1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919
1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929
1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939
1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949
China
- Vi Kyuin "Wellington" Koo was made the prime minister of Chinese Beiyang Government. ww2dbase [Wellington Koo | CPC]
- The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was founded by Royal Charter, replacing the British Broadcasting Company Limited. ww2dbase [AC]
United States
- USS Pennsylvania arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for an overhaul. ww2dbase [Puget Sound Navy Yard | Pennsylvania | Bremerton, Washington | DS]
China
- Ding Zhipan was promoted to the rank of major general in the Beiyang Army. ww2dbase [Ding Zhipan | CPC]
- Franklin Roosevelt founded the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation in the United States to further the research of poliomyelitis and for the care of poliomyelitis patients. ww2dbase [Franklin Roosevelt | Warm Springs, Georgia | CPC]
Germany
- Karl Burk retired from the German Army at the rank of Oberwachtmeister. ww2dbase [Karl Burk | CPC]
China
- Tenryu was dispatched to China to patrol the mouth of the Yangtze River. ww2dbase [Tenryu | CPC]
- William Halsey was promoted to the rank of captain. ww2dbase [William Halsey | CPC]
- Commander Shigeru Osamu was named the chief equipping officer of Destroyer No. 34. ww2dbase [Yuzuki | CPC]
Philippines
Pacific Ocean
- USS Stewart received orders to abandon the search for the missing American merchant ship Elkton. ww2dbase [Stewart | CPC]
- Henry Arnold's son David Lee Arnold was born at Fort Riley, Kansas, United States. ww2dbase [Henry Arnold | Fort Riley, Kansas | CPC]
- Destroyer No. 34 was launched. ww2dbase [Yuzuki | CPC]
- Nikolai Reek was named the Minister of War of Estonia. ww2dbase [Nikolai Reek | Tallinn | CPC]
France
- La Motte-Picquet was commissioned into service under the command of capitaine de vaisseau Jean Cras. ww2dbase [La Motte-Picquet | CPC]
- General Hanzo Kanaya was named the commanding officer of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea, relieving Shusei Morioka. ww2dbase [CPC]
China
- He Yingqin was made a committee member of the Chinese government. ww2dbase [He Yingqin | CPC]
Germany
- Seeadler was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Seeadler | CPC]
- A memorial service was held aboard cruiser Emden for the fallen of the original Emden at the Coco Islands, Straits Settlements (now a part of Australia). ww2dbase [Emden | Coco Islands | CPC]
China
- National Chinese forces captured Nanjing, China during the Northern Expedition. Retreating Beiyang Chinese forces looted properties before Nationalist arrival. Incoming Nationalist forces also saw some of their soldiers looting foreign establishments, but the worst incidents were conducted by men of the 6th Army, which was made up by those in the Communist faction, which systematically looted foreign businesses and homes. In response, British, American, and Italian cruisers, destroyers, and gunboats fired on locations where looting was taking place, then began moving in to attempt to rescue foreign nationals out of the city. ww2dbase [Nanjing | AC, CPC]
- Akagi was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Akagi | CPC]
China
United States
- American-born motor-racer Henry Segrave became the first man to exceed 200mph, breaking the world road speed record, at Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. ww2dbase [Daytona Beach, Florida | AC]
China
- Bai Chongxi purged communists from the Nationalist Chinese garrison in Shanghai, China and a number of labor leaders in the city; many of them were executed. ww2dbase [Bai Chongxi | Shanghai | CPC]
- Rear Admiral Frederic R. Harris retired from the United States Navy after 24 years of service and entered the private sector. For his exemplary service as Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks during World War I, Harris was awarded the Navy Cross. ww2dbase [Frederic Harris | DS]
- Chiang Kaishek declared martial law in Shanghai, China as the first step of a bloody purge against Communists. ww2dbase [Chiang Kaishek | Shanghai | CPC]
- Naka received a new commanding officer. ww2dbase [Naka | CPC]
China
- He Yingqin led troops in an anti-communist purge in Nanjing, China. ww2dbase [He Yingqin | Nanjing | CPC]
China
- He Yingqin's troops clashed with communists in Nanjing, China; there were several deaths on both sides. ww2dbase [He Yingqin | Nanjing | CPC]
China
- Chinese Nationalists set up a government in Nanjing, China. ww2dbase [Nanjing | CPC]
China
- Joseph Stilwell was made the executive officer of 15th Infantry Regiment in Tianjin, China. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Tianjin | CPC]
- Ira Eaker completed the 35,200 km Pan American Goodwill Flight around South America, winning the one of the Mackay Trophies. ww2dbase [Ira Eaker | CPC]
France
- Suffren was launched at the Arsenal de Brest in France. ww2dbase [Suffren | Brest, Bretagne | CPC]
