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February 28th, 1940 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:
'The Times'
Four German airmen, the crew of the Heinkel bomber shot down off the Scottish coast yesterday, were picked up by a trawler and landed at a port on the east coast of Scotland. One of them, a photographer, was suffering from gunshot wounds in the mouth.
The trawler was fishing when the crew saw two British fighters attack the Heinkel, which was shot down in flames. The trawler made for the spot, where the Germans were found up to their knees in water in a collapsible rubber boat. The rescued men appeared overjoyed, and shook hands with the trawlers crew over and over again. One of them declared that war was "no good," and that there was only one man in Germany who was allowed to open his mouth. During the journey back to port the skipper discovered that one of the Germans had voluntarily picked up a shovel and was cheerfully assisting the stoker.


RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group. Leaflets and Reconnaissance - Berlin. 51 Sqn. Two aircraft. One returned early U/S. Moderate opposition.


Royal Navy: The first of a new class of battleship, HMS King George V, is launched.


Scotland: Divers have recovered three rotors from the top-secret Enigma enciphering machine on board U-33. The U-boat, caught minelaying off Scotland, scuttled herself after being forced to the surface by depth charges from the sloop HMS Gleaner, which marked the spot and sent for the divers.
The rotors have been rushed to Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire where code-breaking scientists are working furiously to solve the secrets of Enigma. The rotors could help break the vital U-boat code.

Corvette HMS Dahlia laid down.

Destroyer depot ship HMS Tyne launched.

Battleship HMS Duke of York launched.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Whitehorn commissioned.



GERMANY:
Berlin: The propaganda minister, Dr. Göbbels, tells neutral countries to "curb their public opinion" and warns Sweden against aiding Finland.

The government closes factories unnecessary for the war effort. 

FINLAND:  Finns receive an ultimatum from Moscow: Finland has to accept the Soviet terms for starting the negotiations in two days (by 11 am. on 1 March). The Finnish cabinet immediately gathers at Helsinki, where the majority of ministers agree that peace has to be made. PM Ryti and four other ministers travelled to Mikkeli to meet Mannerheim, who told them that the situation at the front is worrisome.

Lt. Gen. Ernst Linder's Swedish volunteers take over the defence of North Finland from Maj. Gen. Kurt Wallenius. Five Finnish infantry battalions are freed to strengthen the defence at the western coast of the Bay of Viipuri, where the Red Army threatens to attack over the frozen gulf.

PALESTINE:  The British government limits the acquisition of Arab land by Jews. 

CHINA: Communist troops retake Anding, near Yenan, from the Japanese.

AUSTRALIA: The War Cabinet adopts a plan to form a second Australian Imperial Force division, the 7th, which with the existing 6th Division, would form an Australian corps. 

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Arvida laid down Quebec City, Province of Quebec.

U.S.A.: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces a limited commercial television service will be authorized beginning on 1 September. Standards are not set, pending further research until the best system can be determined. (Two days later the FCC suspended its authorization for commercial service, declaring that the marketing campaign of RCA disregarded the commission's findings and recommendations.) 
     The National Broadcasting Company’s experimental TV station W2XBS in New York City broadcasts the first basketball game, Fordham vs. the University of Pittsburgh, from Madison Square Garden. Pittsburgh won, 50-37.   

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