Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, June 20 – 26, 1940

June 20, 1940: Light cruiser USS Phoenix leaves Hawaiian waters for goodwill tour of Pacific coast of South America. Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

June 21, 1940: As France collapses under German attack, the French Governor General of Indochina, Georges Catroux, is under intense Japanese pressure to close supply lines to beleaguered Chinese government

June 22, 1940: Japanese troops make landing in southern China near Hong Kong as they kick off anti-guerrilla campaign

June 23, 1940: Japanese troops fighting Chinese guerrillas approach to near Hong Kong border

June 24, 1940: Japan demands that Britain close the Burma Road, a vital supply line to the Chinese government in the southwest of the country

June 25, 1940: Britain gives its officials in India and Burma greater authority to act independently if cut off from London due to war

June 26, 1940: Puyi, ruler of Japanese-controlled puppet state Manchukuo, visits Emperor Hirohito in Tokyo

Categories: War

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