military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (10/23/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Wednesday, 23 October, 1940 An announcement from Vichy declares that France will not declare war on Britain, nor will the Franch fleet be transferred to the Axis. Adolf Hitler and General Franco meet at Hendaye, at the border of France and Spain. Hitler offers Gibraltar and parts of North Africa if Spain will enter the war alongside the Axis. Franco politely delays without making any commitments. The United States deploys two squadrons of fighters to the Philippines; they are augmented by a number of planes originally earmarked for sale to Thailand, but whose sale was cancelled. King Carol of Rumania, together with his mistress Mme. Lupescu and Minister of the Palace Urdareanu, are arrested in Spain. Rumania has requested the extradition of the three. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "... the sending of a token fleet to Singapore would be tantamount to a declaration of war on Japan, and this in turn would inevitably lead to our involvement in the European mess." - Harry W. Knettell, Jr., in response to a suggestion that US ships be sent to bolster the Singapore garrison.