Today in the Second World War

Welcome to our July 3 edition, where we delve into the pivotal moments and remarkable stories of World War II. In this issue, we uncover the bravery, resilience, and strategic brilliance that shaped this era. Our goal is to illuminate the past, providing you with a deeper understanding of the events that influenced the course of history. Thank you for joining us on this journey of remembrance and discovery, and for your dedication to preserving these important stories.

Today’s Video:

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“Why should this war in the West be fought for the restoration of Poland? The Poland of the Versailles Treaty will never rise again.” – September 1939 - Adolf Hitler

Battle of Mers-el-Kébir

1940: Battle of Mers-el-Kébir: At 0545 hours, Vice Admiral James Somerville and his British Royal Navy Force H arrived off of Mers-el-Kébir, Algeria where a power fleet under French Admiral Marcel Gensoul resided. At 1756 hours, after Gensoul refused to surrender, the British fleet opened fire for 10 minutes. The magazine of French battleship Bretagne was hit, sinking her, taking down 977 French sailors. Battleship Provence, battleship Dunkerque, and destroyer Mogador were damaged. In total, 1,297 French sailors were killed and 350 were wounded. After the battle, French battleship Strasbourg, carrier Commandant Teste, and four destroyers were able to escape from Mers-el-Kébir.

Scorched Earth

1941: In his first public speech of the new war, Stalin ordered a scorched earth policy to be put into effect as German troops were pushed back; meanwhile, the Bialystok pocket in Poland was eliminated by German troops, taking 300,000 prisoners.

Tactics

1941: Soviet Naval Air unit 402 IAL, based at Idritsa in Russia and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel P. Stefanovsky, went into action with its new MiG-3 fighters and destroyed six enemy aircraft, followed by a similar number on the next day. The unit's primary task was close support and low level fighter reconnaissance, and its pilots had orders to avoid combat if possible. The unit's adjutant, Major K. A. Gruzdev however was an aerobatic champion and soon devised a tactic to bring the enemy to battle. This involved making a steep spiral climb to between 15,000 and 18,000 feet where the MiG-3 fighters enjoyed a performance advantage over the German fighters. The German pilots almost always followed the climb, believing they were chasing a novice pilot, only to realise their mistake when Gruzdev suddenly stall-turned and shot them down. By the end of the year this talented pilot had no less than nineteen confirmed victories top, his credit.

Fog of War

1942: German pocket battleship Lützow, pocket battleship Admiral Scheer, and six destroyers departed from Narvik, Norway to intercept Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea; en route, Lützow and three destroyers ran aground. The group was detected by the British and the Soviets, leading to the dispatching of 9 British and 7 Soviet submarines to intercept the German fleet; en route, Soviet submarines D-3 and M-176 hit German naval mines and sank.

Photo of the Day

Light cruiser Maxim Gorkiy receiving a new bow after mine damage, Kronshtadt, Leningrad, Russia, 3-21 Jul 1941

Bonus Photo

Destroyer USS Dunlap firing Mark XV torpedoes during exercises south of San Diego, California, 3Jul 1942.

As we conclude our July 3 edition, we hope the stories and insights shared have deepened your appreciation for the extraordinary events and individuals of World War II. Your ongoing support and interest are crucial in keeping these memories alive. We look forward to bringing you more compelling narratives and historical reflections in our upcoming issues. Until next time, let us continue to honor and learn from the past.

If you ever have any recommendations feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

Have a great week :)

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