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1910   (MONDAY) 

UNITED STATES: Eugene Ely, a Curtiss exhibition pilot, takes off from the deck of the USS Birmingham (Scout Cruiser No. 2) while it is anchored in Hampton Roads, Virginia, thus becoming the first pilot to fly from the deck of a Navy ship.

 

1930   (FRIDAY) 

UNITED STATES: The motion picture "Morocco" opens at the Rivoli Theater in New York City. This romantic drama directed by Josef von Sternberg stars Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich and Adolphe Menjou. The film is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actress in a Leading Role (Dietrich) and Best Director. The members of the American Film Institute have ranked this film as No. 83 on the list of the 100 Greatest American Love Stories.

 

1935   (THURSDAY) 

UNITED STATES: President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaims the Philippine Islands a free commonwealth.

 

1936   (SATURDAY) 

GERMANY: Under the Versailles Treaty, major German rivers and canals came under international control. Chancellor Adolf Hitler announces that the German government would resume control over waterways in Germany. Only the Czechoslovak, French, and Yugoslav governments protested against this unilateral action, otherwise the denouncement caused barely a ripple of protest despite another breach of the international treaty system.

 

1937   (SUNDAY) 

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: In response to the political tensions following the suppression of a Sudete German Party meeting, the Czechoslovak government postpones national elections and forbids political meetings. The situation develops into crisis proportions between the German and Czechoslovak governments.

 

PALESTINE: Violence escalates to the point of pitched battles in Jerusalem between Arab and Jewish forces. The British expand their efforts to restore security in the Palestine mandate.

 

1938   (MONDAY) 

UNITED STATES: At a secret White House meeting with his military leaders, President Franklin D. Roosevelt calls for an Army Air Corps of 20,000 airplanes. Although he can not immediately request sufficient funds for the program from Congress, Roosevelt commits his administration to a vastly expanded air force.

     The U.S. recalls its Ambassador from Berlin."with a view to gaining a first-hand picture of the situation in Germany . . ."

November 14th, 1939 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: London: General Sikorski, the head of the exiled Polish government, arrives.

Sikorski proves to be the only Pole with both the political clout and the temperament to effectively deal with the Western allies. After his death in 1943, the Polish Government in Exile never finds an effective leader to equal Sikorski and the Polish position among the Western Allies grows weaker and weaker, despite continued Polish battlefield successes. (Alexander M. Bielakowski)

Submarine HMS Tetrarch launched.

Corvettes HMS Mallow, Hibiscus and Camellia laid down.

Submarine HMS Thrasher laid down.

FRANCE: The Allies agree to draw up defensive lines on the river Dyle in Belgium if Germany attacks.

Destroyer FS Le Corsaire launched.

GERMANY: Berlin: Hitler rejects Queen Wilhelmina's and King Leopold's offer of mediation.

CANADA: Destroyer HMCS Fraser damaged in a collision with the armed trawler HMCS Bras D'Or. Fraser was under repairs until 04 Dec 39.

U.S.A.: The Stinson aircraft company is taken over by Vultee and Vultee Aircraft, Incorporated is established to acquire the assets of the Aviation Manufacturing Company making Vultee a subsidiary of the parent company, the Aviation Company..

ATLANTIC OCEAN: During heavy weather, U-49's machine gun was swept off the conning tower.

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