military@cbnews.att.com (09/17/89)
From: military@cbnews.att.com Saturday, 16 September, 1939 Polish forces in Warsaw refuse a German surrender ultimatum. Fighting is heavy on the city outskirts. The Battle of the Bzura begins to taper off as the Polish forces, now decimated, grind to a halt in their thrust toward the lower Bzura River. Surrounding German troops go over to the attack, and begin carving the pocket into smaller pieces. The remains of the Polish air force make isolated, last-ditch raids on German troop concentrations near Warsaw. In the first U-boat attack on a North Atlantic convoy, the U-31 sinks SS Aviemore. 3 more major convoys will leave Halifax in the next week. The Soviet Union concludes an armistice with Japan, ending the "Nomonhan Incident" and fighting on the Mongolian border. The USSR also notifies the Polish Government that it intends to occupy eastern Poland for the benefit of the Ukrainian and White Russian minorities there. References: C.Argyle, _Chronology of World War II_ J. Piekalkiewicz, _Tank War 1939-1940_ R.Dupuy and T.Dupuy, _The Encyclopedia of Military History_ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "In these weeks I was myself frequently over the Polish battle area, including Warsaw itself with its very respectable fighter and flak defence..." -Field Marshal Albert Kesselring, _Memoirs_