War Without Mercy
Adolf Hitler holds a private meeting in the Cabinet Room of the Chancellery in Berlin with about 250 top leaders of the Wehrmacht, including Colonel General Franz Halder, Field Marshal von Bock, and General Hermann Hoth, all of whom take fairly thorough notes or immediately write down their recollections. It is a fairly remarkable meeting, with issues discussed that will dramatically influence the Operation Barbarossa campaign.
Hitler said that the upcoming war with Russia would be a race war in which communist commissars and Jews would be exterminated by SS Einsatzgruppen following behind the advancing armies. Hitler expected the Soviet Union to be defeated in a matter of weeks and declared, “We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down..” In the lengthy speech in the Cabinet Room of the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Hitler told his assembled commanders of his intention to “exterminate” communism “for all time”. Hitler privately addresses 250 officers on the inevitability of war in the east and the necessity of destroying Bolshevism. They must be under no illusions: this was to be a war to the death fought between opposing ideologies, and the struggle would be conducted with ‘unprecedented, merciless and unrelenting harshness. No quarter must be given. Breaches of international law would be excused since Russia had not participated in the Hague Conference and possessed no rights under it. Russian commissars who surrendered were to be executed. No Russian prisoner of war could be transported into the Greater German Reich.
Hitler orders his generals to employ what he refers to as merciless harshness:
“The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful, and unrelenting harshness. All officers will have to rid themselves of obsolete ideologies. I know that the necessity for such means of waging war is beyond the comprehension of you generals but… I insist absolutely that my orders be executed without contradiction.”
This speech provides part of the impetus for the Commissar Order — the execution of alleged Soviet commissars without trial.
Hitler directs that Army Group Center’s mission was to head due east to the Dneiper River, and only then head north. Moscow, he casually mentions, is “absolutely irrelevant.” This directly contradicts a very strong body of opinion among the men to whom he is speaking. They feel that Moscow is of the utmost importance as the entrance of the land bridge to Asia and the center of Soviet life (including the focus of the entire railway and road system). Nobody challenges Hitler on this strategy, but some in the room will make their own contrary views known eventually — and act on those views.
After being translated into an official OKW order, this directive becomes known as the “Commissar Order.” As Hitler indicates himself (according to the notes), it is illegal under the terms of the Geneva Convention of 1929. Some will argue the Convention does not apply to the Soviet Union because the USSR never ratified the Convention (though the previous Russian government had). Article 82 of the Geneva Convention, however, states:
“In case, in time of war, one of the belligerents is not a party to the Convention, its provisions shall nevertheless remain in force as between the belligerents who are parties thereto.”
Thus, even if the USSR was not a party to the Geneva Convention, Germany, as a signatory at least arguably was bound to follow it (though, again, some will argue that it need be followed only in cases where both opposing governments, and not just one, have ratified it). The Geneva Convention, of course, forbids exterminating entire classes of captives. The OKW will begin working up its drafts of this order quickly.
Yugoslav Foreign Minister Momčilo Ninčić summons German ambassador Viktor von Heeren. Ninčić has a statement indicating that Yugoslavia will honor its international agreements, including the Tripartite Pact. Von Heeren prepares to send the diplomatic note on to Berlin when he receives instructions from Berlin to avoid any contact with Yugoslavian officials and to return to Berlin. It is unclear if von Heeren ever delivers the message, and Ribbentrop certainly never replies to it.
German Chancellor Adolf Hitler approves the plan to invade Yugoslavia on 6 April.
The Yugoslav Army takes up positions on the frontier anticipating a German invasion.
Deputy chief of the German General Staff (Oberquartiermeister I) Lieutenant General Friedrich Paulus arrives in Budapest for discussions with the Hungarian chief of staff. The chief of staff agrees to attack Yugoslavia. There is some confusion at the highest levels of the government, as Admiral Horthy approves of the attack, but Prime Minister Teleki is out of the loop entirely.
Axis nationals began evacuation of all Yugoslavia today, leaving by special train, river boat and automobile, as German press dispatches said Yugoslavia had hinted she may occupy Albania if Germany starts a march into Greece. Twelve hundred nervous German men, women and children jammed every available corner of the Danube river excursion boat Uranus; 3,000 other Germans were fleeing Croatia, which touches old Austria. Among the excited crowd on the Uranus were several German journalists who a few weeks ago in Bucharest and Sofia reported the British evacuations from those capitals and now are fleeing themselves. The German radio announced today Yugoslavia had closed the entire German-Yugoslav frontier except for one crossing between Maribor and Spielfeld.
