Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, May 16 – 22, 1940

May 16, 1940: As war seems to draw closer to the US, President Franklin D. Roosevelt calls for 50,000 planes to be built annually

May 17, 1940: US President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders 35 ageing WWI-era destroyers be put back into service to meet the requirements for national defense in a deteriorating global situation

May 18, 1940: As gasoline shortage worsens, Japan is experimenting with fish and vegetable oils as substitute fuels for civilians uses

May 19, 1940: Japanese agents reportedly at work in Burma, trying to stir up resistance to the use of the British colony as a staging ground for supplies sent to beleaguered Chinese regime

May 20, 1940: Japan and Australia exchange pledge to to change status of Dutch East Indies despite German invasion of the Netherlands

May 21, 1940: Japanese friendship mission gets warm welcome upon arrival in Italy

May 22, 1940: Having recently occupied the Netherlands, Germany says it has no interest in dominating the Dutch East Indies

Categories: War

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