Today in World War II

[RSS Bot]

1941 - German Einsatzkommando in Russia kills 1,469 Jewish children
1943 - Denmark scuttles their warships so as not to be taken by Germany
1944 - 15,000 American troops liberating Paris march down Champs Elysees
1944 - Anti German rebellion in Slovakia
1945 - Gen MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan

From Today In World War Two History August 29

[Hobilar]

Originally Posted by RSS Bot

1941 - German Einsatzkommando in Russia kills 1,469 Jewish children
1943 - Denmark scuttles their warships so as not to be taken by Germany (See Note 1)
1944 - 15,000 American troops liberating Paris march down Champs Elysees
1944 - Anti German rebellion in Slovakia (See Note 2)
1945 - Gen MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan

From Today In World War Two History August 29

Note 1

This was brought about by a German declaration of martial law in Denmark.Thirty two Danish Naval vessels were scuttled with others escaping to Sweden.

Note 2

The rebellion of Czech Nationalists occurred as a result of a German attempt to occupy the puppet state of Slovakia.

29 August 1944.

Hitler enraged by the Polish uprising in Warsaw unleashes the SS and a brigade of ex-convicts and Russian POWs with a pathological hatred of the Poles. With Tanks, Flamethrowers, Artillery and Aircraft they slaughter the Poles committing many attrocities. The Red Army-only nine miles away fails to intervene.

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Hobilar

29 August 1944.

Hitler enraged by the Polish uprising in Warsaw unleashes the SS and a brigade of ex-convicts and Russian POWs with a pathological hatred of the Poles. With Tanks, Flamethrowers, Artillery and Aircraft they slaughter the Poles committing many attrocities. The Red Army-only nine miles away fails to intervene.

The Red Army's failure to intervene, while clearly in Stalin's interest, was not entirely politically motivated. They had just completed a major offensive (which was more successful than they had imagined that it would be) and were "at the end of their supply tether". They needed time to rest and regroup. On the other hand, Stalin's initial refusal to allow airdrops into the enclave by British and US forces was almost certainly politically motivated.


August 29, 1941: Finnish troops capture Viipuri (Vyborg). It had been ceded by Finland to USSR after the Winter War and was subsequently recaptured by Soviet troops in June 1944. It has remained in Soviet/Russian hands since.

800px-Vyporg_pan.jpg
Photo by Anatoly Terentiev, 30 Juny [sic] 2006, and is used with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License.