August 21st, 1941 (THURSDAY)
EIRE: An RAF Hurricane Mk.
IIB, s/n Z5070, which was on a delivery flight, makes a forced landing at Athboy,
County Meath. This aircraft is repaired by the Irish Army Air Corps and becomes
their sixth fighter aircraft in service; the six consist of three Gloster
Gladiator Mk. Is, a biplane with a top speed of 253 mph (407 km/h), and three
Hurricanes, two Mk. IIBs and a Mk. X.
FRANCE: Paris: A German naval cadet by the name of Moser is shot in the Metro station of Barbès-Rochechouart by a young communist, Fabien who soon to assume the rank of colonel in the FTP.
Vichy arrests 5,000 Jews to be sent to Drancy concentration camp which opened yesterday.
GERMANY: Herman Bernhard Ramcke who flew out to Crete in May to replace the dead Gen. Meindl receives the Knight's Cross for his decision and subsequent leadership. As does Dr. Heinrich Neumann who took over command of I. Battalion Sturm Regiment. (Marc Rikmenspoel)
Adolf Hitler orders the investment, not capture, of Leningrad, and the transfer of several divisions from the North and Centre to capture the Crimea and the Donets basin, an industrial region vital to the Soviet war effort.
U-174 launched.
U-376,
U-455 and
U-584 commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: Chudovo, NE of
Novgorod falls to the Germans. This cuts the rail link between Leningrad and Moscow.
Finnish attacks capture Kexholm from the Soviets.
The Red Army retreats from Gomel after a long series of unsuccessful counterattacks
against the Germans.
The Red Army blows up the Dnieper Dam to halt the German advance and as part of
their "scorched-earth" policy.
FINLAND: In southern Karelia IV
Corps (Lt. Gen. Lennart Oesch) starts its attack today, one day earlier than originally
planned. The Corps consists of 12th ID (Col. Vihma), IR 25 and 8th ID (Col. Winell) with
4th ID (Col. Viljanen) in reserve. It is opposed by the three divisions of the Soviet 23rd
Army (123rd, 43rd and 115th divs). The aim is to encircle and destroy the Soviet troops
around Viipuri and western Karelian Isthmus.
The attack is originally planned for 22 Aug, but on the 21st it is found out that the Soviet troops are withdrawing along the whole front. The Finnish troops are ordered to immediately pursue the enemy.
CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Grandmere launched Montreal, Province of Quebec.
U.S.A.: President Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the U.S. Congress about the Atlantic Chargers. He say, "Finally, the declaration of principles at this time presents a goal which is worth while for our type of civilization to seek. It is so clear cut that it is difficult to oppose in any major particular without automatically admitting a willingness to accept compromise with Nazism; or to agree to a world peace which would give to Nazism domination over large numbers of conquered nations. Over a week ago I held several important conferences at sea with the British Prime Minister. Because of the factor of safety to British, Canadian, and American ships, and their personnel, no prior announcement of these meetings could properly be made."
The motion picture "The Little Foxes" is released today. Based on the play by Lillian Hellman, this drama is directed by William Wyler and stars Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, Teresa Wright (in her film debut), Richard Carlson and Dan Duryea (his film debut). The plot describes the greed and corruption within a crumbling Southern family. Regina (Davis) needs money to invest in a business with her brothers but her husband Horace (Marshall) refuses. Regina's nephew Leo (Duryea) steals negotiable bonds from Horace's bank to give the brothers, and when Regina tries to blackmail them, Horace claims the money was a gift. Furious, Regina withholds Horace's medication knowing he will die without it and after he dies, she forces her brothers to give her two-thirds of their business. Her daughter Alexandra (Wright) learns what has happened and leaves her. The film is nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director (Wyler), Best Actress (Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Wright). It does not win any awards.
Submarine USS Gato launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The first Arctic convoy sets sail from Iceland to northern Russia.