UNITED KINGDOM: Civilian air raid casualties this month were 900 people killed and 908 injured.

Corvettes HMS Monkshood, Pentstemon commissioned.
Escort carrier HMS Pursuer laid down.

 

GERMANY: Nazi plans to rid Europe of Jews took a step forward today, when Reinhardt Heydrich, the head of the RHSA (Reichssicherheitshaupamt [Reich Chief Security Office], which controls the police and Gestapo) received the following directive from Göring :

"I commission you to carry out all organizational, material and financial preparations for a total solution of the Jewish question in the German sphere of influence in Europe. If the competency of other organizations is affected by this, these organizations are to participate,

I further order you to submit to me as soon as possible a report showing the ... measures already taken for the execution of the final solution of the Jewish question."

This order gives Heydrich full administrative power to set up a pan-European programme, operated by Himmler's SS, to dispose of the Jews. The nature of the programme is still unfinalized, but some things are becoming clear.

First, the thoroughness of Einsatzkommando massacres in occupied Russia in the last six weeks suggests that murder on a massive scale, rather than emigration, has become the "solution" to the "problem". Secondly, recent discussions between Himmler and Rudolf Hoess, the Aushwitz commandant, show that the order for that solution comes from Hitler himself.

It looks as though the Auschwitz camp and one to be built at Majdanek, near Lublin, are to become the main centres for the operation.

U-711 laid down.
U-581 commissioned.
U-172 launched.

FINLAND: II Corps (Maj. Gen. Laatikainen) begins its attack on Karelian Isthmus. The Corps consists of 2nd, 15th and 18th Divisions (with the 10th Div. waiting in Supreme HQ's reserve). The ultimate goal of the attack is to recapture Viipuri (Vyborg), the second largest city of Finland before 1939, lost to Soviet Union after the Winter War. The defending forces are Soviet 142nd and 115th Divs in well-prepared positions. The attack meets heavy resistance and the intense fighting slows Finnish advance in the first days of the attack.

U.S.S.R.: At the end of 14 days of continuous slaughter, Einsatzkommando groups have killed 10,000 Jews at Kishinev and 2,500 at Zhitomir. Immediately a region is occupied by German troops the Einsatzgruppen move in, gather together the local Jews, strip them of clothing and valuables and shoot them dead in a remote part of the countryside. The corpses are thrown into a shallow ditch.

Local people especially in the Ukraine and Lithuania, join in mounting their own pogroms.

The German army reaches Lake Ilmen and the Finnish army starts an attack aimed at Viipuri.

Moscow:

Tallinn, the Estonian capital, has been surrounded by von Leeb's Army Group North as he strikes for Leningrad. "Fast Heinz" Guderian's tanks are approaching Moscow, Kiev is threatened by von Kleist and the Black Sea, the Romanian 4th Army is advancing on Odessa. The triumphal progress of the Wehrmacht is shown by the scale of Russian casualties - over a million in little more than a month of fighting, although the German casualties have been heavy too, over 100,000, more than in all its previous campaigns. Weaknesses are beginning to show in the German war machine. Some tanks are breaking down because their air filters cannot cope with the dust of the Russian steppes, and supply lines are stretched to breaking point. General Hopner, leading the Panzer thrust to Leningrad has been forced to delay his attempt to seize the city because he is short of shells. The scorched-earth policy is also denying the invaders the opportunity to live off the conquered lands.

The Russian Army fired the first volley of Katyusha Rockets. (Bill Howard)
 

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Force H covers a small convoy to Malta. Destroyers and aircraft from HMS Ark Royal attack Alghero in Sardinia.

NORTH AFRICA: Axis forces are reorganised; General Ludwig Cruwell takes over command of the Afrika Korps while Rommel commands the new Panzerarmee Afrika.

CHINA: The Japanese government advises the US government that the bombing of the river gunboat USS Tutuila (PR-4) at Chungking, China yesterday was, "an accident, 'pure and simple.'"

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Battleford commissioned.

U.S.A.: Burbank, California: The first Lockheed Ventura makes it's maiden flight. It is the first of 675 placed by the British Purchasing Commission and is designed to replace the Hudson.

The U.S. Army establishes the Military Police Corps.

Washington: Roosevelt explains the introduction of price controls to Congress, on the basis of controlling inflation and reducing the rise in domestic consumption.

Washington:
US Army Chief of Staff George Marshall issues public statement that it was now US policy to defend the Philippines and that Philippine defence was to take the "highest priority". (Marc Small)

The US Asiatic Fleet and US Army Harbor defence Command close Manila harbor by mining. Henceforth, civilian shipping requires escort through the minefields by Asiatic Fleet vessels or by US Army Mine Planters assigned to the Harbor defence Command. (Marc Small)

Senator Knox has explained what happened when a US destroyer dropped depth bombs off the coast of GREENLAND:

One US destroyer operating off Greenland heard the SOS of a steamer and proceeded to the location and picked up 60 of the survivors of the steamer. ...the operator of the listening equipment reported that he though he heard a submerged submarine.

The captain immediately turned toward the direction indicated and dropped three depth charges. In doing this he very rightly exercised the right of self-preservation.

There was no evidence that a submarine was there... the echo might have been received from a whale or large fish, or a cold current..

The motion picture "Hold Back the Dawn" is released in the U.S. The film is directed by Mitchell Leisen and stars Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, Paulette Goddard, Walter Abel and Rosemary DeCamp; Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake appear in uncredited bit parts. This tear-jerker has Boyer as a Rumanian gigolo being rejected as he tries to enter the U.S. so he marries a spinsterish American (de Havilland). After entering the country, he plans to dump her and marry his girlfriend (Goddard) who got into the U.S. the same way. The film is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actress (de Havilland).

Destroyers USS Duncan, Lansdowne, Pringle laid down.

NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN: Royal Navy hopes are high as this month ends that they are over the worst in their battle with the U-boats. Losses to Allied shipping are now running at under one-fifth of the peak rate of 688,000 tons suffered in April.

There has been a steady improvement, thanks to more escorts and better support at the Iceland base, with the US now helping out as well as Canada. And the Germans have had less air support since the Russian front opened.

BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC:

Losses:

23 ships of 98,000 tons.

Losses in home waters:

18 ships of 15,000 tons.