Churchill learns through “sources” that the Wehrmacht has redirected three panzer divisions from Rumania, thence to Southern Poland, and then further south. There, they will participate in the invasion of Yugoslavia. This crystallizes the belief in Churchill’s mind that a German invasion of the Soviet Union is next on Hitler’s list — after he takes care of Greece and Yugoslavia. The source of Churchill’s knowledge is poor practices by a German Lorenz cipher machine operator, who sends the same 4,000-character message twice.
The action at the Albanian front is desultory on 30 March 1941, with artillery exchanges but very little movement on the ground. As has been the case for several days, the main action is of the diplomatic variety. This activity necessarily concerns the fate of Yugoslavia, as nobody expects the Allies to be able to defend the long border stretching from Bulgaria to Albania. Thus, if the Wehrmacht invades Yugoslavia as well as Greece, the fate of both Yugoslavia and Greece depends upon the ability of the Yugoslav military as much as anything else.
Erwin Rommel ordered German 5th Light Division commander General Johannes Streich to capture Mersa Brega, Libya. Since he does not have orders from OKH to attack, he gives his directives verbally. The British 2nd Armoured Division defends Mersa Brega. Rommel is encouraged by recent skirmishes, including the capture of El Agheila, and also wants to advance to the Jebel Achdar (Green Mountain) south of Benghazi because it is a rare source of potable water in the desert.
The Afrika Korps led a reconnaissance raid against Agedabia. Correctly discerning that the British forces are weakly dispersed in positions which prevent mutual support, German and Italian forces begin a counter-offensive and advance east from El Agheila toward Mersa Brega. Only part of the British 2nd Armoured Division is ready to oppose them. The bulk of the Australian Division is near Benghazi and the remainder is back at Tobruk. The Germans captured British tanks and trucks and kept driving forward.
An aircraft carrying British Air Marshal Arthur Tedder crash-landed in the Western Sahara; Tedder was not injured.
In Cairo, RAF HQ in the Middle East announced: “RAF operations in Eritrea continued on Friday south of Keren. Enemy motorised columns and troops near Asmara (capital of Eritrea) were bombed and fired on by our machine-guns.”
General Lewis Heath’s 5th Indian Infantry Division continues to pursue the fleeing Italian troops toward the port of Massawa. The 4th Indian Infantry Division has been redirected to Port Sudan for shipment to Port Sudan — showing the amount of confidence that Middle East Commander General Archibald Wavell has in a single division’s ability to subdue the port’s garrison.
The Italians in Massawa realize the fate awaiting them. Italian 7565 ton freighter Piave makes a run for it and heads for Assab.
In Addis Ababa, the Italian commander, the Duke of Aosta, also realizes what is happening. He messages Rome that he will resist for as long as he can.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka, who came half way around the world to discuss Axis matters with German and Italian leaders, left Berlin for Rome late this afternoon by special train.
Visiting Australian Prime Minister Menzies note that Churchill, elated by recent victories, has been communicating with President Roosevelt. Menzies, never one to mince words in his private diary, writes:
“Great news of naval victory in Mediterranean at which Winston sends off cables to Roosevelt…. What a genius the man has. He has maintained by cable and letter the most easy and informal correspondence with Roosevelt; always treating him as a friend and ally, and also U.S.A — ‘Don’t you think we could do so and so.’ Result, F.D.R. has passed into the position of an ally without perhaps realising how some of the steps have come about.”
While this entry is highly flattering of Churchill, it is not so high-minded about President Roosevelt.
The victorious Royal Navy fleet, led by battleships HMS Barham, HMS Valiant and HMS Warship and aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, arrives back at Alexandria around sunset.
The Vichy French send a convoy of six freighters, escorted by destroyer Simoun, from Casablanca back into the Mediterranean. This, of course, requires passage through the Straits of Gibraltar. The Royal Navy has had conflicting views on how to handle such transits in the past, leading to at least one court-martial. This time, the Royal Navy sends out a large force led by light cruiser HMS Sheffield to intercept the French. This is Operation RATION by Force H.
The French ships pass under the guns of their forces at Nemours, and the British are unable to intercept the convoy when the French open fire. On their way back, the Royal Navy ships are attacked by French aircraft. HMS Sheffield is damaged by a near miss and destroyer HMS Forester is hit and requires four weeks of repairs.
The British liner Umona was torpedoed and sunk off Freetown, Sierra Leone by the German submarine U-124.
