military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (08/13/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Monday, 12 August, 1940 The tempo of Luftwaffe attacks in Germany continues to increase; repeated raids are staged on shipping south of Britain, and on radar stations at Ventnor, Dunkirk, Pevensey, Rye, and Dover. RAF airfields are struck at Manston, Hawkinge, and Lympne. The loss of the radars hinders RAF interception, but they are quickly repaired. Britain scores a success in exchange, when a Hampden bomber scores a hit on the Dortmund-Ems canal, which blocks the transit of invasion craft bound for the Channel coast. Reforms in the Red Army reduce the power held by political commissars and restore the formal military rank system. This restores much of the command responsibility lost to the Army during the Purges. Secretary Welles states that he plans to make no comment on the Hoover proposal to send food to conquered European nations, indicating that the plan will not be sponsored by the US government. Debate runs heavy in the US Senate over the Burke-Wadsworth Selective Service Bill. An amendment is approved raising base Army pay from $21 to $30 per month. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "Compulsory military training in time of peace cannot long prevail without leading that government into the realm of dictatorship." - Senator Norris of Nebraska