military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (07/18/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Thursday, 18 July, 1940 President Roosevelt accepts the Democratic nomination, choosing Henry Wallace as his running mate. He announces his acceptance from the White House. The Luftwaffe and RAF exchange another round of air raids; German planes attack shipping in the Channel, and British bombers bomb barges at Rotterdam and conduct a night raid on the Krupp Works at Essen. Britain officially closes the Burma Road. The gesture is something of a hollow one, as the oncoming monsoon season would greatly reduce traffic along the road, anyway, and the 3-month closure period corresponds with the length of the rainy season. Churchill informs the War Cabinet of the SOE "Special Operations Executive" 'to coordinate all action by way of subversion and sabotage against the enemy.' SOE also becomes known as "Baker Street Irregulars." (1) Reporter: rbeville%tekig5.pen.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET (Bob Beville) (1) Reference: _The Man Called INTREPID_ , William Stevenson -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "My conscience will not let me turn my back on a call to serve." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt