Prolonged air raids hit Merseyside, especially Birkenhead and Wallasey. They sink two ships in dock, damage others and kill 630 people.

RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: 82 bombers are sent to Bremen, including 28 Blenheims.

Meanwhile five aircraft of 139 Squadron patrolling in the North Sea attack two 500-ton ships.

London: Churchill writes to Roosevelt:

"Admiral Darlan's declaration and threat make me wonder whether it would not be best for you to intervene as a friend of both sides and try to bring about a working agreement. ... We fear very much a prolongation of the war and its miseries which would result from breakdown of blockade of Germany."

Churchill suggests allowing a ration of wheat to go through from America to Vichy and French Africa. The Germans need not know and perhaps a French warship or two may make its way from Toulon to Casablanca or Dakar.

London:

War Office suggest to Wavell that the RAF bomb the German lines of communication from Danube to Graeco-Bulgar frontier.

The original incident used in Compton Mackenzie's Whisky Galore occurs in the Hebrides when a cargo ship (Politician) runs aground with her holds full of whisky. Islanders hide the quarter of a million bottles from Customs officers.

GERMANY: U-167, U-605, U-606, U-661 laid down.

U.S.S.R.: There is a Thai-Soviet exchange of notes establishing diplomatic relations.

TERRITORY OF HAWAII: The Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, sends the following message to the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark: “In view of [your letter of 15 February], the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, recommends that until a light efficient net, that can be laid temporarily and quickly is developed, no anti-torpedo nets [for protection against torpedo plane attacks] be supplied this area.” 

U.S.A.: The motion picture "Meet John Doe" premieres in Hollywood and New York City. Directed by Frank Capra, this social drama stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold, Walter Brennan, Spring Byington, James Gleason and Gene Lockhart.

The Naval Air School at Corpus Christi, Texas, opens.