September 6th, 1941 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyer HMS Tuscan laid down.
Light cruiser HMS Argonaut launched.
FRANCE: Paris: A German non-commissioned officer, Hoffman, is shot in the Gare de l'Est.
GERMANY: SS Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, head of the SD, orders all Jews, over the age of 6, to wear a distinctive yellow Star of David badge. This measure is only an example of the increasing barbarity shown to the Jews and other groups. Recently experiments at Auschwitz concentration camp have started in an attempt to find the most efficient method of exterminating large groups of people. Among other methods, the gas Cyclon-B will be tested. This information needs to be gathered before the methodic Germans will begin full-scale exterminations in early 1942.
U-438 launched.
U.S.S.R.: The Soviets recapture Yelna, near Smolensk, on the Moscow front.
LITHUANIA: The Nazis establish a "large" and a "small" ghetto at Vilna.
JAPAN: Prince Konoye as Prime Minister, bends under military pressure. An Imperial Conference decides that war preparations should be complete by the middle of October. And further that if agreement is not reached by then with the US the decision to go to war should be taken. Further conciliatory proposals to the US are not taken seriously.
U.S. Ambassador Joseph Grew meets with Japanese Prime Minister Prince Konoye. Prince Konoye states that Japan subscribes to the four principles of President Roosevelt and presents proposals for a basis of discussion. Grew goes on to say that, "The Prime Minister hopes that as a result of the commitments which the Japanese Government is prepared to assume . . . a rational basis has been established for a meeting between the President and himself."
Tokyo: The government decides that preparations for war should be completed in six weeks.
CANADA:
Minesweeper HMCS Granby launched.
Corvette HMCS Brantford launched.
Corvette HMCS Morden commissioned.
Minesweeper HMCS Burlington commissioned.
U.S.A.: Washington, the Japanese Ambassador Nomura hands Secretary of State Cordell Hull a draft proposal outlining what the U.S. and Japan will do to establish peace in the Pacific. Two of the items that the Japanese purpose to undertake are (1) that Japan will not make any military advancement from French Indo-China against any of its adjoining areas, and likewise will not, without any justifiable reason, resort to military action against any regions lying south of Japan and (2) that Japan will endeavor to bring about the rehabilitation of general and normal relationship between Japan and China, upon the realization of which Japan is ready to withdraw its armed forces from China as soon as possible in accordance with the agreements between Japan and China.
Light cruiser USS Astoria laid down.
Anti-aircraft cruisers USS Atlanta and San Juan launched.
Light cruiser USS Cleveland launched.
The CBS radio show, "The Life of Riley" ends its first run.
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-141 sank SS King Erik.
U-95 sank SS Trinidad.