Germany
- The keel of torpedo boat Jaguar was laid down by Reichsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. ww2dbase [Kriegsmarinewerft | Jaguar | Wilhelmshaven | CPC]
United States
- Clifton Cates was assigned to the Recruiting Station at Omaha, Nebraska, United States. ww2dbase [Clifton Cates | Omaha, Nebraska | CPC]
United Kingdom
- The keel of HMS York was laid down by the Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company in Jarrow, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [York | Jarrow, England | CPC]
China
- He Yingqin crossed the Yangtze River in China during the Northern Expedition campaign. ww2dbase [He Yingqin | CPC]
Saudi Arabia
- Kingdom of Hejaz and Kingdom of Nejd, both under the leadership of Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, signed the Treaty of Jeddah with the United Kingdom, gaining western recognition. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Roderick Carr and L. E. M. Gillmann departed RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom in an attempt to fly to India without stopping. ww2dbase [Roderick Carr | Cranwell, England | CPC]
- Roderick Carr and L. E. M. Gillmann's attempt to fly non-stop from Britain to India failed as they ran out of fuel and had to ditch their aircraft in the Persian Gulf near Bandar Abbas, Iran. Despite the failure, they would achieve a world record for flight distance, however. ww2dbase [Roderick Carr | CPC]
France
France
- The keel of Colbert was laid down at Brest Naval Shipyard, France. ww2dbase [Colbert | Brest, Bretagne | CPC]
United States
- Aviator Charles Lindbergh received a ticker-tape parade down 5th Avenue in New York, New York, United States. ww2dbase [New York | CPC]
Japan
- Nachi was launched at the Kure Naval Arsenal, Japan. ww2dbase [Kure Naval Arsenal | Nachi | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]
China
- Vi Kyuin "Wellington" Koo stepped down as the intrim President of China. ww2dbase [Wellington Koo | CPC]
- Captain Shinji Kohiyama was made the commanding officer of Kamoi. ww2dbase [Kamoi | CPC]
- Marcel-Bruno Gensoul was promoted to the rank of capitaine de vaisseau. ww2dbase [Marcel-Bruno Gensoul | CPC]
China
- The county of Shanghai in China was raise to a city status. ww2dbase [Shanghai | CPC]
China
- The city of Shanghai was given the status of a municipality directly controlled by the Chinese central government. ww2dbase [Shanghai | CPC]
- Five US Marine Corps de Havilland DH-4 aircraft were used to make a strafing and dive bombing attack against bandits besieging the US Marine garrison at Ocotal, Nicaragua. Whilst US Marine aircraft had carried out dive-bomb attacks in Haiti in 1919, the mission at Ocotal, led by Major Ross Rowell, used the newly-established USMC doctrine for the first time. ww2dbase [AC]
- Destroyer No. 34 was commissioned into service with Commander Shigeru Osamu in command. ww2dbase [Yuzuki | CPC]
- The newly created Air Defence of Great Britain, the UK-based element of the RAF, staged the first annual tactical air defence exercise. The four day exercise involved all the RAF's fighting elements plus contributions by the Observer Corps and the Ground Forces of London. ww2dbase [AC]
- Iwane Matsui was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. ww2dbase [Iwane Matsui | CPC]
- Major General Nenosuke Sato was named the chief of staff of the Taiwan Army. ww2dbase [CPC]
China
- HMS Hermes arrived at Weihai, Shandong Province, China, a British leased territory. ww2dbase [Hermes | Weihai, Shandong | CPC]
Russia
- In Russia, Metropolitan Sergei Stragorodsky, the most senior prelate, issued a public declaration that the church recognized the Soviet state as its "Civil Fatherland". Hundreds of clergy refused to accept the church coming under state control and by 1930 an estimated one fifth of all those imprisoned in the Solovki camp complex were clerical victims of persecution. ww2dbase [AC]
United Kingdom
- The new battleship, HMS Nelson, was commissioned into the British Royal Navy. One of two new battleships permitted by the Washington Treaty, HMS Nelson would become the flagship of the Home Fleet. ww2dbase [AC]
- Oberon was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Oberon | CPC]
Korea
- Hisaichi Terauchi was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea. ww2dbase [Hisaichi Terauchi | CPC]
China
- Joseph Stilwell departed Tianjin, China for a tour of Korea and Japan. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Tianjin | CPC]
Japan
- Hiroshi Nemoto was attached to the Army Ministry in Tokyo, Japan and was placed in charge with China affairs. ww2dbase [Hiroshi Nemoto | Tokyo | CPC]
- Lieutenant Commander Walden Ainsworth assumed command of Clemson-class destroyer USS Paul Jones. ww2dbase [Walden Ainsworth | DS]
United States
- Joseph Rochefort was assigned to destroyer USS Macdonough as her executive officer and navigator. ww2dbase [Joseph Rochefort | CPC]
China
- Joseph Stilwell returned to Tianjin, China. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Tianjin | CPC]
South Africa
