Category Archives: 1940s

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

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)

(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)

(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)

(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)


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)

British sink German battleship Bismarck off France with a loss of some 2,100 lives 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1941)


Video: '092 - Sink the Bismarck! - The Pride of the Kriegsmarine's Demise - WW2 - May 30 1941' (Operation Rheinübung at 0:43)

(Tuesday, May 27, 1941, 10:39 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Last battle of the battleship Bismarck, part of Operation Rheinübung, part of the Battle of the Atlantic, during World War II) — British ships and planes sank the German battleship Bismarck today 400 miles west of the French port of Brest, with a loss of more than 2,100 lives, three days after the Bismarck sank the 42,100-ton battle cruiser HMS Hood with the loss of more than 1,400 lives.
Continue reading British sink German battleship Bismarck off France with a loss of some 2,100 lives 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1941)

Germans sink British battle cruiser HMS Hood in Battle of the Denmark Strait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1941)


Video: '092 - Sink the Bismarck! - The Pride of the Kriegsmarine's Demise - WW2 - May 30 1941' (Operation Rheinübung at 0:43)

(Saturday, May 24, 1941, at about 6:00 a.m. local time; during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, part of Operation Rheinübung, part of the Battle of the Atlantic, during World War II) — The 42,100-ton battle cruiser Hood, pride of the British Fleet and the world’s biggest fighting vessel, was blown up today by an “unlucky hit” scored on a munitions magazine by the new German battleship Bismarck in an engagement off Greenland. Continue reading Germans sink British battle cruiser HMS Hood in Battle of the Denmark Strait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1941)

Germans sink ship sailing under American flag in tropical Atlantic 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 21 1941)

Video: 'The World At War: "On Our Way: U.S.A. (1939–1942)' (Robin Moor sunk at 13:11)

(Wednesday, May 21, 1941, 6:00 a.m. UTC; during World War II) — The SS Robin Moor, a Hog Islander steamship that sailed under the American flag, was sunk today by German submarine U-69 in the tropical Atlantic 750 miles west of the British-controlled port of Freetown, Sierra Leone, after allowing the passengers and crew to disembark.
Continue reading Germans sink ship sailing under American flag in tropical Atlantic 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 21 1941)

Battle of Crete begins as Nazi Germany launches airborne invasion of Crete 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 20 1941)


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

(Tuesday, May 20, 1941, 8:00 a.m. Central European Summer Time, 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, began this morning when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur (“Operation Mercury”).
Continue reading Battle of Crete begins as Nazi Germany launches airborne invasion of Crete 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 20 1941)

Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland on apparent peace mission 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1941)


Video: 'Rudolf Hess - Nazi Pacifist, Traitor or Madman? - WW2 Special Episode'

(Saturday, May 10, 1941, 11:09 p.m. British Double Summer Time; during The Blitz part of the Strategic bombing campaign of World War II) — Adolf Hitler’s deputy, Rudolf Hess, flew a Messerschmitt Bf 110 to Scotland today on what he claimed was a solo peace mission, parachuting into Eaglesham near his objective of Dungavel House after running out of fuel. Continue reading Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland on apparent peace mission 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 10 1941)