January 4th, 1940 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
The bacon ration to be introduced in 8 January is fixed at 4 ounces per person per week.
RAF Bomber Command: 4 Grp. Leaflets and Reconnaissance - Hamburg - Bremen. 10 Sqn. Two aircraft. Severe opposition over Bremen. One aircraft
crashed on return, Flying Officer V. R.
Patterson crashed K9020 on landing at Dishforth. The crew escaped serious injury, but much
later there was a droll sequel. The WOP/AG
Aircraftsman W.R. 'Charlie' Armstrong was recommended for a commission in 1944 and during
his medical the examining officer discovered an entry in Charlie's records stating that he
received fatal injuries in the crash. "Welcome back," he said. "I know you
lot are supposed to be living on borrowed time, but this is ridiculous."
AMC HMS Bulolo commissioned.
GERMANY:
Göring takes control of the national war economy and all German war industries.
GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS Exiria is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Godetia laid down.
U.S.A.:
Washington: Roosevelt asks Congress for a defence budget of $1.8 million.
Garret Dempsey writes: In the Army
"Green Book" series, U.S. Army in World War II, in the volume for "The Army
and Economic Mobilization" by R. Elberton Smith, there's a chart (Table 2)
on pg. 6 that lists the "U.S. War Program for World War II: By Procuring
Agency, 1 July 1940-31 August 1945". According to those figures, in the
period from 1 July 1940 to 31 December 1940, the total "War Program"
expenditures came to $3.6 BILLION.