Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, April 25 – May 1, 1940
- By Peter Harmsen
- 1 May, 2020
- 1 Comment
April 25, 1940: Netherlands plans expansion of its fleet in East Indies due to growing tension in Asia
April 26, 1940: Aircraft carrier USS Wasp is commissioned
April 27, 1940: Japanese forces launch offensive against Chinese troops in Shanxi province but meet stubborn resistance
April 28, 1940: Vice Admiral Geoffrey Layton is named new commander of the Royal Navy’s China Station
April 29, 1940: Itagaki Seishiro, commander-in-chief of Japanese forces in China, blames US, Britain and Soviet Union for war, saying they encourage Chinese resistance
April 30, 1940: German press accuses United States of wanting to dominate the Pacific Ocean
May 1, 1940: New US dive bomber Douglas SBD Dauntless flies for the first time
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“April 29, 1940: Itagaki Seishiro, commander-in-chief of Japanese forces in China, blames US, Britain and Soviet Union for war, saying they encourage Chinese resistance”
You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s right up there with criminals complaining that their victims fought back.