Today in the Second World War

The 20th of September

Author

Hidden History
September 20, 2023

Welcome to our September 20th edition of the Hidden History Newsletter. As we journey through the annals of history, this day holds significant events that shaped the very course of the Second World War. From strategic moves on the battlegrounds to key decisions behind closed doors, join us today as we remember and reflect on the moments that have forever marked this date in the 1940s.

"Once more a red fire blows steeply upwards...the factory will do no more work for Herr Churchill...tomorrow morning Coventry will lie in smoke and ruins." - Josef Goebbels - Ministry of Propaganda - September 1940

Mobilization

1938: At 1030 hours, Czechoslovakian military mobilized. At 1700 hours, Czechoslovakian President Edvard Beneš rejected the British-French suggestion for Czechoslovakia to cede Sudetenland to Germany; going further, Beneš asked the French whether France would honor the alliance in the case of a German invasion.

Adolf Hitler pressed the Hungarians to assert greater demands on Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakian soldiers in Krásná Lípa, Czechoslovakia.

Air War Begins

1939: The RAF and Luftwaffe clashed for the first time over the Westwall, the German defensive line on the border with France. The British lost two aircraft, the Germans one.

RAF & Luftwaffe dogfight.

Soviets Rampant

1945: Joseph Stalin expressed disapproval of Georgy Zhukov's 9 Sep 1945 order in which Zhukov ordered his troops to stop committing crimes against the German people; Stalin noted that such orders failed to improve discipline.

Stalin and Zhukov

Photo of the Day

A Dornier Do-17 bomber dropping a string of bombs on London, England, United Kingdom, 20 September 1940.

Bonus Photo

A German sentry overlooking the Pechersk Lavra Monastery and Dnieper River in Kiev, Ukraine, 20 September 1941.

As we wrap up today's edition of the Hidden History Newsletter, let's take a moment to honor the sacrifices and valor of those who lived through these events on September 20th, decades ago. Their stories, though rooted in the past, continue to resonate with and inspire us today. Until tomorrow, when we uncover yet another page from history, we bid you thoughtful reflection and gratitude for the lessons and legacies of World War II.

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

Have a great week :)

Recommended Books:

The Rifle: Combat Stories from America's Last WWII Veterans, Told Through an M1 Garand (World War II Collection): Biggio, Andrew

Tales of American combat and comradery in World War II all connected to the iconic rifle of the era, the M1 Garand. An award-winning author puts one such rifle into the hands of a series of vets, records their stories, and gathers their signatures on the rifle, in a pilgrimage and homage to heroism.

The Rifle 2: Back to the Battlefield by Andrew Biggio

In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Rifle, Andrew Biggio brings to light more untold stories from the quickly vanishing ranks of the veterans of World War II.

Over The Top: Veterans of the First World War by David Polk

With the stroke of a pen, the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918 promised a World of peace and cooperation. Popularly called "the war to end all wars," the Great War was intended to prevent incidents like the one at Sarajevo in 1914. In general, peace and harmony did continue, at least until Hitler invaded Poland in 1939.This book is written as a tribute to the legacy of the veterans of the Great War. Within these pages are contained eye-witness accounts of these fearless fighters.

Into Enemy Waters: A World War II Story of the Demolition Divers Who Became the Navy SEALS by Andrew Dubbins

With echoes of Unbroken; the derring-do and bravado of The Right Stuff; and the battle-forged camaraderie of Band of Brothers, this is the World War II story of 95-year-old veteran George Morgan and the Underwater Demolition Teams. Forerunners of the Navy SEALs, the elite unit was given nearly impossible pre-invasion missions from D-Day to the most crucial landings in the Pacific Theater.

The War of Words: How America's GI Journalists Battled Censorship and Propaganda to Help Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning

From New York Times bestselling author Molly Guptill Manning comes The War of Words, the captivating story of how American troops in World War II wielded pens to tell their own stories as they made history.

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