Category Archives: 1940s

100 Americans killed as Germans torpedo USS Reuben James in North Atlantic 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 31 1941)

1940s, World War II

Video: 'The World at War: On Our Way: U.S.A. - 1939-1942 (7 of 26)' (Oct. 31, 1941, at 15:00)'

(Friday, October 31, 1941, about 5:34 a.m. local time; 37 days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) — While escorting Allied convoy HX 156 in the North Atlantic, the American destroyer USS Reuben James was sunk by the German submarine U-552 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Erich Topp this morning in the North Atlantic near Iceland, with the loss of 100 of 144 crew. Continue reading 100 Americans killed as Germans torpedo USS Reuben James in North Atlantic 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 31 1941) →

U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt declares ‘the shooting has started’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 27 1941)

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


Video: 'Shooting Has Started, Says Roosevelt! Aka Roosevelt "Speech" The Shooting Has Started (1941)'

(Monday, October 27, 1941, 10;00 p.m. EST; during World War II, 41 days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor)— Ten days after a German U-boat torpedoed an American destroyer, the USS Kearney, while on patrol in the North Atlantic near U.S.-occupied Iceland, killing 11 American sailors, President Franklin D. Roosevelt told the nation and the world tonight “the shooting has started.” Continue reading U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt declares ‘the shooting has started’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 27 1941) →

General Hideki Tojo forms cabinet in Tokyo, prepares for war with U.S. 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 18 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'Cranking This War Up to Eleven - Hideki Tojo - WW2 Biography Special'

(Saturday, October 18, 1941, afternoon Japanese Standard Time; during World War II, 50 days before the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor) — Lieutenant General Hideki Tojo formed and swore in a new Japanese Cabinet today, with himself as Premier, War Minister and Home Minister, replacing Fumimaro Konoye as prime minister, pledging to pursue a strong foreign policy. Continue reading General Hideki Tojo forms cabinet in Tokyo, prepares for war with U.S. 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 18 1941) →

German U-boat torpedoes USS Kearny, killing 11 Americans 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #ODT (Oct 17 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: '1941 German Torpedo Hits USS Kearney World War Two'

(Friday, October 17, 1941, 1:00 a.m. Icelandic Standard Summer Time; during the Kearny incident) — American destroyer USS Kearny (DD 432), dispatched to defend Allied convoy SC 48 from a German wolfpack, was torpedoed today on her starboard side by the German submarine U-568 while on patrol about 350 miles south and west of Iceland, but did not sink. Continue reading German U-boat torpedoes USS Kearny, killing 11 Americans 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #ODT (Oct 17 1941) →

1,900 Jewish men, women and children massacred at Lubny by Nazi death squads 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 16 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'That day in Lubny'

(Thursday, October 16, 1941; during The Holocaust and Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front of World War II) — 1,900 Jews, including women and children, were massacred today by German Einsatzgruppen on the outskirts of Lubny in Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Continue reading 1,900 Jewish men, women and children massacred at Lubny by Nazi death squads 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 16 1941) →

‘Piano Concerto in B Flat’ by Freddy Martin #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 4 1941)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, October 4, 1941) — “Piano Concerto in B Flat” by Freddy Martin peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of eight consecutive weeks (October 4/11/18/25, November 1/8/15/22, 1941). Continue reading ‘Piano Concerto in B Flat’ by Freddy Martin #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 4 1941) →

‘The Maltese Falcon’ opens in New York City 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 2 1941)

1940s, Movies 1940s


Video: 'Maltese Falcon' trailer

(Thursday, October 2, 1941) — The Maltese Falcon, an American film noir about hard-boiled detective who gets caught up in the murderous search for a priceless statue, opened tonight as a special “preview” showing at the Strand Theatre at 1579 Broadway, at the northwest corner of 47th Street and Broadway in Times Square, New York City. Continue reading ‘The Maltese Falcon’ opens in New York City 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 2 1941) →

Battle of Moscow begins as Germans renew drive on Russia’s largest city 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 2 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: '110 - A Huge New German Offensive Begins - Operation Typhoon! - WW2 - October 3, 1941' (Oct. 2, 1941, at 1:48)

(Thursday, October 2, 1941, 5:30 a.m. Moscow Standard Time; during the Battle of Moscow, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — Having been diverted by Adolf Hitler’s order to move south to eliminate Russian forces at Kiev (which resulted in a huge triumph), German forces today resumed their advance on Moscow, largest city of the Soviet Union, with an offensive code-named Typhoon on a 370-mile sector of the Eastern Front during World War II. Continue reading Battle of Moscow begins as Germans renew drive on Russia’s largest city 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 2 1941) →

Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin in German-occupied Poland becomes operational 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 1 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'Majdanek Concentration Camp' (23 videos)

(Wednesday, October 1, 1941; during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — Majdanek (or Lublin), a Nazi concentration and extermination camp built and operated by the SS on the outskirts of the city of Lublin during the German occupation of Poland in World War II, became operational today. Continue reading Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin in German-occupied Poland becomes operational 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 1 1941) →

Special SS squads begin massacring nearly 34,000 Jewish men, women and children at Babi Yar ravine outside Kiev 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 29 1941)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'The Rape of Humanity at Babi Yar - War Against Humanity 019 - September 1941 Pt. 2' (Sept. 29, 1941, at 6:09)

(Monday, September 29, 1941, approximately 8:00 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Babi Yar massacre and The Holocaust, part of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front of World War II) — SS and German police units and their auxiliaries, under guidance of members of Einsatzgruppe C, began murdering a large portion of the Jewish population of Kiev today at Babi Yar, a ravine northwest of the city. Continue reading Special SS squads begin massacring nearly 34,000 Jewish men, women and children at Babi Yar ravine outside Kiev 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 29 1941) →