Germany
- Georg Wulf, co-founder of the Focke-Wulf aircraft company, was killed when his radically-designed tail-first Focke-Wulf Fw 19 aircraft crashed whilst making a public demonstration. ww2dbase [AC]
- Georg Wulf, co-founder of the Focke-Wulf aircraft company, was killed when his radically-designed tail-first Focke-Wulf Fw 19 suffered a broken control rod, resulting in a fatal crash during a public demonstration. ww2dbase [AC]
United States
- Entertainment company Warner Bros released "The Jazz Singer"; the first feature-length talking picture film. ww2dbase [AC]
Belgium
- Princess Josèphine-Charlotte (later the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg) of Belgium was born at the Royal Palace in Brussels. ww2dbase [Brussels | AC]
- Captain Harry Kimball Cage was named the commanding officer of USS Marblehead. ww2dbase [Marblehead | CPC]
- William Leahy was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. ww2dbase [William Leahy | CPC]
- Mutsu was Emperor Showa's flagship during the annual Japanese Naval Review. ww2dbase [Mutsu | CPC]
Russia
- Leon Trotsky, already expelled from the Politburo, denounced Joseph Stalin on the floor of the Plenum, publicly accusing Stalin as being the real danger to the Leninist party. He received little support from the other Soviet delegates. ww2dbase [Joseph Stalin | Moscow | AC]
China
- Jiang Dingwen was named the commanding officer of the Chinese 1st Division. ww2dbase [Jiang Dingwen | CPC]
- HMS Hermes arrived in Britain. ww2dbase [Hermes | CPC]
China
- Ding Zhipan was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in the Beiyang Army. ww2dbase [Ding Zhipan | CPC]
China
- Joseph Stilwell was made the commanding officer of a provisional battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment in Tianjin, China. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Tianjin | CPC]
- Walther von Brauchitsch was made the Chief of Staff of the 6th Infantry Division based in Münster, Germany. ww2dbase [Walther von Brauchitsch | CPC]
China
- USS Stewart collided with merchant ship Luen Ho on the Yangtze River in China, causing minor damage. ww2dbase [Stewart | CPC]
China
- Chiang Kaishek arrived in Shanghai, China from Japan. ww2dbase [Chiang Kaishek | Shanghai | CPC]
- HMS Rodney was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Rodney | CPC]
Japan
- Chuichi Nagumo was name an instructor at the Japanese naval war college. ww2dbase [Chuichi Nagumo | CPC]
- Captain Shigeru Kikuno was named the commanding officer of Tenryu. ww2dbase [Tenryu | CPC]
- Rear Admiral Tadashi Kurata was named the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan. ww2dbase [Mako Guard District | Mako, Hoko | CPC]
- Saratoga was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Saratoga | CPC]
United States
- Having observed poor handling of sensitive codes by other officers in his destroyer squadron while he served aboard USS Macdonough, Joseph Rochefort submitted a report noting so and would soon make recommendations to secure communications. ww2dbase [Joseph Rochefort | CPC]
- Chiang Kaishek married Song Meiling. ww2dbase [Chiang Kaishek | CPC]
- Nobutake Kondo was promoted to the rank of captain and was named an instructor at the Japanese Naval War College. ww2dbase [Nobutake Kondo | CPC]
- Captain Tsugiharu Fujioka was made the commanding officer of Kamoi. ww2dbase [Kamoi | CPC]
- Masafumi Arima was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. ww2dbase [Masafumi Arima | CPC]
- Vice Admiral Junichi Kiyokawa was named the commanding officer of Chinkai Guard District in southern Korea. ww2dbase [Chinkai Guard District | Chinkai, Gyeongsangnam | CPC]
- Rear Admiral Kesaichi Hitsuda was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan. ww2dbase [Mako Guard District | Mako, Hoko | CPC]
- Captain G. Hopwood was named the commanding officer of HMS Hermes, replacing Captain R. Elliot. ww2dbase [Hermes | CPC]
Japan
- The keel for ship numbered 451 was laid down at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's yard at Nagakaki, Japan. ww2dbase [Mitsubishi Nagasaki Shipyard | Tatsuta Maru | Nagasaki | CPC]
- Lexington (Lexington-class) was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Lexington (Lexington-class) | CPC]
China
- Kenjiro Kinoshita succeeded Hideo Kodama as the Governor-General of Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Papanikolis was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Papanikolis | CPC]
China
- Joseph Stilwell was made the executive officer of 15th Infantry Regiment in Tianjin, China. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Tianjin | CPC]
- Henry Stimson became the Governor-General of the Philippines. ww2dbase [Henry Stimson | CPC]
United States
- Lieutenant J. J. Clark piloted a catapult plane launched off the USS Pennsylvania in Long Beach Harbor, California, United States in a demonstration flight with humorist and fellow Oklahoma Cherokee Will Rogers as passenger. ww2dbase [J. J. Clark | Long Beach, California | DS]
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937