Today in the Second World War

Welcome to the Hidden History Newsletter this June 12th. More than eight decades ago, this very day played host to the indomitable spirit of mankind amidst the tumultuous tide of war. As we sift through the sands of time, let us reflect, remember, and learn from the significant events that unfolded during the darkest and yet most enlightening hours of human history. Stay with us as we uncover stories of courage, strategic brilliance, sacrifice, and survival from this day, back in the 1940s.

"All of the real heroes are not storybook combat fighters, either. Every single man in this Army plays a vital role. Don't ever let up. Don't ever think that your job is unimportant. Every man has a job to do and he must do it. Every man is a vital link in the great chain." - George S. Patton, 5 June 1944

Danger Beneath the Waves

Alpino Bagnolini sighted two shadows in the Mediterranean Sea 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Cape Lithion, Crete, Greece at 0050 hours. At 0056, the commanding officer, Franco Pittoni, determined them to be enemy warships and ordered an attack on the surface. A bow torpedo was fired at 0058 hours, scoring a hit on the starboard side a minute later, and the submarine dove to avoid the expected counterattack. The target was British cruiser HMS Calypso, which sank at 0335 hours. 39 were killed. 139 survivors were picked up by HMS Caledon and 280 survivors were picked up by HMS Dainty, and they were later landed at Alexandria, Egypt. Calypso was the first British naval vessel to be sunk by the Regia Marina in the Second World War.

Anne Frank

Anne Frank received a diary for her thirteenth birthday. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support", she wrote in her first entry.

Kidnapping Operation

Heuaktion was a reprehensible policy implemented by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, specifically targeting Polish children for enslavement. This term, translated as the "Hay Action," was a cynical euphemism for a horrifying crime against humanity. The operation was ordered by Alfred Rosenberg, who served as the German Reich Minister for the Eastern Occupied Territories, a position which placed him in charge of a significant portion of Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe.

Alfred Rosenberg, one of Hitler's closest associates and an influential member of the Nazi Party, was instrumental in shaping the ideological framework of National Socialism. He held deeply anti-Semitic and anti-Slavic views, and played a key role in the development of racial policy that led to the genocide and atrocities of the Holocaust. He called for the start of the program on June 12, 1944.

The Heuaktion was purportedly aimed at kidnapping approximately 40,000 Polish children aged between 10 and 14 years old. The rationale behind targeting this specific age group likely revolved around the idea that these children were old enough to work but young enough to be indoctrinated into Nazi ideology.

These children were forcibly removed from their families and homes, transported to Germany, and made to work as slave laborers. The action caused immeasurable trauma and suffering, as these children were forced into harsh conditions, far from their families, and made to work in conditions that were often brutal and life-threatening.

Many of these children were also subjected to "Germanization" processes - attempts to obliterate their Polish identity and culture and instill them with German values and loyalty to the Nazi state. This was a part of the larger Lebensraum policy, wherein the Nazis sought to colonize and exploit the territories of Eastern Europe, displacing or eliminating the 'non-Aryan' populations living there and replacing them with German settlers.

It's important to note that the Heuaktion, as well as other similar policies and actions, have been universally condemned as crimes against humanity in the aftermath of World War II. Alfred Rosenberg himself was held accountable for his role in these crimes at the Nuremberg Trials, where he was found guilty and executed in 1946.

Uncommon Bravery

Rifleman Ganju Lama's act of heroism took place during World War II in Burma, an important theater of the conflict in the Asia-Pacific region. At the time, Burma was a crucial point of contention between the Allied forces and the Japanese Empire. Lama was a member of the 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, a regiment of the British Indian Army. His brave actions on the battlefield would earn him the highest and most prestigious award of the British honors system, the Victoria Cross.

On 12 June 1944, Ganju Lama's company came under intense fire from Japanese machine guns and tanks in Burma. Rather than retreating or taking cover, Lama boldly took the initiative to tackle the imminent threat single-handedly. Equipped with a PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank), an infantry anti-tank weapon, he crawled towards the enemy tanks under heavy fire. Despite the grave danger, he managed to successfully destroy two enemy tanks.

Notably, during the course of this action, Lama sustained severe injuries. He broke his wrist and received serious wounds on both hands. Despite these debilitating injuries, he remained undeterred. Lama proceeded to approach a third tank. Unable to use the PIAT due to his injuries, he bravely took out the tank crew manually, effectively neutralizing the threat of the third tank.

Ganju Lama's remarkable bravery and dedication to duty under such extreme conditions is emblematic of the courage shown by many soldiers during World War II. His actions not only turned the tide of the battle in his company's favor, but also served as an inspiration for his fellow soldiers. For his exceptional bravery in the face of enemy fire, Lama was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

His citation for the Victoria Cross, published in the London Gazette on 5 October 1944, praises his "outstanding bravery" and the "utter disregard for his own safety" that he displayed during the course of his heroic actions.

Hopeless Situation

With Japanese troops hopelessly surrounded in the Oroku sector of Okinawa, Japan requested a ceasefire to allow them to commit suicide rather than surrender. Hundreds blew themselves up with grenades or jumped off cliffs.

Photo of the Day

Wrecks of German Tiger I and Panzer IV tanks, Villers-Bocage, France, June 12 1944.

As we draw the curtain on our journey through June 12th in the World War II era, we hope the narratives and insights shared today have provided a profound understanding of this transformative period in our history. Tomorrow, we'll delve further into the annals of time, unearthing more narratives from the past that continue to shape our present. Until then, let's reflect on the resilience, unity, and courage that these historical narratives imbue, and strive to carry these values forward.

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Have a great week :)

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