Byron Kennedy, 32, flight commander for the Royal Air Force’s Eagle squadron, composed entirely of Americans, said today German planes have “proved equal to anything thrown against them.” Kennerly was granted a four-month furlough to give his eardrums, injured in a 500 miles per hour dive, time to heal. “The Messerschmitt 109 will dive you into the sea,” he said in an interview. “Its stabilizers quickly bring it out of a dive. “As for American aircraft in Britain, the fighters are not as good as the British Hurricanes that were built five years ago. “However, the American bombers are excellent, many of the Lockheed Hudsons being used in the coastal command.” He expressed belief Germany never intends to invade England but makes threats to keep more soldiers there to be fed, and to force the R.A.F. and naval units to stay at home.
The Luftwaffe continues with its recent pattern of scattered raids by single planes. A Spitfire of RAF No. 41 Squadron shoots down a Junkers Ju 88 which lands at Wilton Moor, Eston, Yorkshire during the afternoon. All three Luftwaffe crew perish.
Luftwaffe jet prototype Heinkel He-280 makes its maiden flight under its own power under the command of test pilot Fritz Schäfer. It features tricycle landing gear and a compressed-air ejection seat. The Luftwaffe has expressed little interest in the plane, preferring to focus on other designs, so Ernst Heinkel has been continuing with the plane’s development on his own initiative. The main holdup is the engine, the HeS 8, which has been behind schedule. On the bright side, the engines burn inexpensive kerosene. The Luftwaffe, specifically RLM development chief Ernst Udet, remains uninterested. Heinkel views the Luftwaffe’s failure to pursue this design as one of its biggest mistakes.
The British RAF launched 109 aircraft after sundown to attack German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest, France.
RAF Bomber Command: Day of 30 March 1941
12 Hampdens to Brest turned back, no cloud cover. 6 Blenheims off the Frisians attacked a cargo vessel. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command: Night of 30/31 March 1941
Brest
109 aircraft — 50 Wellingtons, 24 Whitleys, 16 Blenheims, 15 Hampdens, 4 Manchesters — attacked the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in Brest harbour but no hits were achieved. Minor Operations: 13 Wellingtons to Calais, 10 Hampdens minelaying off Brest, 2 O.T.U. sorties. There were no losses on this night.
The RAF raids Tripoli in the early morning hours, causing only slight damage. The Luftwaffe also is in action, claiming to have destroyed an armored car, self-propelled gun, and tanker.
At Malta, the Luftwaffe sends four Junkers Ju 88 bombers which bomb Ta Qali airfield. One Hurricane on the ground is slightly damaged, but overall it is an unsuccessful mission. Neither side loses any planes.
U-69, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Jost Metzler, sank British steamer Coultarn (3759grt) from convoy OB.302 in 60-18N, 29-28W. At 0734 hours on 30 March 1941 the Coultarn (Master Harold Cecil Lewis Phillips) in convoy OB.302 was torpedoed and sunk by U-69 southwest of Iceland. Three crew members were lost. The master, 34 crew members and four gunners were picked up by the British armed merchant cruiser HMS California (Capt C.J. Pope RAN). The 3,759-ton Coultarn was carrying ballast and was bound for Mobile, Alabama.
U-124, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schulz, sank British steamer Umona (3767grt) ninety miles southwest of Freetown. At 2301 hours on 30 March 1941 the unescorted Umona (Master Frederick Arthur Baden Peckham) was hit on port side underneath the aft mast by one G7e torpedo from U-124 and sank immediately after being hit eight minutes later by a coup de grâce about 90 miles southwest of Freetown. The master, 85 crew members, two gunners and 13 passengers (7 DBS) were lost. One gunner and one passenger were picked up after 13 days by the British steam merchant Lorca and landed at Freetown on 13 April. On 7 April, three Indian crew members were picked up by HMS Foxhound (H 69) (Cdr G.H. Peters, RN), escort of convoy WS-7, in 07°25N/13°55W and landed at Freetown the next day. The 3,767-ton Umona was carrying maize, pulses, and jam and was bound for London, England, United Kingdom.
Destroyer HMS Echo arrived at Scapa Flow from Rosyth on completion of boiler cleaning.
Battlecruiser HMS Hood and light cruisers HMS Nigeria and HMS Fiji were patrolling the UK to Gibraltar convoy route.
British trawler Nisus (210grt) was lost to an unknown cause in Faroese waters.
