August 4th, 1941 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Minesweeper HMS Sidmouth commissioned.
VICHY FRANCE: The government indicates that it will refuse military facilities to the Axis in North Africa.
GERMANY: Guderian meets with Hitler and tells him that he believes the Soviet Army is scraping the bottom of its manpower barrel. (Peter Kilduff)(140)
U-523 laid down.
CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Malpeque commissioned. Corvette HMCS Battleford arrived Halifax from builder Montreal, Province of Quebec.
U.S.A.: Washington: The US makes a formal
commitment to send military supplies to the USSR. The Soviet Ambassador, Mr Oumansky, has
welcomed the acceleration of US supplies as "an expression of confidence" that
US aid would correspond to Soviet needs.
The US decision reveals a shift in policy by President Roosevelt. In the first days after
the Nazi invasion of Russia on 22 June, he was reluctant to commit supplies to Russia, as
he was advised that the Red Army would only hold out for a few weeks.
The US presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25), bearing President Franklin D
Roosevelt, and the tender USS Calypso (AG-35) sail from Point Judith, Rhode Island to
South Dartmouth, Massachusetts where Crown Princess Martha of Norway and her party board.
After a day of fishing, the guests are put ashore and the two ships sail to Menemsha
Bight, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts where they join the heavy cruisers USS Augusta
(CA-31) and USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and 5 destroyers.
Amphibious manoeuvres involving the US 1st Marine Division and the Army's 1st Division
begin at New River, North Carolina. Also involved is the aircraft escort vessel USS Long
Island (AVG-1); the aircraft from the ship provide close air support for the
"invaders."
The first Ryan NR-1 trainer is delivered to NAS Jacksonville, Florida for primary flight training of the USN.
Light cruiser USS Houston laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2055, the Robert Max was stopped by
two shots across her bow by U-126
near the Azores and was sunk two hours later by 17 rounds from the deck gun and
gunfire after the crew was allowed to leave their ship
in a lifeboat. They were questioned by the Germans, who offered cigarettes, gave
them the course to San Miguel and wished good luck before leaving the area. The
survivors reached the Azores after three days and were repatriated from Oporto
to Grand Bank by the British sailing vessel James and Stanley.