| In Poland... Soviet troops enter Poland. Naturally because of the German attack there is almost no defense in the east. The Soviets employ two
army groups or Fronts. The Poles have only 18 battalions in the east of their country. Just
before dawn, the Red Army invades along the entire 800-mile (1300 km)
border. Poles are surprised and Soviet forces advance virtually
unopposed. Meanwhile, the Polish government is fleeing towards the
Romanian border, evacuating from the border town of Kuty -- the fifth
and last temporary seat in the Polish provinces. All surviving Polish
aircrew fly to Romania. In Warsaw, St. John's Cathedral is bombed during
mass; the dead are buried in public parks because the cemeteries are
full. Warsaw is now completely isolated as converging German forces of
German Army Group North and Army Group South meet at Siedlce, in eastern
Poland. Some 40,000 Polish prisoners have been captured by the Germans at
Kutno and Brest-Litovsk is taken after a bitter 3-day battle. German are
given a stop line because of the Soviet invasion in the east.
In Moscow... Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, Molotov,
announces that the USSR is invading to protect Ukrainian and Belorussian
minorities in Poland. Soviet newspapers have been making claims of
"brutal treatment" of national minorities in Poland,
especially Ukrainians and Belorussians. The Soviet government promises
to respect Finnish neutrality and recognizes Slovakia as an independent
state.
In Athens... The Italian government assures the Greek
government that it will take no military action against Greece even if
Italy enters the war.
In the North Atlantic... The British aircraft carrier, HMS Courageous, is sunk by
U-29 while on anti-submarine patrol off the southwest coast of Ireland.
More than 500 men are killed (514 of 1200 crew members). After this second incident, carriers are withdrawn from such work.
Courageous has been one of the most effective of the British carriers. |
