This Week in WWII – 1st Week of April

1939

German Battleship Tirpitz is launched. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs the National Defense Act, which authorizes a $300 million budget and 6,000 airplanes for the Army Air Corps and increases AAC personnel to 3,203 officers and 45,000 enlisted personnel.

1940

Hallifax writes in his diary that Mussolini is “more bark than bite.”

1941

Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece. Luftwaffe carries out devastating bombing raids against Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

1942

USS Hornet is put to sea and heads towards Pacific. Axis bombers attack Alexandria, Egypt.

1944

Fifty POWs were executed after escaping from Stalag Luft III at Sagan.

1945

Stalag XIII-D at Nuremberg is evacuated. The US 8th Air Force launches 700 bombers, its heaviest raid to date against Kiel on the Baltic. Stalag XI-B and Stalag 357 at Fallingbostel are evacuated.

Recommended Resources

DVDs

[ReviewAZON name=”dvd” id=”78″ display=”multiinlineasins” asins=”B000FKP0VY,B000AA4FBU,B000BF0CQ6″ trackingid=”worwar2col0e-20″ country=”us” width=”100%” float=”left” displaytype=”list” count=”10″]

Books

[ReviewAZON name=”books” id=”79″ display=”multiinlineasins” asins=”0440226481,0743235452″ trackingid=”worwar2col0e-20″ country=”us” width=”100%” float=”left” displaytype=”list” count=”10″]