering its country to slavery.”
Horia Sima and other Legionaries have an audience with King Carol and tell him that only a Legionary government can save Romania from destruction by the Soviet Union.
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic became a member nation of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Government newspaper Izvestia declared today that European colonial possessions threatened to spread the conflict into a “world imperialist war.” Meanwhile, the Soviets shamelessly devour the Baltic states.
Emulating another successful National Socialist practice, Soviet Russia now apparently has assumed an official protectorate over the Communist fifth column in Finland and is demanding liberty of action for it in the same way that National Socialist Germany demands protection and freedom of action in other countries.
The Battle of Britain: During the day Luftwaffe activity was confined to reconnaissance missions of shipping off the south and south east coast, and only a few raids approached near coasts of which only two crossed inland. Interceptions were attempted but none were successful. During the night Luftwaffe raids were widespread but there did not appear to have been an exceptional number of Luftwaffe aircraft involved. [battleofbritain1940 web site]
Weather: There was widespread fog over most of Southern and Eastern England and in the Midlands during the morning. Once this cleared it gave way to heavy low cloud which would be down to 3,500ft in places with restricted visibility.
All recorded incidents took place in the north of England and in Scotland. Bradford, Liverpool. the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh and Crewe were bombed and suffered slight damage. Because of the weather only a few enemy aircraft were detected and these were mostly over the Channel. A few raids took place over Falmouth and Swansea but generally because of the weather it was a quiet day for both sides.
Night raids continue, but they are relatively minor. The Bristol Aeroplane Company at Filton once again is attacked, this time by a pair of Heinkel He 111s at 22:16. There are multiple intrusions along the coast during the night, and many of these in the Essex region involved further leaflet dropping of Hitler’s “Last Appeal to Reason” speech of 19 July. Bombs are reported at or near Bradford, Liverpool, Crew and the Firth of Forth.
The incessant air war is wearing on the RAF despite its continued successes in the duel with the Luftwaffe. Older planes are retained in service and can become deathtraps. As an example, today a Fairey Battle Mark 3 out of RAF No. 253 Squadron spontaneously bursts into flames on a routine target practice flight. Both crew parachute out (the rear gunner pulls his ripcord while still seated in the plane but gets pulled out with a broken leg) and the plane crashes near Causey. An incident like this might ground an entire class of airplanes in normal times, but these are not normal times.
RAF Statistics for the day: 144 patrols were flown involving 437 aircraft. Luftwaffe casualties: None. RAF casualties: None.
While the British traditionally have chosen 10 July 1940 as the “official” beginning of the Battle of Britain, the Wehrmacht never gave that date particular significance. Luftwaffe pressure has been building steadily on England since the Battle of France in mid-June. In the Wehrmacht view, the true air battle has not even begun as of 3 August 1940. That, however, is about to change.
After much study, the Luftwaffe General Staff (OKL) today finally sets forth a plan for a maximum effort. The true offensive is to begin shortly. Called the Eagle Attack (Adlerangrif), the Operation will commence with a one-day battle to be called Eagle Day (Adler Tag). There are three projected phases:
- Opening five days: attacks on a 60-90 mile radius from London;
- Next three days: attacks on a 30-60 mile radius from London;
- Next five days: attacks within a 30-mile radius of London.
The three Luftflotten that have been set up across from England will carry out the attacks:
- Luftflotte 2 in central France (General Albert Kesselring);
- Luftflotte 3 in northern France and the low countries (General Hugo Sperrle);
- Luftflotte 5 in Norway, primarily based at Stavanger (General Hans-Jürgen Stumpff).
I,/JG52 (Hptm. Siegfried von Eschwege) moves from Bönninghardt to Cocquelles. I,/JG3 and Stab,/JG3 (ObLt Karl Vieck) move to Colembert.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 16 Blenheims to attack various targets during the day in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Only 6 bombed, 1 was lost.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 71 Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys overnight to oil targets in the Ruhr, to Kiel, to a seaplane base in Holland, and minelaying. Oil facilities at Rotterdam, the Ruhr, and the Rhineland, as well as the Kriegsmarine base at Kiel, are raided. 3 aircraft,1 of each type, lost.
The Italian Regia Aeronautica raids Derna, damaging the airfield and damaging port facilities.
