military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (01/18/91)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Saturday, 18 January, 1941 Greece agrees in principle to accept British military intervention, but requests that it not be sent immediately, for fear of provoking German entry into the conflict. The "Illustrious Blitz" continues, as Luftwaffe bombers concentrate their efforts against Malta's airfields at Luqa and Hal Far. Six RAF aircraft are destroyed on the ground, and others damaged. The French freighter Mendoza is seized by the British merchant cruiser Asturias off the Brazilian coast. The freighter, laden with food supplies bound for France, had tried three times to slip through the British blockade. Joseph P. Kennedy, former ambassador to Britain, broadcasts a speech opposing the Lend-Lease bill, arguing that the danger to the US was not great enough to warrant surrender of Congressional powers to the President. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "I do not pretend that by staying at peace our path will be easy. But I do assert that by staying at peace we will be in a far better position to meet the gigantic problems we must face." - Joseph Kennedy