Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Dec 12 – 18, 1940

Dec 12, 1940: Paul Wenneker, German naval attache in Tokyo, provides Japanese high command with top-secret documents obtained by German raider Atlantis while boarding British freighter Automedon near Sumatra Dec … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Dec 5 – 11, 1940

Dec 5, 1940: The Hundred Regiments partisan offensive ends in China after months of vicious fighting Dec 6, 1940: Occupied East Chinese city of Suzhou on high alert after unknown … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Nov 28 – Dec 4, 1940

Nov 28, 1940: Japanese planes cause temporary scare as they emerge in skies over Hong Kong, apparently by mistake Nov 29, 1940: Dozens reported killed as partisans sabotage train in … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Nov 21 – 27, 1940

Nov 21, 1940: Several Japanese divisions involved in campaign in north China to suppress partisan offensive Nov 22, 1940: Japanese authorities detain two Americans for allegedly taking photos of military … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Nov 14 – 20, 1940

Nov 14, 1940: Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham is named commander of British forces in the Far East Nov 15, 1940: Yamamoto Isoroku is promoted to the rank of … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Nov 7 – 13, 1940

Nov 7, 1940: British cargo ship Cambridge is sunk off Australia laid by German auxiliary vessel Passat a few days earlier Nov 8, 1940: Admiral Nomura Kichisaburo is appointed Japanese … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Oct 31 – Nov 6, 1940

Oct 31, 1940: German auxiliary vessel Passat, previously Storstad, begins laying mines south of Australia Nov 1, 1940: US Navy sets up Submarines Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet Nov 2, 1940: … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Oct 24 – 30, 1940

Oct 24, 1940: US decides to boost fighter force in the Philippines Oct 25, 1940: Japanese aircraft drop bombs close to US embassy in China’s wartime capital of Chongqing, triggering … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Oct 17 – 23, 1940

Oct 17, 1940: German-supported French Vichy regime vows to protect Indochinese borders from Thai incursions Oct 18, 1940: Burma Road, providing beleaguered Chinese government with vital supplies, reopens after three-month … Continue Reading →

Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Oct 10 – 16, 1940

Oct 10, 1940: In National Day speech, Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek says that due to foreign support to China, Japan can no longer hope for a quick solution to the … Continue Reading →