At Malta, the island’s defenses have been successfully augmented by the arrival of the Hurricanes sent across by Operation Hurry (whose ships continue returning to Gibraltar today). There are no air raids today.
While the increased air defense is welcome, supplies on the island continue to run low. Ordinary convoys must make the long trip around South Africa and through the Suez Canal, which takes weeks. Governor Dobbie’s people request that major convoys be run through every two months at a bare minimum.
A second batch of five Beaufighter IF fighters were handed over to the RAF for evaluation.
U-57, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Erich Topp, sank Swedish steamer Atos (2161grt) in 56N, 07W. At 0810 hours the unescorted and neutral Atos was hit in the engine room by a torpedo from U-57 and sank within 3 minutes after a boiler explosion about 35 miles north of Malin Head. The ship had been missed by a first torpedo at 0807 hours. 21 crew members and six passengers were picked up by the Icelandic trawler Skutull. Among the passengers was a repatriated sailor from Tilia Gorthon, which had been sunk by U-38 (Liebe) on 20 June. One crewman on the Swedish steamer was lost. The 2,161-ton Atos was carrying general cargo and was headed for Petsamo, Finland.
U-A, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans Cohausz, sank Yugoslavian steamer Rad at 11-20N, 21W. At 1900 hours the unescorted Rad was stopped with gunfire by U-A and the crew had to abandon ship after it was discovered that she carried contraband. At 2015 hours a coup de grâce was fired that broke the ship in two and caused her to sink within 15 minutes. The twenty nine crewmen from the Rad were picked up by the British steam merchant Grodno and landed at Freetown. On 5 August, British steamer Cape St George in convoy SL.42 collided with the sunken wreck of steamer Rad. The 4,201-ton Rad was carrying chemicals and was headed for Durban, South Africa.
U-25, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinz Beduhn, was mined and sunk off Terschelling in 54-00N, 5-00E. All forty nine crewmen were lost on the submarine.
Minelayers HMS Southern Prince, HMS Port Quebec, and HMS Port Napier departed Loch Alsh at 1130/3rd and laid minefield SN.32 in St Georges Channel screened by Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Calcutta on the night of 4/5 August. Survey ship HMS Scott laid the marker buoys for this minefield. They were escorted by destroyers HMS Echo, HMS Garth, and HMS Berkeley which departed Scapa Flow at 2050/2nd for this operation, and destroyer HMS Inglefield, which departed Greenock at 1830/2nd.
Heavy cruiser HMS Sussex was taken in hand for repair to turbine defects at the Clyde.
Light cruiser HMS Cardiff, destroyers HMS Venomous, HMS Verity, HMS Wild Swan, and HMS Wivern, and patrol sloops HMS Puffin, HMS Shearwater, and HMS Sheldrake operated from Harwich on anti-invasion patrol during the night of 3/4 August.
Destroyer HMS Duncan arrived at Scapa Flow at 1730 after completing repairs of her 15 January collision damage.
Destroyer HMS Keppel arrived at Scapa Flow at 1930 to join the Home Fleet.
Destroyers HMS Sikh and HMS Amazon arrived at Scapa Flow in company from Greenock.
Hunt-class escort destroyer HMS Quorn was completed. Destroyer Quorn worked up at Scapa Flow in the 23rd Destroyer Division. She was then transferred to the Nore for duty in the 2lst Destroyer Flotilla.
German aircraft were over Scapa Flow and convoy WN.4 between midnight and 0100.
British steamer Statira (4852grt) in convoy WN.4 was badly damaged by German bombing thirty eight miles north of Stornoway. Anti-submarine trawler HMS Arab (531grt) assisted the steamer. The entire crew was taken off by destroyers HMS Punjabi and HMS Bedouin. The steamer was taken in tow on fire to Stornoway by British tug Thames and escorted by destroyer HMS Punjabi, which was later relieved by destroyer HMS Sikh. The steamer later left Stornoway and put in Rothesay Bay. Steamer Statira was later taken to Glasgow where her cargo was unloaded. The steamer was then broken up.
British steamer Wychwood (2794grt) was sunk on a mine in 52-00N, 01-48E, four miles north west, one quarter mile west of Shipwash Light Vessel. Patrol sloop HMS Mallard took off the twenty two survivors.
