Author Archives: secondbysecond

This week in the War, 3–9 January 1944: From the diary of Helene Pitrou

Posted on January 5, 2016 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, the fictional French schoolgirl, Hélène Pitrou, makes another entry in her journal Dans Paris occupé. The entry is dated 5 janvier 1944. As in her entry of a year earlier, she remarks that everyone is … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 27 Dec 1943—2 Jan 1944: The New Year

Posted on December 28, 2015 by secondbysecond

The year just ending had seen the initiative pass to the Allies, both in Europe and in the Pacific. Japanese admiral, Yamamoto (killed when his plane was shot down) had foreseen it. But Hitler and the rest of the fanatical Nazi leadership still … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 20–26 December 1943: Sinking of the Scharnhorst

Posted on December 22, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 26 December 1943, the famous German battlecruiser Scharnhorst attempted to intercept an Allied convey heading through the Arctic Ocean towards Russia. Having decoded German naval signals, the British were able to locate the Scharnhorst and … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 13–19 December 1943: The Battle of Arawe

Posted on December 15, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 15 December 1943, the US 112th Cavalry Regiment landed on the west coast of the Arawe peninsula in New Britain. The Japanese defenses were quickly overcome. Landings on the east coast of the peninsula encountered … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 6–12 December 1943: Rommel is to head ‘Fortress Europe’

Posted on December 7, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 12 December 1943, Hitler appointed Field Marshal Erwin Rommel head of Fortress Europe—charged with strengthening Hitler’s so-called Atlantic Wall with a view to repelling any future Allied invasions. The Atlantic Wall was a series … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 29 Nov–5 Dec 1943: The Second Cairo Conference

Posted on November 30, 2015 by secondbysecond

Following closely after the Tehran Conference, Churchill and Roosevelt met once again in Cairo, at what would be the Second Cairo Conference. It started this week in the war, on 4 December 1943. The Turkish president, Ismet Inönü, was also … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 22–28 November 1943: The Tehran conference

Posted on November 24, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, 28 November 1943, saw the start of the Tehran conference where the ‘Big Three,’ Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin met to confer on the future conduct of the war. (Rumours—all unsubstantiated—have persisted that SS officer Otto Skorzeny … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 15–21 November 1943: Tarawa Atoll

Posted on November 17, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 20 November 1943, more than a hundred American warships and transports approached Tawara Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. After bombardment by the battleships USS Maryland and USS Mississippi and further bombardment by aircraft, the … Continue reading →

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In the news: Remembrance Day/Veterans Day—11 November

Posted on November 11, 2015 by secondbysecond

Wednesday 11 November 2015—Remembrance Day Once again, we gather to remember that eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, when the guns fell silent and the Great War ended. It is time to honour and remember the … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 8–14 November 1943: Remembrance Day in Oyonnax

Posted on November 8, 2015 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 11 November 1943, the resistance fighters of the Maquis in the Ain department of the Rhone-Alpes region of France occupied the town of Oyonnax for a few hours. To commemorate the Armistice of 1918, … Continue reading →

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