This Week in WWII – 1st Week of May

1937
Hitler orders ban on all hydrogen zeppelin flights.

1940
Queen Mary sails as first voyage as a troop transport. Sails in convoy with AQUITANIA, MAURETANIA (II), EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, EMPRESS OF CANADA, and EMPRESS OF JAPAN, from Sydney, Australia, to Gourock, Scotland, with 5,500 troops. Chamberlain resigns and Churchill is named Prime Minister of Great Britain Germany invades France. Nazis invade and occupy the Netherlands. Hitler begins a 23-day sequestration at a hidden hideout called the Rock Eyrie.

1941
First flight of the P-47. Battle of Corrigedor begins and then ends in a Japanese victory the next day. End of the Nazi Blitz on Great Britain. Rudolph Hess’ Messerschmidt 110 is found crashed in Scotland. Hess is captured, disavowed by Hitler and never gets out of prison.

1942
Japanese invasion repelled in Allied strategic victory. Surrender of all U.S. forces on Philippines.

1944
London Conference begins.

1945
VE Day (Victory in Europe Day). Germany surrenders, ending WW2 in Europe. Goebbels and his wife Magda commit suicide after murdering their six children. German forces in Italy surrender to Allies. Berlin falls to Allies Hitler’s great railroad train is blown up by SS Troops outside a small station in Austria. The U.S. 8th Air Force carries out another heavy attack (450 bombers) against Kiel. RAF Bomber Command implemented Operation Exodus, and the first prisoners of war were repatriated by air. Bomber Command flew 2,900 sorties over the next 23 days, carrying 72,500 prisoners of war. German forces in northwest Germany, Holland and Denmark surrender to Montgomery on Luneburg Heath. Hitler’s successor, Admiral Donitz, is offered an unconditional surrender to the allies. The last POWs evacuated from Stalag XI-B at Fallingbostel are liberated on VE day.

 

Recommended Resources

DVDs

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Books

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