Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, May 1 – 7, 1941

May 1, 1941: Japanese troops make landing in southern China in yet another attempt to cut off supply lines to Chiang Kai-shek‘s forces May 2, 1941: Chinese Foreign Minister Guo … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, April 24 – 30, 1941

April 24, 1941: The passenger ship TSS Zealandia unloads Australian troops at Rabaul in the South Pacific April 25, 1941: Japan considers setting up puppet state in southeast China’s Fujian … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, April 17 – 23, 1941

April 17, 1941: US Ambassador to Tokyo Joseph Grew warns in message to Washington that a powerful group in the Japanese Army believes ‘the time is now ripe for a … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, April 10 – 16, 1941

April 10, 1941: Japan’s Navy sets up First Air Fleet consisting of aircraft carriers Kaga and Akagi and their aircraft units April 11, 1941: Eelco van Kleffens, foreign minister in … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, April 3 – 9, 1941

April 3, 1941: Heavy cruisers USS Portland and Chicago depart Fiji islands at head of flotilla after month-long Pacific tour showing the flag in large parts of the vast ocean. … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, March 27 – April 2, 1941

March 27, 1941: During visit to Berlin, Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke tells his German counterpart Joachim von Ribbentrop that their Axis partnership is “a pact of peace March 28, … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, March 20 – 26, 1941

March 20, 1941: China’s First Lady, Soong Mei-ling also referred to as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, thanks the United States and Britain for help in war against Japan March 21, 1941: … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, March 13 – 19, 1941

March 13, 1941: Captain H.C. Biard, military expert of the British Royal Air Force, says “the Japanese have not one single home-built war plane that could stand up for three … Continue Reading →

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

March 6, 1941: Japan says it has succeeded in cutting off southern supply routes to territories controlled by Nationalist China March 7, 1941: Two French submarines reportedly arrived in Indochina, … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Feb 27 – March 5, 1941

Feb 27, 1941: German newspaper warns that neither Germany nor its Axis partners Japan and Italy will accept American attempts to limit their “Lebensraum” (living space) Feb 28, 1941: Britain … Continue Reading →