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• Adolf Hitler issued a formal war directive for Weserübung, the invasion of Norway and Denmark. ww2dbase [Invasion of Denmark and Norway | AC]
• The Libyan 1st and 2nd Divisions were formed by the Italian Army. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Gusztáv Jány was named the commanding officer of Hungarian 2nd Army. ww2dbase [Gusztáv Jány | CPC]
• Hartwig von Ludwiger was made the commanding officer of 83rd Infantry Regiment of 28th Infantry Division. ww2dbase [Hartwig von Ludwiger | CPC]
• The German steamship Troja was intercepted by British cruiser HMS Despatch (D 30) and scuttled by her own crew about 10 nautical miles west of Aruba. ww2dbase [HM]

• US Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles arrived in Berlin, Germany on a peace mission, and met with German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop on the first day of his visit. ww2dbase [Joachim von Ribbentrop | TH]

• The 1,388-ton Norwegian steamship Vestfoss was bombed by a German aircraft 12 miles southeast of Auskerry, one of the Orkney islands, on a voyage from Partington, Manchester, England, United Kingdom to Oslo, Norway with coal. The pilot of the bomber first allowed the crew to escape; all 19 went to the boats and would survive the attack. The Vestfoss was found later on fire and was taken on tow, but foundered two hours later. ww2dbase [Start of the Battle of the Atlantic | HM]

• USS Helena departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. ww2dbase [Helena (St. Louis-class) | CPC]

1 Mar 1940 Interactive Map