1933 (MONDAY)
UNITED STATES: Lieutenant Commander Thomas G. W. Settle, USN, and Major Chester L. Fordney, USMC, flying a 600,000 cubic foot (16 990 cubic meter) free balloon, set a world's altitude record of 61,237 feet (18 665 meters) in a flight into the stratosphere with departure from Akron, Ohio, and landing near Bridgeton, New Jersey.
1934 (TUESDAY)
JAPAN: In baseball, 17-year-old Eiji Sawamura gives up one hit, a home run to New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig, as the touring American All-Stars win in Japan, 1-0. At one point Sawamura strikes out four future Hall of Famers in a row: Detroit Tigers' second baseman Charlie Gehringer, New York Yankees right fielder Babe Ruth, Philadelphia Athletics first baseman Jimmie Foxx, and Gehrig.
1936 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Foreign Secretary Eden assures France and Belgium of British military support in case of unprovoked, aggression ". . . in accordance with our existing obligations."
1937 (SATURDAY)
CHINA: After the fall of Shanghai on 9 November, the Japanese continued their advance westward and capture Soochow today. The Japanese then mount a vigorous campaign up the Yangtze River towards central China. Japanese air attacks on Chinese cities outrage world opinion.
In light of the rapid Japanese advances in north and central China, the Nationalist Chinese government move their capital from Nanking to Chungking, although executive power is temporarily based at Hankow.
1938 (SUNDAY)
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: The Czecho-Slovak government gives the Germans rights to a highway across Moravia to Vienna, and a canal which connects the Oder and Danube Rivers.
UNITED STATES: Father Charles Coughlin, head of the misnamed Union of Social Justice, makes a notorious anti-Semitic radio broadcast, prompting group pressure that will eventually force him off the air.
November 20th, 1939 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:Home Fleet submarines gain their first success in the Heligoland Bight when HMS/M Sturgeon (N 73) sinks the German patrol ship V209 (ex Gauleiter Telschow) in position 54.32N, 05.10E.
One Luftwaffe aircraft is shot down off the East Coast, 3 prisoners are taken.
The first magnetic mines are parachuted into the Thames Estuary by the Luftwaffe.
The minesweeper HMS Mastiff is blown up by a magnetic mine while attempting to recover it into a fishing net.
London: For the first time since war began workers travelled home in blackout conditions this evening. On the first business day after the change from British Summer Time the blackout began at 4.30 pm. Many offices in the City closed at 4pm to give employees a chance to get home before the lights went out. Staff had started early and cut short their lunch hours to make up time. Shops in the West End closed early, too, with only a few still serving customers after 5pm.
The change has brought the rush hour forward by an hour, and London Transport is considering adjusting services. This evening's bright moonlight made journeys in the darkened city more romantic than perilous.
Destroyer HMS Liddesdale laid down.
NORTH SEA: U-18 and U-57 both attacked a British destroyer, but without success.
GERMANY:
OKW issues Fhrer Directive #8 for the Conduct of the
War.
(i) A high state of preparedness should be maintained such that the planned
Western offensive can be mounted at a moments notice, this will make it
possible to take immediate advantage of favourable weather. It should be
possible to delay the attack as late as 2300 hours on A-Day-1. Prior to this
time Commands will receive the code words, Danzig to proceed with, or
Augsburg to delay, the offensive.
(ii) Special orders are no longer required for undertaking planned
measures against Holland when the offensive opens. Where no resistance is
offered the operation should assume the character of a peaceful
occupation.
(iii) All precautions should be taken to enable the main weight of the
attack to be switched from Army Group B to Army Group A should the
disposition of enemy forces suggest Army Group A could achieve greater
success.
(iv) The Kriegsmarine will undertake the blockade of Dutch and Belgian ports
and sea lanes. Initiation of the action is authorized on the night preceding
the attack provided the secrecy of land operations is not compromised.
Coastal artillery for the protection of the occupied coastline is the
responsibility of the navy.
(v) The Führer has issued special verbal orders for airborne landings,
including those supporting the army river crossings in Holland and Belgium.
Air attacks on centres of population and large open cities in Holland,
Belgium, and Luxembourg, are not permitted without compelling military
necessity.
(vi) Until the opening of the attack, traffic and communication across the
Dutch, Belgian, and Luxembourg frontiers will be maintained at a normal
level to ensure surprise. Upon the opening of the attack these frontiers
will be closed for all non-military purposes. At the time of the attack no
special restrictions will be applied to other neutral frontiers of the
Reich. (Marc Roberts)
U-139 laid down.
DENMARK: The Navy Supreme Command ("Søværnskommandoen") gives the orders to place mine fields in the Storebælt, between Langeland and Lolland, and in Lille Bælt between Als and Ærø.
FINLAND: Several cabinet ministers, foremost among them Foreign Minister Eljas Erkko, propose that the Army should be partially demobilized. In their opinion the threat of war with Soviet Union is receding, and keeping the Defence Forces fully mobilized is straining economy. Defence Forces high command and Defence Minister Juho Niukkanen oppose the proposal, and there's no demobilization. Tomorrow (on 21 Nov) the cabinet decides that people evacuated under compulsion from municipalities near the Fenno-Soviet border can return their homes.
GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS Excambion is detained by British authorities.
U.S.A.:
Destroyer USS Stack commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-33 sank SS Delphine, Sea Sweeper and Thomas Hankins.