Today in the Second World War

The 16th of August

Author

Hidden History
August 16, 2023

Welcome, history aficionados! As we mark August 16th, we journey back to the throes of World War II, a time when each day wrote a vital chapter in our shared past. Dive into today's issue to uncover the riveting events and unsung heroes that shaped this date during that momentous era. Join us as we traverse the annals of history together.

"Japan...is operating in the Pacific in the hope of extending her hold over New Guinea...from such a position she...could carry out raids on Australia...whilst awaiting our final defeat by Germany" - General Alan Brooke - 5th May 1942

Seeing the Future

The US Ambassador in Moscow, Russia warned Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov that the United States believed Germany would betray the Soviet Union even if the two country engaged in an alliance.

Vyacheslav Molotov

Battle of Britain

Despite fine weather, German attacks on Britain were limited to small raids. At noon, German bombers attacked shipping in the Thames estuary and various airfields in southern England; at 1630 hours, some of the same targets were hit a second time. Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers attacked RAF Tangmere and Ventnor radar station, destroying many Hurricane fighters and Blenheim bombers in the hangar at the former and damaging radar installations at the latter. Pilot Officer W. M. "Billy" Fiske, an American pilot in the RAF, would become injured during one of the raids and would die on the following day, becoming the only American killed in combat during the Battle of Britain. On this day, the RAF lost 22 fighters while the Luftwaffe lost 72. In Germany, the 5th Directive (intelligence section) of the German Luftwaffe High Command reported the RAF Fighter Command only had about 300 fighters left; in actuality, it had about 400 Hurricane fighters and 200 Spitfire fighters available at the time, which was twice of the estimate.

Despite being badly wounded and with his Hurricane fighter on fire, Flight Lieutenant James Nicolson shot down a German Bf 109 fighter before bailing out. He would later win the only Victoria Cross awarded to a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain.

Flight Lieutenant Nicolson (centre) while recuperating from wounds after his VC action, November 1940.

Screaming

The US 101st "Screaming Eagles" Airborne Division was activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, United States under the command of Major General William C. Lee.

Insignia of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

VC

At Bafour, France, British Lieutenant Tasker Watkins captured two German machine gun posts, eliminated an anti-tank gun, led in a defense of a German counterattack, and while the company attempted to return to Allied lines silenced another machine gun position by himself. He would later win the Victoria Cross. Later in life he served as a Lord Justice of Appeal and deputy Lord Chief Justice of the United Kingdom.

Statue at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

No Surrender

At 2100 hours, I-401 received specific orders to set sail for Kure, Japan; this order came through just as the submarine was preparing to launch Seiran attack aircraft against the US anchorage at Ulithi, Caroline Islands (Operation Arashi). Tatsunosuke Ariizumi, commanding officer of 6th Fleet who was aboard the submarine and who previously continued the operation despite the country's surrender, now chose to obey. Instead of Kure, however, he set sail for the Sanriku coast in northeastern Honshu island so that the officers and men could disappear into the population rather than having to surrender dishonorably.

I-401 in 1945

Photo of the Day

A Canadian soldier inspecting a captured Japanese Type 96 machine gun, Kiska, Aleutian Islands, US Territory of Alaska, 16 August 1943.

As the pages turn and the day concludes, we pause to reflect on the profound weight of August 16th during the Second World War. The stories of valor, the strategic decisions, and the turning points that shaped this date are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Thank you for joining us on today's historical journey. As always, we remain committed to honoring the past and ensuring that the lessons of WWII continue to enlighten our present. Until tomorrow, may we remember, learn, and never forget.

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

Have a great week :)

Recommended Books:

D-Day Tank Hunter: The World War II memoirs of a frontline officer from North Africa to the bloody soil of Normandy: Hoeller, Hans, Hartinger, Andreas

One of the last German veterans of World War II recounts his wartime experiences - with the harrowing directness of someone who stood amid the firestorm.

The Combat Diaries: True Stories from the Frontlines of World War II: Guardia, Mike

At the height of World War II, the US military drew some 16 million men into its ranks. They came from every walk of life – farmers, teachers, lawyers, and even Hollywood celebrities. But whether they came from the wheat fields of Kansas, the streets of New York, or the backlots of Tinseltown, these everyday heroes answered the call when their country needed them. They were ordinary men who accomplished extraordinary things. Today, we call them the "Greatest Generation."

Devil Dogs: King Company, Third Battalion, 5th Marines: From Guadalcanal to the Shores of Japan: David, Saul

The “Devil Dogs” of King Company, Third Battalion, 5th Marines—part of the legendary 1st Marine Division—were among the first American soldiers to take the offensive in World World II—and also the last.

Prisoners of the Castle: An Epic Story of Survival and Escape from Colditz, the Nazis' Fortress Prison: Macintyre, Ben

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The “entertaining [and] often-moving account” (The Wall Street Journal) of the remarkable POWs whose relentlessly creative attempts to escape a notorious Nazi prison embodied the spirit of resistance against fascism, from the author of The Spy and the Traitor

The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill: Meltzer, Brad, Mensch, Josh

In 1943, as the war against Nazi Germany raged abroad, President Franklin Roosevelt had a critical goal: a face-to-face sit-down with his allies Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill. This first-ever meeting of the Big Three in Tehran, Iran, would decide some of the most crucial strategic details of the war. Yet when the Nazis found out about the meeting, their own secret plan took shape―an assassination plot that would’ve changed history.

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