Wednesday 18 October 1939
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| Günther Prien and the crew of U-47 are received by Adolf Hitler in the Reichskanzlei in Berlin. October 18, 1939. |
The French notice signs of activity behind the German lines, but no renewal of their recent attacks.
Battle of the Atlantic: Wasting no time, Hitler brings the crew of the U-47 to the Chancellery and awards all of them the Iron Cross 2nd Class. He also gives Captain Günther Prien the Knight's Cross.
President Franklin Roosevelt bans all armed submarines from US ports and territorial waters except in cases of distress.
The Admiral Graf Spee transfers its prisoners to the Altmark, then departs to find new targets.
The British detain the US freighter West Hobomac.
The Kriegsmarine lays more mines along the English Channel.
Convoy SL 5F departs from Freetown for London.
European Air Operations: Once again, the Luftwaffe attacks Scapa Flow. Their mission is disrupted, however, by strong anti-aircraft fire, and the planes do not release their bombs.
Turkey: With the Turkish Foreign Minister back from the USSR, the British take their turn. British General Wavell and French General (former chief of general staff) Weygand arrive in Ankara for talks with their Turkish counterparts.
Germany recalls its own ambassador, Franz von Papen, from Turkey. Von Papen is not considered a particularly fervent Party man, and Hitler may want someone a little more attuned to his own thinking in the position.
Sweden: The heads of state of Norway, Denmark, and Finland meet with the King of Sweden in Stockholm. They discuss the recent diplomatic aggression by the Soviets, and also Hitler's promise to remain neutral in any conflict between Finland and the USSR.
Estonia: The Soviets continue increasing their presence in the country.
Lithuania: A protest is filed by the Polish government-in-exile over the transfer of Vilnius to Lithuania.
Spain: Francisco Franco appoints his brother-in-law Ramón Serrano Suñer to be Spain's Foreign Minister.
British Government: PM Chamberlain reports that eight Luftwaffe planes have been downed by the RAF so far. First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill estimates that the Germans have lost a third of their U-boats. In addition, Churchill reports that there were 24 officers and 786 men lost on the Royal Oak.
German Government: Adolf Hitler institutes a new decoration for heroism, the War Merit Cross second class bronze with swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern), also know as the KVK 2. It is an award for bravery by anyone who is not on the front lines.
American Homefront: Grandma Moses becomes famous when an art exhibit including her paintings opens at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Future History: Lee Harvey Oswald is born in New Orleans, LA. He gains notoriety (and death) as the assassin of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
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| A typical Grandma Moses painting. She achieves prominence on 18 October 1939 due to an exhibition of her work that receives great reviews. |
October 1939
October 1, 1939: Occupation of WarsawOctober 2, 1939: Hel Peninsula Falls
October 3, 1939: The Diamantis Incident
October 4, 1939: Otto Kretschmer Gets Rolling
October 5, 1939: Polish Resistance Ends
October 6, 1939: Hitler Peace Effort
October 7, 1939: The British Have Arrived
October 8, 1939: First RAF Kill from UK
October 9, 1939: "City of Flint" Incident
October 10, 1939: Lithuania Under Pressure
October 11, 1939: The Atomic Age Begins
October 12, 1939: England Rejects Hitler's Peace Offer
October 13, 1939: Charles Lindbergh Speaks Out
October 14 1939: Royal Oak Sunk
October 15, 1939: Cuban Rockets
October 16, 1939: First Aircraft Shot Down Over UK
October 17, 1939: Marshall Mannerheim Returns
October 18, 1939: Prien Receives His Award
October 19, 1939: Preliminary Plan for Fall Gelb
October 20, 1939: Hitler Grapples with the Jews
October 21, 1939: Hurricanes to the Rescue!
October 22, 1939: Goebbels Lies Through His Teeth
October 23, 1939: Norway the Center of Attention
October 24, 1939: German "Justice" Gets Rolling
October 25, 1939: Handley Page Halifax Bomber First Flies
October 26, 1939: Jozef Tiso Takes Slovakia
October 27, 1939: King Leopold Stands Firm
October 28, 1939 - First Luftwaffe Raid on Great Britain
October 29, 1939: Tinkering with Fall Gelb
October 30, 1939: Defective Torpedoes
October 31, 1939: Molotov Issues an Ultimatum
2019
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