The British Mediterranean Fleet arrived at Alexandria after the Battle of Matapan. Battleships HMS Warspite, HMS Barham, and HMS Valiant, aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, light cruisers HMS Orion and HMS Gloucester, and destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Juno, HMS Janus, HMS Jaguar, HMS Nubian, HMS Mohawk, HMS Greyhound, HMS Ilex, HMS Hotspur, and HMS Havock arrived at Alexandria at 1730/30th.
Submarine HMS Rorqual sank German steamer Laura Corrado (3645grt) in 38-45N, 12-20E forty miles north of Trapani.
Destroyer HMS Highlander arrived at Gibraltar for duty with Force H and later in the South Atlantic.
Submarine depot ship HMS Maidstone assumed responsibility for the 8th Submarine Flotilla at Gibraltar, replacing HMS Pigmy, which was paid off on 1 April.
Minesweepers HMS Aberdare and HMS Harrow departed Bombay for Alexandria and duty with the Mediterranean Fleet.
Italian steamer Piave (7565grt) departed Massawa and proceeded to Assab.
Convoy OB.304 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyers HMS Chelsea, HMS Havelock, HMS Hesperus, HMS Hurricane, and HMS Vivien sloop HMS Scarborough, and corvettes HMS Arbutus and HMS Convolvulus. Destroyers HMS Verity and HMS Wolverine joined on 1 April. On 3 April, destroyers Havelock, Hesperus, Hurricane, Verity, and Vivien were detached. The remainder of the escort was detached on 4 April when the convoy dispersed.
After repairs of her collision of 23 December 1940, anti-aircraft ship HMS Alynbank departed Rosyth escorting convoy EN.93 A. Anti-aircraft ship Alynbank arrived at Scapa Flow at 0730 on 1 April.
A French convoy of six steamers, escorted by destroyer Simoun, departed Casablanca for Oran. In Operation RATION, light cruiser HMS Sheffield and destroyers HMS Faulknor, HMS Fury, HMS Fearless, and HMS Forester departed Gibraltar to intercept French convoy K.42 which was comprised of French steamer Bangkok (8056grt), thought to be carrying 3000 tons of rubber, Azrou, Cap Varella, and San Diego, escorted by destroyer Simoun. The convoy had departed Casablanca on the 28th for Oran. Destroyer Fearless was unable to board the steamer when the French ships took cover under the French coastal battery at Nemours. Returning to Gibraltar, light cruiser Sheffield was damaged by a near miss from French bombing. The damage from this incident and the mining of 17 March required five days repair. Destroyer Forester was damaged by the bombing. The destroyer was repaired in four weeks at Gibraltar.
Convoy SC.27 departed Halifax, escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Salopian and destroyers HMCS Buxton and HMCS St Croix. The destroyers were detached the next day and the armed merchant cruiser on 12 April. On 13 April, destroyers HMS Keppel and HMS Venomous, corvettes HMS Dianella, HMS Kingcup, and HMS Sunflower, and anti-submarine yacht HMS Philante joined. Destroyer HMS Lincoln joined on 15 April. On 17 April, destroyer Keppel and corvette Kingcup were detached. The remainder of the escort was detached when the convoy arrived at Liverpool on 18 April.
President Roosevelt has authorized movement of additional implements of war to countries battling an “alliance of dictator nations” and was returning to Washington tonight to give further impetus to his promise of “action and more action” to help halt the march of aggressors. The chief executive was disclosed on high authority to have taken additional steps to arm Britain and Greece and to be planning quick action upon his return to the capital to put to work immediately a major portion of a $7,000,000,000 appropriation to convert America into an arsenal for foes of the axis powers. What specific new weapons actually are on the way across the Atlantic was a military secret, to be divulged only when Mr. Roosevelt felt that the itemizing of planes, tanks, guns, ships, or whatever may have been dispatched, could be of no benefit to the countries aligned with the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis. But the chief executive may announce at a press conference in Washington Tuesday some of the things which already have been done about translating the $7,000,000,000 appropriation into actual assistance to nations fighting aggressors.
As the result of the Coast Guard investigation of the report that the crew of Italian merchantman Villarperosa was sabotaging their ship, the United States took protective custody of two German, 26 Italian, and 35 Danish ships in that had been interred in American ports. On June 6, 1941 the U.S. Ship Requisition Act would be passed by the U.S. Congress and signed the same day by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt would issue Executive Order No. 8771 authorizing the U.S. Maritime Commission to take over certain foreign vessels. This allowed the U.S. Coast Guard to seize these vessels for the war effort. In all 105 ships totaling 554,991 tons would be seized from 11 countries. The Coast Guard would eventually imprison 850 Italian and 63 German officers and men.
