Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Feb 15 – 21, 1940

Feb 15, 1940: Japanese Army admits withdrawing troops in two separate campaigns in Guangxi in southern China and Inner Mongolia in the north

Feb 16, 1940: US House of Representatives approves record naval budget, but fails for second consecutive year to greenlight expansion of port facilities in Guam, worrying that such a step could trigger war with Japan. Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

Feb 17, 1940: Germany levels rare criticism at Japan for refusing to transport German nationals of military age on its passenger ships

Feb 18, 1940: Heavy fighting reported between Chinese and Japanese troops near city of Nanning in southern China

Feb 19, 1940: Thirty German sailors arrive in San Pedro, California, on board Japanese passenger ship Heiyo Maru, despite reported pledge by Japan to avoid transporting German men of military age

Feb 20, 1940: Troops supporting Chinese politician Wang Jingwei (pictured above), now a Japanese puppet, reportedly in open rebellion

Feb 21, 1940: Konoye Fumitake, former captain of the Princeton University golf team and a son of ex-Prime Minister Konoye Fumimaro, has joined the Japanese Army and is en route to war in China

Categories: War

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