1932 (THURSDAY)
MANCHUKUO: The Japanese and Manchukuo governments sign a protocol which establishes a Japanese protectorate over the kingdom.
1935 (SUNDAY)
GERMANY: Chancellor Adolf Hitler alleges that Germans in Memel, Lithuania, have been tortured and deprived of autonomy after peace had been concluded.
1936 (TUESDAY)
SPAIN: The government protests Italians, Germans, and Portuguese ebels in the Spanish Civil War.
UNITED STATES: The USN's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley [CV-1, ex collier USS Jupiter (AC-3)], is detached from the Battle Force and assigned to Commander, Aircraft Base Force, for duty as a seaplane tender (AV-3). After a brief period of operation, she goes into the yard for conversion, from which she emerges early in 1937 with the forward part of her flight deck removed. The USN now has four aircraft carriers in commission.
1937 (WEDNESDAY)
SWITZERLAND: Wellington Koo, Chinese Delegate, warned the League of Nations Council of injury to foreign interests in the Far East and the possibility of a world conflict if Japanese aggression in China goes unchecked.
1938 (THURSDAY)
GERMANY: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flies to Germany and meets with Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Hitler demands the annexation of the German regions of Czechoslovakia on the basis of self-determination and announces Germany's intentions to go to war to achieve this goal. Prime Minister Chamberlain and Lord Runciman return to London to meet with French government leaders.
September 15th, 1939 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:Britain has been living for a fortnight without a weather forecast, the first deprivation of war. Another, not so badly missed, is schooling. Some 2,000 city schools have been requisitioned for use in Civil Defence, and a million unevacuated children have no classes to go to.
Petrol ration cards have already been issued and rationing was due to start tomorrow, but has been postponed after motorists drained the pumps dry of "Pool" petrol at 1/6 a gallon.
The 'Firby' (4869 tons), owned by the Ropner Shipping Company, Limited, was sunk in the Atlantic. The master, Captain Prince, has informed the owners that he and the crew of 40 all got away and had landed safely. Four, however, had been injured by shells.
The chief officer, Mr. James Woodruff, stated that the crew, after taking to the boats, pulled alongside the German submarine, the commander of which was most considerate. members of his crew handed nine loaves of black bread to the sunken ships crew and three rolls of bandages for the injured men. Before they moved away the commander sent an S.O.S. to Mr. Churchill at the Admiralty giving the position where the sinking had occurred. After 13 hours in a heavy sea the men were rescued by a destroyer.
The Times, September 15th, 1939.
U-26
sank SS Alex Van Opstal.
U-36 sank SS Truro .
U-53 sank SS Cheyenne.
LUXEMBOURG: A Grand Ducal
decree calls for the recruitment of 125 volunteer reservists to augment the
Company of Volunteers.
POLAND: Guderian's 10th Panzer Division closes the ring around Brest on the east bank of the Bug. An attempt to capture the citadel by means of a surprise tank attack failed, owing to the Poles having blocked the entrance gate by parking an old Renault tank at an angle across it, so that tanks could not force their way in. The German 20th motorized and the 10th Panzer Divisions are deployed for a concerted attack on the citadel to take place tomorrow. (95)(Russ Folsom)
Gdynia is captured by German forces. Polish breakout attempts from the Kutno pocket are unsuccessful.
U.S.S.R.:
Khalkin-Gol: The Soviet Union, Mongolia and Japan sign an agreement calling for all combat actions at Khalkin-Gol to cease by September 16. The two sides agress to exchange prisoners of war and a commission is created to define the borders of Mongolia and Manchuria in the area of Khalkin-Gol. This enables it to pull forces away from Mongolia and look west. Both sides have been under pressure from Germany since the signing of the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact. Peace talks were initiated by Japan's new cabinet, appointed two weeks ago.
Pravda attributes Poland's "military debacle" to its "brutal treatment" of its national minorities, especially the Polish Ukrainians and White Russians.
AUSTRALIA: The government announces the mobilization of the Militia and the establishment of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force for service abroad. Australia needed to raise a volunteer force for overseas service because the militia were only allowed to serve in Australian territories.
CANADA: The first British transatlantic convoy sets sail from Halifax, Nova Scotia. From now on, all ships carrying vital supplies of Canadian wheat and US munitions are to travel in convoys scheduled and protected by the British and Canadian navies. The vital Glasgow-Thames coastal trade is now moving in convoys. Last week the first convoy from Liverpool set sail for the US.
Patrol vessel HMCS
Brad D'Or commissioned. Built Sorel, Province of Quebec. Launched 1919,
completed 1926, 265 tons, 124.5x23.5x12.4ft, 7kts, crew 4/20. Ex-Dept of
Marine and Fisheries, Lightship No. 25. Pendants (FY18)>(J06)
MFV HMCS Santa Maria commissioned.
Built Vancouver, British Columbia. Launched 1936, 67.5x19.3x9.25ft, 8kts,
crew 1/10, 1-.303mg
Destroyers HMCS Fraser and St Laurent
arrived Halifax from Vancouver, British Columbia.
NEWFOUNDLAND: Since Canada
had "publicly proclaimed interest in the defence of Newfoundland,"
Governor Sir Humphrey Walwyn suggests to the Dominions Secretary in London
that they invite the Canadian Government "to take over for the duration
of the war...Botwood Seaplane Base for the RCAF." London flatly
refuses, explaining that in light of Newfoundland's destined role in
transatlantic aviation, relinquishing control of its airports was
inadvisable as they "are such an important factor in our bargaining
position vis-a-vis Pan-American World Airways and [the] United States."
London did not object, however, to the RCAF making use of facilities if
Canada so requested. Indeed, such a request had been made by Canada earlier
in the month and authorized by Newfoundland. An agreement in April 1941 did
eventually see the transfer of Newfoundland's air bases to Canada for the
duration of the war.
U.S.A.:
The isolationist campaign against American involvement in the war is reaching a crescendo. In three days alone, a total of more than a million pieces of mail reached Capitol Hill, urging senators and congressmen to vote against selling arms to the allies. Several members of Congress have taken to the airwaves to broadcast the isolationist viewpoint, including Senators Borah Nye and Vandenberg, but the most vociferous advocate is Charles Lindbergh.The Lindberghs moved to Europe after the infamous kidnapping of their son, and became close to the "Cliveden set" in Britain, who advocated appeasement to Germany, and Joseph Kennedy, the US Ambassador to Great Britain. Lindbergh praised Nazi Germany's "sense of decency", called Hitler "undoubtedly a great man" and accepted a Nazi decoration.
The temperature in Detroit, Michigan, soars to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade) to establish a record for September.
Destroyer USS Mustin commissioned.