Republican support developed today for a movement among administration leaders in congress to give the government powers to take over industrial plants where production of defense materials has been stopped by strikes. Senator McNary of Oregon, minority leader, said he thought Republicans would agree to such a proposal, if it were safeguarded so as not to infringe upon the constitutional rights of labor and management. The senate leadership was reported preparing legislation to give the government power to step in and operate plants which “fail” to carry out defense production contracts, Present law permits the government to act only when operators “refuse” to carry out their contracts.
A stoppage at midnight tonight of all soft coal mines in the Appalachian region, employing 330,000 men. and producing 75 percent of the nation’s bituminous output, appeared likely yesterday as a result. of a deadlock in the negotiations. for a new agreement between the operators and the United Mine-Workers of America. Preparations for the stoppage were seen in the announcement made jointly by Ezra Van Horn, president of the Joint Appalachian Wage Conference and spokesman for the operators, and John L. Lewis, miners’ chieftain, at the Hotel Biltmore, that the union has agreed to permit maintenance men to remain at work to prevent flooding of the mines after the last shift quits work today. The maintenance men will continue working on the basis of a retroactive clause, under which they will receive such additional pay as may be provided in any new agreement ultimately reached. The old agreement expires today. The miners have offered to continue working on condition that any increases ultimately obtained be retroactive as affecting all men to April 1. The operators have rejected the proposal. Mr. Lewis indicated last night that hope of an agreement today was “faint” and that if no agreement is reached the mines would be closed in accordance with the practice of the United Mine Workers not to work without a contract. Unofficially it was learned that the miners and operators are as far apart as they were at the beginning of the negotiations. “Only a miracle,” it was said, could avoid a stoppage.
An explosion and fire at the Quaker State Oil Refining Corp. plant in the northwest Pennsylvania community of Emlenton early today killed two men and caused damage estimated at $100,000. The cause of the blast was undetermined, but officials termed it accidental. The men killed were working in the filter house, in which lubricating oil is processed. General Manager Guy Hunter said that the refinery was not working on any direct defense orders and that sabotage was not suspected.
Workers of the tractor and McCormick works of the International Harvester Company voted today to end their strike and go back to work tomorrow. Their decision was to be followed by strikers at the company’s plants at Rock Falls, Illinoiis, and Richmond, Indiana.
The heavy cruiser USS Vincennes (CA-44) departed Simonstown, South Africa, for New York, with a cargo of British gold for deposit in the United States.
The air echelon of the USAAC’s 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) flies into Elmendorf Field, Anchorage, with eight Douglas B-18 Bolos. These are the first bombers based in the Territory of Alaska.
The first flight of the Vultee A-31 Vengeance prototype V-72 dive bomber. It takes place at Vultee’s factory at Downey, California. The British Purchasing Commission, in need of a dive bomber, already has placed orders for 300 of them. The plane is well behind schedule, as delivers originally were scheduled to begin in October 1940.
Giants manager Bill Terry says he turned down a 3-team deal, which would have sent Dodgers second baseman Pete Coscaret and Cubs holdout Hank Lieber to the Giants. Chicago would get Giant catcher-outfielder Harry Danning, while Brooklyn would get second baseman Billy Herman from the Cubs. Brooklyn will still get Herman, but not till May 6.
In Havana, the Reds Bucky Walters outduels Joe Dobson as the Reds prevail over the Red Sox, 2–1. Cincinnati takes two out of three from Boston.
An element of the U.S. First Defense Battalion (5-inch artillery, Detachment “A”) arrived at Palmyra Island in the stores issuing ship USS Antares (AKS-3) to begin construction of defenses.
Elements of the U.S. First Defense Battalion (5-inch artillery, Detachment “B”, and Machine Gun Battery, Detachment “A”) arrived at Johnston Island in the high speed minesweeper USS Boggs (DMS-3) to begin construction of defenses.
Born:
Graeme Edge, English musician (The Moody Blues), in Rocester, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom (d. 2021).
Wasim Sajjad, acting President of Pakistan (1993; 1997), in Jalandhar, Punjab, British India.
Bob Smith, American Republican politician (Senator, New Hampshire, 1990-2003; Rep., New Hampshire, 1985-90), in Trenton, New Jersey.
Brendan O’Friel, British prison officer and author (“Prison Governor’s Journal”), in the Isle of Man, United Kingdom (d. 2021).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy harbor defence motor launch HMS HDML 1019 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Zinnia (K 98) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is T/Lieutenant Henry Noel Russell, RNR.
History Diaries 