Category Archives: 1940s

Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler sickened after witnessing mass execution at concentration camp 80 years #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 15 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II

Video: 'The World at War: Genocide: 1941-1945 (20 of 26)' (Himmler's visit to Minsk at 21:46)

(Friday, August 15, 1941; during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — While inspecting the Shirokaya Street Concentration Camp today in Minsk, Belarus, Heinrich Himmler,  one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of The Holocaust,  asked to witness the shooting of 100 Jews, a sight that nauseated him when brain matter and blood sprayed his uniform. Continue reading Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler sickened after witnessing mass execution at concentration camp 80 years #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 15 1941) →

FDR and Churchill attend Sunday services aboard British battleship in Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1941)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'President To Prime Minister - Historic Meeting (1941)' (Aug. 10, 1941, at 3:19)

(Sunday, August 10, 1941, 10:00 a.m. Newfoundland Daylight Time; during World War II) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill attended attended religious services today aboard the British battleship Prince of Wales at Placentia Bay in Newfoundland on the second day of the four-day the Atlantic Conference. Continue reading FDR and Churchill attend Sunday services aboard British battleship in Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 10 1941) →

FDR and Churchill begin first wartime conference aboard USS Augusta off Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 9 1941)

1940s, U.S. Presidents, World War II


Video: 'President To Prime Minister - Historic Meeting (1941)' (Aug. 9, 1941, at 0:09-3:17)

(Saturday, August 9, 1941, 11:00 a.m. Newfoundland Daylight Time; during World War II) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill secretly met aboard the USS Augusta today at Placentia Bay in Newfoundland to begin the four-day Atlantic Conference (codenamed Riviera), the first of nine face-to-face conferences between the two leaders during World War II. Continue reading FDR and Churchill begin first wartime conference aboard USS Augusta off Newfoundland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 9 1941) →

Only existing moving footage of Anne Frank taken in Amsterdam 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 22 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust


Video: 'Anne Frank - The Only Known Video'

(Tuesday, July 22, 1941, during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — 12-year-old Anne Frank, a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish heritage who would gain fame posthumously with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl, was filmed today leaning out of the window of her Amsterdam home in Nazi-occupied Holland to get a good look at a neighbor’s wedding party below. Continue reading Only existing moving footage of Anne Frank taken in Amsterdam 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 22 1941) →

Anne Frank attends wedding of Jan and Miep Gies in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 16 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II

(Wednesday, July 16, 1941; during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — 12-year-old Anne Frank, a German-Dutch diarist of Jewish heritage who would gain fame posthumously with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl, and her father, Otto, were photographed today on their way to the wedding of family friends Miep Santrouschitz, 32, and Jan Glies, 35, in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Continue reading Anne Frank attends wedding of Jan and Miep Gies in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 16 1941) →

Nazi Germany attacks Soviet Russia with largest invasion force in history of warfare 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 22 1941)

1940s, World War II

Video: '096a - Operation Barbarossa - Biggest Land Invasion in History - WW2 - June 22 1941'

(Sunday, June 22, 1941, at around 3:15 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during Operation Barbarossa, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Nazi Germany and some of its Axis allies began bombing major cities in Soviet-occupied Poland and an artillery barrage on Red Army defenses on the entire Eastern Front of World War II this morning, launching Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Continue reading Nazi Germany attacks Soviet Russia with largest invasion force in history of warfare 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 22 1941) →

‘Daddy’ by Sammy Kaye peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 21 1941)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, June 21, 1941) — “Daddy” by Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (vocals by The Kaye Choir) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of eight non-consecutive weeks (June 21, July 12/19/26, August 2/9/16/23, 1941). Continue reading ‘Daddy’ by Sammy Kaye peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 21 1941) →

‘Maria Elena’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 14 1941)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, June 14, 1941) — “Maria Elena” by Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra (Fox Trot Vocal Chorus by Bob Eberly) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard National Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of two non-consecutive weeks (June 14, July 5, 1941), his third consecutive number one hit. Continue reading ‘Maria Elena’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 14 1941) →

‘My Sister and I’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 7 1941)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, June 7, 1941) — “My Sister and I” by Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra (Fox Trot Vocal Chorus by Bob Eberly) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of two non-consecutive weeks (June 7/28, 1941). Continue reading ‘My Sister and I’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 7 1941) →

Battle of Crete ends in victory for Axis forces 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (June 1 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'World War II: The Battle of Crete - Full Documentary'

(Sunday, June 1, 1941; during the Battle of Crete, part of the Battle of Greece and the Mediterranean theatre, during World War II) — The Battle of Crete, fought on the Greek island of Crete, ended today when the the last 5.000 Allied soldiers at Sfakia surrendered to the Germans.
Continue reading Battle of Crete ends in victory for Axis forces 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (June 1 1941) →