Monday 25 March 1940
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| A typical UK lightship. The Luftwaffe has sunk many of them, so the Admiralty makes a decision as to how to replace them on 25 March 1940. |
U-47 (K.Kapt. Günther Prien) sinks Danish freighter Britta 30 miles to the north of Scotland. There are 5 survivors, 13 perish.
The Admiralty decides to replace lightships bombed by the Germans with automatic light floats.
Convoy HG 24F departs from Gibraltar, Convoy OG 23 forms at Gibraltar, Convoy HX 30 departs from Halifax.
US Navy: The cruiser Augusta hits something underwater and suffers damage.
Science: Sunspot activity interferes with short-wave radios across the western hemisphere.
British Military: British POWs are instructed by official order not to broadcast for the Germans. This is due to the fact that Britons had been tuning in to German propaganda broadcasts to learn if their loved ones had been captured by recognizing their voices.
British Government: Foreign Minister Lord Halifax pledges the nation to protect Romanian neutrality, and adds pointedly that the Allies "will not shrink from war with the Soviet Union" to do so.
French Government: Having considered with his inner cabinet the Allies' options for the prosecution of the war, French Prime Minister Reynaud writes to the British government and proposes attacking Soviet shipping.
British Prime Minister Chamberlain instantly rejects the idea. One of the British government's consistent rules during the first six months of the war has been to alienate the Soviet Union as little as possible. Such attacks also would be of dubious value to the war effort. He concludes that Reynaud is just fishing for something to make him look good in public eyes during his first days as Prime Minister.
American Homefront: The US Supreme Court issues a ruling in Helvering v. Bruun, 309 U.S. 461 (1940), which holds that improvements to a property made by a tenant are taxable to the landlord when the landlord repossesses the property.
British Homefront: The ration for butter is set to rise beginning 26 March 1940 to 1/2 pound per week.
China: The Japanese attacking along the Wuchia river at Ta-Tsai-chu 10 km (6.2 miles) north of Wuyuan receive 3,000 men in reinforcements in addition to the 600 with which they began the battle. With the support of artillery and air support, they finally cross the river after three previous days of futility against the Chinese 8th War Area.
In the Battle of South Kwangsi, the Chinese 46th Army captures Lingshan after several days of struggle. The Japanese retreat westward in the direction of Nanning.
Future History: Anita Bryant is born in Barnsdall, Oklahoma. She becomes Miss Oklahoma in 1958, then a top country music singer. She also became involved in political causes and charity work and continues to do so.
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| A March 1940 view of the New York World's Fair in Queens, New York. |
March 1940
March 1, 1940: Soviet Breakthroughs Past ViipuriMarch 2, 1940: Soviets Swarm West in Finland
March 3, 1940: Soviets Across Gulf of Viipuri
March 4, 1940: USSR Apologizes to Sweden
March 5, 1940: Katyn Forest Massacre Approved
March 6, 1940: Finns Head to Moscow
March 7, 1940: The Coal Ships Affair
March 8, 1940: Peace Talks Begin in Moscow
March 9, 1940: Soviets Harden Peace Terms
March 10, 1940: Germany Draws Closer to Italy
March 11, 1940: Winter War Peace Terms Finalized
March 12, 1940: War is Over (If You Want It)
March 13, 1940: Winter War Ends
March 14, 1940: Evacuating Karelia
March 15, 1940: The Bletchley Bombe
March 16, 1940: First British Civilian Killed
March 17, 1940: Enter Dr. Todt
March 18, 1940: Mussolini To Join the War
March 19, 1940: Daladier Resigns
March 20, 1940: Soviets Occupy Hango Naval Base
March 21, 1940: Paul Reynaud Leads France
March 22, 1940: Night Fighters Arise!
March 24, 1940: French Consider Alternatives
March 25, 1940: Reynaud Proposes Action
March 26, 1940: C-46 First Flight
March 27, 1940: Himmler Authorizes Auschwitz Construction
March 28, 1940: Allies Ponder Invading Norway
March 29, 1940: Soviets Prefer Neutrality
March 30, 1940: Allied Uncertainty
March 31, 1940: The Tiger Cage
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