8 Jan 1940
  • The government of the United Kingdom introduced rationing, allowing each citizen 112 grams (4 ounces) of bacon and 336 grams (12 ounces) of sugar per week. ww2dbase [TH]
  • In Finland, Finnish 9th Division took possession of Raate Road at dawn after taking 1,000 Soviet prisoners of war, 43 tanks, 70 field guns, 278 vehicles, 300 machine guns, 6,000 rifles, and 1,170 horses. An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Soviet troops were killed in the Battle of Raate Road, while 700 would be successful in escaping back into Soviet lines, but many of them would be shot by NKVD agents for treason for retreating. The Finnish forces suffered 2,700 casualties in the battle. ww2dbase [The Winter War | TH]
  • Benito Mussolini sent a message to Adolf Hitler, cautioning against waging war with the United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Benito Mussolini | CPC]
  • HMS Cumberland on passage to Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. ww2dbase [Cumberland | DS]
  • U-23 began her sixth war patrol. ww2dbase [U-23 | CPC]

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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A formation of Soviet Il-2 aircraft in flight near Moscow, Russia, 1 Dec 1941

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"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"

Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943


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