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- Today in the Second World War
Welcome to the Hidden History Newsletter. Today, as we delve into the echoes of the past, we'll explore the key events that unfolded on this date during the years of 1939-1945. Featuring in-depth coverage of pivotal battles, lesser-known stories, and profiles of unsung heroes, we invite you to take a moment to remember, understand, and reflect on the profound significance of this global conflict. Now, let's journey together back into history.
"The losses were heavy, but all ranks would willingly undertake another operation under similar conditions…We have no regrets." - Major General Robert Urquhart - Commander of 1st British Airborne Division - (Commenting on the British defeat at Arnhem) - January 1945
Not a Step Back!
Joseph Stalin issued Order No. 227, ordering "Ni Shagu Nazad!" ("Not a step back!"). Unit commanders were told to form special units to enforce this order by detaining or executing violators. In parallel, penal battalions (shtrafnye batal'ony) were established for officers detained for violating this order; officers running these battalions would soon gain the authority to execute members for any reason.
Soviet postage stamp depicting a politruk throwing a grenade with the phrase "Not a Step Back!".
Terror from Above
One of the worst V-1 flying bomb incidents happened at 0935 hours when a bomb hit the crowded shopping centre in Lewisham, London, England, United Kingdom. It landed on the roof of a street level shelter outside a Marks & Spencer department store. It caused major damage to the store and the Woolworths next to it. Many were killed in the Woolworth's basement restaurant area and passing buses were ripped apart. 51 people were killed instantly and others in hospital later. The blast zone of this bomb stretched for 600 yards in all directions. The day was made worse when another 45 were killed in Kensington High Street in central London.
A V-1, “buzz bomb”, plunging toward central London, 1945.
Imperial Japanese Navy on its Knees
137 American P-47 aircraft based in Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan attacked targest in Kyushu, Japan. On the same day, 471 B-29 bombers attacked smaller Japanese cities in the home islands with incendiary bombs. Finally, from the sea, US Navy carrier aircraft struck various Inland Sea ports between Nagoya and northern Kyushu, sinking battleship Haruna, battleship-carrier Ise, heavy cruiser Aoba (in shallow water), and light cruiser Oyodo, and damaging carrier Katsuragi, carrier Hosho, and already beached battleship Settsu.
Bombs and torpedos from US Third Fleet carrier aircraft exploding around battleship Haruna, Japan, 28 July 1945.
Photo of the Day
US Marines wading past wreckage of a D3A dive bomber, Agat beachhead, Guam, Mariana Islands, July 1944.
As we wrap up this July 28th dispatch of the Hidden History Newsletter, we'd like to thank you for journeying back in time with us. Your engagement is not just an exploration of history, but a tribute to the countless lives marked by these world-changing events. Keep reflecting on the lessons we glean from this tumultuous era, and continue the conversation with those around you. Until tomorrow's edition, keep the spirit of remembrance alive and the thirst for knowledge burning.
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Have a great weekend :)
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