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World War II Database

15 Jun 1940
  • US President Franklin Roosevelt approved a revised copy of the Naval Expansion Act which he had approved on the previous day; it increased naval aviation to a strength 10,000 aircraft instead of the previously lower quantity of 4,500. He also replied to the French Premier's "last appeal", saying that America would redouble her efforts if the Allies continue to resist the dictators. ww2dbase [Franklin Roosevelt | CPC, AC]
  • German submarine U-38 attacked Allied convoy HX-47 60 miles west of the Isles of Scilly off of southwestern England at 0100 hours, sinking Norwegian tanker Italia (killing 19, 16 were recsued) and Canadian ship Erik Boye (21 were rescued). British sloop HMS Fowley would bring the survivors to Plymouth, England on the following day. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Quintin Brand was appointed the commanding officer of the No. 10 Group at the rank of acting air vice marshal. ww2dbase [Quintin Brand | CPC]
  • British Prime Minister Churchill sent a telegram to US President Roosevelt to again request destroyers, noting that the United Kingdom would carry on the struggle "whatever the odds... but it may well be beyond our resources unless we receive every reinforcement and particularly do we need this reinforcement on the sea". ww2dbase [Winston Churchill | CPC]
  • Submarine tender USS Bushnell completed hydrographic surveys of an area of 2,200 square nautical miles off the coast of Venezuela between Cape San Roman and Bahia Vela de Coro, which began on 9 Apr 1940. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Construction began on the new Führer Headquarters Wolfschlucht II in France; it would be halted within days, however, as the German campaign in France would soon end. ww2dbase [CPC]
France
  • The German 7th Army under General Friedrich Dollmann crossed the Rhine River into France about 40 to 50 miles north of the Swiss border and penetrated the Maginot Line. To the north, the city of Verdun was captured by German troops. On the coast of the English Channel, the Allies launched Operation Ariel to evacuate troops from Cherbourg and St Malo. In Berlin, Germany, Adolf Hitler gave the German Army the permission to demobilize some divisions once the French campaign drew closer to its end. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | TH]
Ireland
  • US passenger liner Washington embarked an additional 852 American citizens and set sail from Galway, Ireland for New York, United States. She now carried a total of 1,872 passengers. ww2dbase [Galway | CPC]
Latvia Lithuania Photo(s) dated 15 Jun 1940
USS Helena at anchor, President Roads, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 15 Jun 1940, photo 1 of 2; photo taken by photographer from USS WaspUSS Helena at anchor, President Roads, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 15 Jun 1940, photo 2 of 2; photo taken by photographer from USS Wasp

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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Famous WW2 Quote
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

Winston Churchill


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