military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (01/04/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Thursday, 4 January, 1940 The first contingent of Norwegian volunteers leaves Oslo to assist Finland. Meanwhile, France suggests that all efforts be made to help Finland "utterly defeat" the USSR , to prevent Soviet expansion elsewhere. France also agrees to pay for the equipment and maintenance of the remnants of the Polish army now gathered there. In Germany, Marshal Hermann Goering is appointed head of the war economy, and charged with circumventing the damage of the Allied blockade. Britain requisitions all merchant shipping to replace heavy mercantile losses. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "The new streamlined motorized infantry battalion of the United States Army... with 454 semiautomatic rifles and 28 machine guns... would make a dangerous target for a low-flying enemy aviator, for in less than 30 seconds it could deliver... 11,350 rifle and 8,400 machine-gun rounds." - Maj. Gen. Stephen Fuqua, USA Retired