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This Week in World War II: 75 Years Ago

Sir David Stirling and SAS patrol, Benghazi, North Africa, during World War II. Dailymail.com

By: Phil Kohn. Dedicated to the memory of his father, GM3 Walter Kohn, U.S. Navy Armed Guard, USNR, and all men and women who have answered the country’s call in time of need. Phil can be contacted at ww2remembered@yahoo.com.

The last 4,000 Allied soldiers of Benghazi’s garrison — belonging to the 4th Indian Division — surrender on January 30, 1942. Rommel enters the city around noon and receives a telegram from Benito Mussolini strongly urging him to launch an offensive to capture Benghazi. Rommel sends a reply: “Benghazi already taken.” In the Philippines, Japanese pressure on American and Filipino positions on Bataan increases. Speaking in Berlin on the ninth anniversary of the Nazis coming to power, Hitler blames the failure of the offensive in the Soviet Union on the weather. He also predicts that “the outcome of this war will be the annihilation of Jewry.” In Dublin, the Irish government complains that its neutrality is being violated by the presence of American troops in Northern Ireland. The government charges that the British are attempting to force Ireland into the war on the side of the Allies.

The Japanese capture the port of Moulmein, Burma, on January 31, and threaten Rangoon as well as Singapore. Near Singapore, the retreating British set off two explosions destroying the causeway that links Singapore with the city of Johor Bahru to the north. In the U.S., the Chief of Naval Operations orders the organizing of the Navy Armed Guard Service, authorized one week earlier. Almost 145,000 officers and enlisted men of the U.S. Navy will serve in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard — as gun crews aboard 5,114 U.S.-owned and 1,122 foreign-owned merchant ships during the course of the war.

Gen. Erwin Rommel near Benghazi, Lybia, World War II.

On February 1, Lt. Gen. Erwin Rommel’s forces are approaching Gazala, Libya, near the Egyptian border. British Eighth Army commander Gen. Neil Ritchie (who has replaced Lt. Gen. Alan Cunningham) orders a withdrawal of Allied troops to avoid encirclement. Advance elements of the command staff of the U.S. Eighth Air Force (VIIIth Bomber Command, U.S. Army Air Forces) arrive in England. In Norway, Nazi-aligned Vidkun Quisling takes office as president minister of the nation. From New York City, the U.S. government’s “Voice of America” begins short-wave radio broadcasts to Europe. The first broadcast is in German and states: “Today, and every day from now on, we will be with you from America to talk about the war. The news will be good or bad for us — we will always tell you the truth.”

In response to an offensive by the Red Army, Field Marshal Erich von Manstein argues to Hitler that forcing his Army Group Don to remain in Rostov-on-Don would condemn them to another Stalingrad (that is, to come under siege). Surprisingly, Der Führer agrees, and Army Group Don on February 2 abandons the city. In Washington, President Roosevelt asks Congress to approve a $500-million loan to China.

On February 3, Rommel’s troops capture Timimi, Libya. Allied forces fall back eastward. The Japanese conduct air strikes against Java, especially the Dutch naval base at Surabaya. Port Moresby, New Guinea, as well, is bombed, increasing the threat to Australia. At Ambon, in the Moluccas in the Dutch East Indies, the Japanese after four days of fighting overwhelm the Dutch and Australian defenders, capturing the island. Casualties on both sides are light, but in the two weeks following the defenders’ surrender, Japanese troops randomly select a total of around 300 Australian prisoners of war and summarily execute them. In London, the government sets the maximum prices that can be charged for items of clothing.

In North Africa, Rommel’s forces enter Derna, Libya, on February 4. In Asia, seven Dutch and American warships of the ABDA (Australian-British-Dutch-American) Force under the command of Dutch Rear Adm. Karel Doorman sail into the Java Sea to intercept a Japanese convoy. The convoy is reportedly bringing troops and supplies for an invasion of Surabaya in the Dutch East Indies. The ABDA ships are attacked by some 60 Japanese planes. Two of the flotilla’s four cruisers (the heavy cruiser USS Houston and the light cruiser USS Marblehead) are heavily damaged, and the fleet must turn back.

The Canadian troopship RMS Empress of Asia — bringing troops and military supplies to Singapore — is attacked and sunk by Japanese dive bombers near Singapore on February 5. There are 16 deaths, but 1,882 persons survive. All the military materiel carried by the ship, however, is lost. Iran severs diplomatic relations with Vichy France.

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