Spit Fort, Hampshire: Blackburn Botha (L6111) crashes into the sea during mine laying experiments.

RAF Bomber Command: 'Security Patrols' - Hornum - Borkum. 77 Sqn. Two aircraft. 102 Sqn. Two aircraft. Moderate opposition.

Westminster: The government is launching a big recruiting and training drive for the engineering and metal industries. At the same time it acknowledges that it will still fail to meet the vast demand for skilled labour.
Unemployed men aged between 17 and 45 will be given up to six months training at 22 Ministry of Labour centres. Within a year 40,000 should be ready for work in the arms factories.
Unemployed men over 45 will be accepted "if fit and handy". Men between 20 and 25 are excluded from the scheme. They will soon be conscripted into the armed forces. All men in training will get free midday meals on each day of attendance at the centres.

Minesweeping trawlers HMS Hickory and Chestnut launched.

Battleship HMS Anson launched.

Corvette USS Restless (ex-HMS Periwinkle) launched.

Corvettes HMS Peony and Snowberry laid down.

GERMANY: Munich: Hitler warns: "We cannot be defeated either economically or militarily ... The world may be full of devils but we will succeed."

Germany and Italy sign a trade agreement giving the Italians an increased coal supply.

Berlin: Revised orders for the attack in the west are issued. The Army High Command (OKH) has been conducting exercises throughout the winter and especially in the early days of this month because of dissatisfaction with the existing attack plan. Following the conversation between Erich von Manstein, Commander of the XXXVIII Corps, and Chancellor Adolf Hitler on 17 February and an OKH presentation to him on the 18th it has been decided to revise the plans to emphasize the role of Army Group A and an attack through the Belgian Ardennes into France near Sedan. If successful the German forces would sweep towards Paris and the Channel coast, cutting off British forces from their French allies and by-passing the Maginot Line. As far as technique goes the plans are fairly traditional. The emphasis is still not yet fully on the possibilities of the panzer advance. Although the direction of the attack is certainly bold, the old school see early problems when it becomes necessary to cross the Meuse River. The tank enthusiasts are more concerned about exploiting the advance after the crossing. 

Plans were changed following the Mechelen incident when earlier invasion plans fell into allied hands.

DENMARK: Copenhagen: The Scandinavian foreign ministers meet to discuss war problems.