military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (01/11/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Thursday, 11 January, 1940 Finnish troops encircle the Soviet 168th division north of Lake Ladoga, and the USSR launches a new drive near Salla, attempting to bisect Finland at the "waist." Swedish volunteer pilots of Flygflottilj 19 begin operations from the frozen surface of Lake Kemi, equipped with 12 Gloster Gladiator fighters and 4 Hawker Hart light bombers. France and Britain are arranging for the purchase of up to 12,000 warplanes from the United States over the next two years. The US Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce states that the dollar value of aircraft and engine production is currently $20,000,000 per month, and should rise to $50,000,000 per month by 1 July. A major German economic paper, Deutsche Bergwerkszeitung, claims that US aircraft manufacturers will be unable to provide all the aircraft ordered by the Allies, stating that current orders are four times the current capacity of US manufacturing. King Gustaf V of Sweden promises aid for Finland, in the form of "all the humanitarian and material help possible with due consideration for our own position." A one billion kronor (about $240 million) defense budget is proposed. According to Italian authorities, Spain's General Franco has promised to sent to Finland's aid all Italian war materials left in Spain after the civil war. Japan expresses displeasure over the proposed 25% increase in the strength of the US Navy, even as Admiral Stark is testifying before the House Naval Affairs Committe in favor of the proposal. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker Moderator, sci.military military-request@att.att.com (614) 860-5294 Send submissions to military@att.att.com "We must face the possibility of an Allied defeat and then measure the strength of the powers which might combine for action against the Americas." - Admiral Harold R. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations