Tag Archives: Churchill

This week in the War, 29 June–5 July 1942: Mussolini eyes Egypt

Posted on June 27, 2014 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, 29 June 1942, Benito Mussolini flew from Italy to North Africa. The Duce piloted his own plane. Given Rommel’s spectacular advance and the fall of Tobruk, Mussolini was convinced that Axis forces would arrive in Egypt within days. (15 … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 4–10 August 1941: The Atlantic Charter

Posted on August 7, 2013 by secondbysecond

The Atlantic Charter conference took place this week in the war, 9–12 August 1941. United States president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, travelled on board the American heavy cruiser USS Augusta to meet with British prime minister Winston Churchill. Churchill came on … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 14–20 July 1941: V for Victory

Posted on July 18, 2013 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, at midnight on 19 July 1941, the mobilization of the V Army was announced on the BBC by ‘Colonel Britton’. In reality, Colonel Britton was Douglas Ritchie, later to become the European broadcasting director for … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 16–22 June 1941: If Hitler invaded Hell…

Posted on June 21, 2013 by secondbysecond

“If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons,” Churchill joked to his private secretary. This week in the war, on the evening of 22 June 1941, Churchill broadcast … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 26 May–1 June 1941: Sink the Bismarck!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by secondbysecond

“Sink the Bismarck, at any cost,” was the order that Winston Churchill gave to the Royal Navy when the world’s most powerful battleship was on the rampage in the North Atlantic. After a long and harrowing chase, Churchill’s wish was … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 17–23 March 1941: Aussie PM honoured in Pommie Land

Posted on March 17, 2013 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies was touring the British Isles. He was in Plymouth on 21 March 1941, and witnessed a heavy air raid, with the Luftwaffe dropping 20,000 incendiary bombs across the city. Twelve large … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 10–16 March 1941: Lend-Lease

Posted on March 15, 2013 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, 11 March 1941, President Roosevelt signed into law a statute that was diplomatically titled ‘An Act to Further Promote the Defense of the United States’; it was the famous Lend-Lease bill. Ideas and intentions that … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 3–9 February 1941: Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.

Posted on February 8, 2013 by secondbysecond

This week in the war, on 9 February 1941, Churchill made a major radio broadcast to the British people. He spoke of Britain’s strength at sea, and in the air—where the RAF had “beat off and beat down the Nazi … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 9–15 December 1940: “I purred like six cats.”

Posted on December 12, 2012 by secondbysecond

“I purred like six cats,” Churchill writes in his autobiographical The Second World War. He was describing his reaction to General Wavell’s plans for a North African offensive. Archibald Wavell was C-in-C for the Middle East and then some—from Iraq … Continue reading →

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Vignette: Pearl Harbour Day

Posted on December 7, 2012 by secondbysecond

“A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY.” Today, Friday 7 December 2012, is Pearl Harbour Day—time to remember those who died exactly seventy-one years ago, and to remember the dramatic event which brought the USA into World War II. “A … Continue reading →

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