military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (06/11/91)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Sunday, 8 June, 1941 British Commonwealth and Free French troops invade the Vichy colonies of Syria and Lebanon. General Catroux, commander of the Free French troops, promises that the colonies will be granted independence, while London issues a similar statement. Vichy France protests the action and warns that she will defend the territories. General Wilson commands the Allied forces, composed of the 7th Australian Division, 4th Indian Brigade, and a number of Free French units. Their attack, from Palestine and Transjordan, meets with little initial resistance. A few German troops arrive in Finland, to make preparations there for the upcoming attack on the USSR. American inventor Charles Kettering announces that a new device to detect surfaced U-boats is now in production. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "It's not going to be too hard to beat the subs." - Charles Kettering