Because of the lack of anti-aircraft armament, light cruiser HMS Capetown and HMS Caledon left the Mediterranean for duty in the Indian Ocean. Light cruiser Capetown departed Alexandria on the 3rd for the East Indies Station. The light cruiser engaged in a battle practice target shoot. After light cruiser Capetown had completed, destroyers HMS Dainty, HMS Vendetta, HMS Defender, HMS Jervis, HMS Juno, and HMS Janus participated. Light cruiser Caledon departed Alexandria on the 10th.
Submarine HMS Perseus, which departed Hong Kong on 18 June and arrived at Colombo on 30 June and Aden on 24 July, arrived at Alexandria.
Italian steamer Lodoletta (2822grt) was sunk by British bombing at Derna.
Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart made a reconnaissance of Cape Guardafui from 3 to 5 August. The cruiser then returned to Berbera.
Convoy OA.193 departed Methil escorted by destroyer HMCS Restigouche and sloop HMS Deptford from 3 to 7 August. The escorts were then detached to convoy HX.61. Escort vessel HMS Verdun escorted the convoy on the 3rd and destroyers HMS Punjabi and HMS Bedouin escorted the convoy on the 4th.
Convoy FN.241 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer HMS Woolston, sloop HMS Fleetwood, patrol sloop HMS Pintail. The patrol sloop was detached on the 4th. Destroyers HMS Jaguar and HMS Javelin joined the convoy on the 4th and were detached on the 5th. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 5th. Convoy FN.242 did not sail.
Convoy MT.129 departed Methil. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on the 3rd.
Convoy FS.241 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyer HMS Vivien and sloop HMS Lowestoft. The convoy arrived at Southend O.5 August.
U.S. Senator Edward R. Burke, Nebraska Democrat, a close friend of Vice-President John N. Garner, said today that Garner will return to Washington early next week to preside over the senate during the debate on the controversial conscription bill.
An administration drive to line up senate votes needed to pass the Burke-Wadsworth compulsory military service bill was begun today, but so much opposition was manifested some supporters predicted a compromise would be necessary. Although Senator Burke, Nebraska Democrat, a co-author of the bill, predicted less than 20 opposition votes would be cast, Senator Lee, Oklahoma Democrat, advocate of compulsory service, said an informal survey indicated it would be necessary to seek some middle ground to get the measure through the house, as well as the senate. Burke said it was his understanding Senator Byrnes, South Carolina Democrat, would be the unofficial leader of administration forces. In the past, he said, Byrnes has had extraordinary success in winning approval of controversial measures. In connection with compromise talk, Senator Maloney, Connecticut Democrat, disclosed he was drafting a proposal he felt both opponents and proponents of the conscription bill could accept. The Burke-Wadsworth bill, scheduled for final approval Monday by the senate military affairs committee, provides, in general, 12,000.000 male citizens between 21. and 30 years, inclusive, should be registered for possible military service.
Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh boarded a Chicago-bound plane today to keep a radio speaking engagement there tomorrow. Colonel Lindbergh’s address, his third broadcast in connection with the European situation and its effect on the United States, is scheduled for the M.B.S. network at 3:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m., PST) Sunday, he will speak on “Keep America Out of the War for American Reasons.”
Wendell L. Willkie, Republican nominee for President, leads President Roosevelt in twenty-four States having a majority of the votes in the Electoral College in the first State-by-State survey conducted in the fortnight since the Democratic National Convention by the American Institute of Public Opinion, according to an announcement made yesterday by Dr. George Gallup, director. If the election were to be held today, Dr. Gallup says, the indications from this survey are that these twenty-four States, virtually all of them lying north of the Ohio River, would give Mr. Willkie a total of 304 of the 531 electoral votes, or thirty-eight more more than the 266 electoral votes necessary to win. The twenty-four States in which President Roosevelt leads in the survey give him 227 electoral votes.
Wendell L. Willkie said today that he planned to hold all expenses of his campaign to approximately $2,500,000. After day-long conferences with Republican organization leaders, the nominee told a press conference: “The Republican organization, the Willkie clubs and the independent Democrats who are supporting me will spend about $2,500,000. It may run a few dollars over that, but we will be well within the limitations of the Hatch act.” The Hatch law prohibits any national political organization from spending more than $3,000,000.
