February 10th, 1940 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The first magnetic mine is swept using a towed loop of cable, by HMS Salve and HMS Servitor, off a sunken lightship. (Alex Gordon)Destroyer HMS Havelock commissioned.
THE NETHERLANDS:
The Dutch government announces the decision to build three battlecruisers, with
technical assistance from Italy, for the defence of the Netherlands East Indies.
The ships are never completed.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Prague: The Nazis order the closing down of all Jewish-owned textile, clothing and leather
goods stores, and warned that Baron von
Neurath, the "Reich Protector" of
Bohemia-Moravia, may order all other Jewish businesses to shut. Von Neurath has also
ordered the sale of all jewellery, gold, platinum, silver and works of art owned by Jews.
The measures are seen here as part of a plan to eliminate Jews from the economic life of
what used to be Czechoslovakia.
FINLAND: The Finnish
Prime Minister Risto Ryti and Foreign Minister Väinö Tanner visit the GHQ at
Mikkeli to tell of the peace probes. The military leadership recommends starting
the negotiations.
U.S.S.R.: Stalin agrees to sign a trade treaty to supply Germany with grain, oil and raw materials.
SPAIN: Six German merchant ships leave Vigo to run the British blockade. Allied warships intercept four, one runs aground off northern Norway and one, the passenger liner SS Wangoni, reaches Kiel on 1 March.
GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS West Chatala is detained for several hours by British authorities but is released to continue her voyage.
AUSTRALIA:
Destroyer HMAS Warramunga laid down.
Sloop HMAS Warrego launched.
U.S.A.: Washington: President Roosevelt condemns the USSR, saying that the US backs Finland.
"In The Mood" by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra reaches
Number 1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the U.S. This song, which debuted
on the charts on 21 October 1939, was charted for 28 weeks, was Number 1 for 13
weeks and was ranked Number 1 for the year 1940.
Tom and Jerry, the cat and mouse friends/enemies, make their debut in MGM's "Puss Gets the Boot" although Tom is known as Jasper and Jerry is unnamed.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The neutral Silja left Gibraltar on 5 February and was reported missing thereafter. At 2059, U-37 fired one torpedo at a steamer, which was struck in the aft part and broke in two. The stern sank immediately and the foreship followed after a few minutes. This must have been the Silja.
SS Burgerdijk was stopped by U-48 and the crew was ordered to abandon ship. At 1845, ship torpedoed and sunk.
USCGC Bibb and Duane make first transmissions as weather stations.