Tuesday 7 November 1939

Bob Hope and Judy Garland on 7 November 1939.

European Air Operations: Two Polish destroyers and other light craft are attacked by the Luftwaffe in the North Sea on 7 November 1939. There are no losses on either side.

A Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft is fired upon by anti-aircraft batteries and driven off by the RAF. There are scattered other intrusions of British airspace.

The RAF conducts further reconnaissance over western Germany without incident.

British Propaganda: Lord Halifax makes a radio broadcast setting forth Great Britain's war aims.

German Propaganda: The German Navy Ministry states to the U.S. Naval Attaché in Berlin that it had been "definitely established that no German U-boat had torpedoed the Athenia." In addition, the German Navy considered the incident "closed as far as the Navy was concerned" and possessed only "an academic interest in how the ship was sunk." This, of course, is all a complete fabrication, as the German Naval Ministry knows exactly how the Athenia sank when one of its U-boats put torpedoes into it.

Finland: The Finnish government tells its negotiators to tell the Soviets "Nyet."

Poland: General Władysław Sikorski is named General Inspector of the Armed Forces by the Polish government-in-exile in Paris.

General Sikorski is named Commander-in-Chief of Polish armed forces (in exile) in addition to being Prime Minister. He and the government form a General Staff.

American Homefront: Judy Garland guests on Bob Hope's "The Pepsodent Show."

Future History: The Academy Theater in Inglewood California opens on 7 November 1939. It was originally designed to host the Academy Awards but never did. It served as a major suburban theater for the Fox West Coast Theaters chain with many film premieres and showed movies until 1976 when it became a church. Designed by architect S. Charles Lee.

The Academy Theater is showing "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" starring Jimmy Stewart, released 19 October 1939.

November 1939

November 1, 1939: The Jet Flies Again
November 2, 1939: The Soviets Devour Poland
November 3, 1939: Amending the Neutrality Act
November 4, 1939: Roosevelt Signs Neutrality Laws
November 5, 1939: The Spirit of Zossen
November 6, 1939: First Dogfight
November 7, 1939: More Lies About SS Athenia
November 8, 1939: Hitler Almost Killed
November 9, 1939: The Venlo Incident
November 10, 1939: Dutch Panic
November 11, 1939: Poignant Armistice Day
November 12, 1939: Peace Efforts Made and Rejected
November 13, 1939: First Bombing of Great Britain
November 14, 1939: The Dyle Plan
November 15, 1939: Elser Confesses to the Bürgerbräukeller Bombing
November 16, 1939: Martial Law in Prague
November 17, 1939: International Students Day
November 18, 1939: Magnetic Mines
November 19, 1939: Walls Around the Warsaw Ghetto
November 20, 1939: First RN Submarine Victory
November 21, 1939: Salmon & Gluckstein on the Prowl
November 22, 1939: British Recover A Magnetic Mine
November 23, 1939: HMS Rawalpindi Sunk
November 24, 1939: Japanese Enter Nanning
November 25, 1939: The Olympics are a War Casualty
November 26, 1939: Soviets Stage an "Incident" at Mainila
November 27, 1939: German Marriage Becomes Perilous
November 28, 1939: Judenrats in Poland
November 29, 1939: The Soviets Prepare to Invade Finland
November 30, 1939: Winter War Begins

2019