military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (07/13/90)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Sunday, 14 July, 1940 Prime Minister Churchill, in a speech broadcast worldwide, warns that the war will probably continue for at least two more years, and predicts a British offensive in 1942. He vows to seek no treaties and ask no mercy, nor to grant either. France declares a Day of National Mourning on Bastille Day. In London, General De Gaulle reviews the first Free French unit at Whitehall. The Italian editor Virginio Gayda objects to the publication by Swiss newspapers of both the British and Italian accounts of recent naval battles in the Mediterranean. As these papers did not indicate their belief in the Italian version, he accuses them of "immeasurable pettiness." The Baltic States unanimously appove Soviet-aligned Communist governments. Each citizen is required to appear, register, and vote, but many discard their ballots and turn in empty envelopes in protest. References: C.Argyle, _Chronology of World War II_ R.Dupuy and T.Dupuy, _The Encyclopedia of Military History_ J.Keegan, ed., _The Times Atlas of the Second World War_ C.Messenger, _Atlas of World War Two_ J.Piekalkiewicz, _Tank War 1939-1940_ C.Salmaggi and A.Pallavisini, _2194 Days of War_ Brig. P.Young, _The World Almanac of World War II_ The New York Times, daily editions Time magazine Newsweek -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "Should the invader come to Britain, there will be no placid lying down of the people in submission before him, as we have seen, alas! in other countries. We will defend every village, every town, and every city. The vast mass of London itself, fought street by street, could easily devour an entire hostile army, and we would rather see London laid in ashes and ruins than that it should be tamely and abjectly enslaved." - Winston Churchill