Senator Hiram Johnson of California, veteran isolationist member of the Foreign Relations Committee, in a statement today characterized President Roosevelt’s remark yesterday that Mr. Johnson is no longer a liberal as another attempt to purge Congressional opponents. Mr. Johnson is seeking his fifth consecutive term as a candidate on both the Republican and Democratic tickets. Senator Wheeler, who also is up for re-election this year, came to Mr. Johnson’s support.
In the greatest large-scale workout since World War I, west coast military forces were poised tonight for a swift move to the north. Shortly after midnight 23 special trains, loaded with fully armed men, tanks, trucks, artillery and cavalry mounts, were to start rolling out of the Oakland station, headed north for Fort Lewis, Wash., for maneuvers of the Fourth army. The 23 trains had facilities for 10,000 men. Regular army and national guardsmen made up the fighting units. The first detachment, out of the hay district included 2,000 men of the 143d field artillery, and the 159th infantry. The latter is the only regiment in the California guard completely equipped with the new Garand rapid-fire rifle. Yesterday 500 officers and men of the 11th cavalry left Monterey on a 40-car troop train. Another special train left today and a third will leave tomorrow, with another 1,200 officers and men of the 76th field artillery, Monterey presidio. Other trains were made up in Oregon and Nevada all bound for the huge encampment near Yelm, Washington.
A campaign is launched to solicit $500,000 in donations for the evacuation of British children to safer areas.
After a bitter debate today, the delegates to the convention of the United Automobile Workers (C. I. O.) adopted a resolution condemning “the brutal dictatorships and wars of aggression of the totalitarian governments of Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan.”
Colonel F.C. Harrington, WPA Administrator, announced tonight that 429 WPA workers had refused to sign affidavits that they were not members of the Communist party or Nazi Bund and that they had been discharged summarily.
Japanese luxury ocean liner Hikawa Maru disembarked 82 Jewish refugees at Pier 89, Seattle, becoming the first Japanese ship to take on Jewish refugees to North America.
Yoshitomo Wad, a 38-year-old Japanese seaman, was sentenced to five years in federal penitentiary and fined $3,000 today on charge of attempting to smuggle cocaine valued at $300,000 into the United States.
U.S. Army General Lesley McNair reports to Washington D.C. to serve as chief of staff, GHQ, in charge of training ground forces. McNair’s concepts on the proper employment of tanks will prove to be a hindrance to American armored tactics until after his death in 1944.
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt was assigned the Commander Special Service Squadron aboard gunboat USS Erie, relieving Rear Admiral John W. Wilcox, Jr.
Seaplane Clare makes 1st British passenger flight to the United States.
James Thurber and Elliott Nugent’s stage comedy “The Male Animal” closes at the Cort Theater. NYC, after 243 performances.
Major League Baseball:
The Dodgers bowed to the Cubs, 2–1. Bill Nicholson’s homer for Chicago provides the winning run. Ken Raffensberger has a shutout until Pee Wee Reese hits a solo home run in the ninth. Joe Vosmik then triples with two outs but Joe Medwick grounds out to end the Brooklyn threat and the game.
Big Paul Derringer registered his sixteenth victory of the campaign today as the Cincinnati Reds won the first game of a doubleheader with the Boston Bees, 3–1, but the National League leaders fell apart in the nightcap and lost, 5–2.
The Cardinals shelled Carl Hubbell with homers by Pepper Martin and Ernie Koy for three runs in the first inning and went on to defeat the Giants, 8–3. Johnny Mize adds another Cardinal home run in the sixth, and the Cardinals total 17 hits. Lon Warnecke gets the win.
A combination of Mace Brown’s three-hit pitching and Philadelphia pitcher Walter Kirby Higbe’s jinx gave the Pirates an 8–0 victory over the Phillies today. Higbe had never beaten the Pirates, and was knocked out of the game with no one out in the first inning after six straight hits. Higbe was charged with five runs.
The red-hot White Sox reeled off their thirteenth victory in sixteen games by defeating the Senators today, 7–6, after taking an early lead on Rene Monteagudo, Cuban right-hander. The White Sox scored six runs in the fourth inning. Gerry Walker gave the Senators an early lead with a two-run homer in the first.
The Indians pounced on Lefty Gomez for four runs on four singles and a triple in the first inning and beat the Yankees, 5–1. Southpaw Al Smith holds the Giants to 6 hits for the win.
Crack pitching by two youngsters and the old wallop at the bat carried the pennant-minded Tigers to a sweep of a double-header with the Red Sox today, 6 to 4 and 14 to 2, before and exultant crowd of 38,150 fans. Freddie Hutchinson wins the opener and Johnny Gorsica takes the nightcap with a five-hitter.
Impotent pitching undid some good hitting by the St. Louis Browns today and the Philadelphia Athletics pounced on them hard in three innings to walk off with an 11–7 decision. The A’s got 5 runs on six hits off Johnny Niggeling in the first inning and pounded three of the other four pitchers who followed him for ten hits and six runs. Bob Johnson and Dick Siebert hit home runs for Philadelphia and Don Heffner got one for St. Louis.
Willard Hershberger, 29, catcher for the Cincinnati Reds baseball club, committed suicide in his Boston hotel room today by cutting his throat with a razor blade, Medical Examiner Timothy Leary announced tonight.
Chicago Cubs 2, Brooklyn Dodgers 1
Cincinnati Reds 3, Boston Bees 1
Cincinnati Reds 2, Boston Bees 5
Washington Senators 6, Chicago White Sox 7
New York Yankees 1, Cleveland Indians 5
Boston Red Sox 4, Detroit Tigers 6
Boston Red Sox 2, Detroit Tigers 14
St. Louis Cardinals 8, New York Giants 3
Pittsburgh Pirates 8, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Philadelphia Athletics 11, St. Louis Browns 7
U.S. Navy destroyers USS Walke and USS Wainwright departed Buenos Aires, Argentina for Santos, Brazil.
The Japanese Government denounces American refusal to ship aviation fuel to Japan. Japan today protested against the United States’ embargo on shipments of aviation gasoline outside the western hemisphere. Both Prime Minister Prince Konoe and Foreign Minister Matsuoka issue statements emphasizing the importance of “the disposal of the China Affair” and the Japanese “mission” in the region. Shortly after noon, suave, bespectacled Kensuke Horinouchi, the Japanese ambassador, presented to Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles a note expressing his country’s official objections to the embargo on the fuel that is vital to Japan’s bombers in its attacks on China. Horinouchi was reticent to discuss what occurred at the brief meeting, but said that his note dealt with a commercial matter. The U.S. State Department was equally reticent, but informed sources said that it was devoted to the aviation gasoline embargo.
The Japanese Embassy in London announced today that K. Makihara, prominent Japanese business man, had been detained by the British police “for unknown reasons” and that it was investigating unconfirmed reports from Singapore that a number of Japanese had been arrested by British authorities in the Straits Settlements.
American consulates in Japanese-occupied China are reported to be flooded with protests by United States business men against drastic Japanese restrictions on all American trade.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 126.36 (-0.01)
Born:
Martin Sheen [Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez], American actor (“Apocalypse Now”, “Badlands”, “The West Wing”), in Dayton, Ohio.
John W. Carlin, American politician (40th Governor of Kansas, 1979-1987), in Salina, Kansas.
Lance Alworth, AFL and NFL wide receiver (AFL Champions-Chargers, 1963; NFL Champions, Super Bowl VI-Cowboys, 1971; AFL All-Star, 1963-1969; San Diego Chargers, Dallas Cowboys), in Houston, Texas.
Pat Holmes, AFL and NFL defensive end and defensive tackle (AFL All-Star, 1967, 1968; Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs), in Durant, Oklahoma.
Don Breaux, AFL quarterback (Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers), in Jennings, Louisiana.
Roger Repoz, MLB outfielder and first baseman (New York Yankees, Kansas City A’s, California Angels), in Bellingham, Washington.
Died:
Willard Hershberger, 30, American baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds (suicide).
Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, 56, twenty-fourth Maharaja of Mysore, reigning from 1902 until his death in 1940.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy motor minesweeper HMS MMS 1 (J 501), first of her class of 330, is launched by Richards Ironworks Ltd. (Lowestoft, England, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMS Romney (J 77) is launched by .
The U.S. Navy Gleaves-class destroyer USS Livermore (DD-429) is launched by the Bath Iron Works (Bath, Maine, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) weather ship WBS 2 Coburg is commissioned.
The Royal Navy British Power Boat 70-foot-class motor anti-submarine boat HMS MA/SB 55 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type I) escort destroyer HMS Quorn (L 66) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Lennox William Napier, RN.
History Diaries 