Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Feb 6 – 12, 1941

Feb 6, 1941: Japanese troops seize territory north of Hong Kong in bid to cut supply route to Chinese forces from British colony

Feb 7, 1941: Japanese Admiral Osumi Mineo is confirmed killed after his plane is shot down by guerrillas in south China

Feb 8, 1941: US General Walter Short is appointed head of Hawaiian Command, placing him in charge of defense of island group’s military installations

Feb 9, 1941: Japanese planes bomb southwest Chinese city of Kunming

Feb 10, 1941: Anti-Soviet propaganda vanishes from Japanese media, giving rise to speculation that Tokyo is aiming for rapprochement with Moscow

Feb 11, 1941: Japan marks 2601st anniversary of founding of the empire, as Premier Konoye Fumimaro warns nation faces ‘most dangerous situation in its history’

Feb 12, 1941: Britain boosts air force in northern Malaya as Japan shows growing interest in Indochina and Thailand

Categories: War

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