11 Aug 1882
- Rodolfo Graziani was born.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1892
- Władysław Anders was born.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1916
Japan
Japan
- Kaname Harada was born in Asakawa village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
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11 Aug 1920
United States
United States
- Henry Arnold was promoted to the permanent rank of major and was transferred to the US Army Air Service by the US War Department Special Order No. 188-0.
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11 Aug 1921
- Dr. E. H. Bennett diagnosed Franklin Roosevelt with a severe cold.
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11 Aug 1932
Photo(s) dated 11 Aug 1932
Photo(s) dated 11 Aug 1932
11 Aug 1933
- The Soviet Army accepted the five-turreted T-35 heavy tank design for production.
» In-depth article - The Soviet T-28 medium tank design was accepted for production.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1936
- The Spanish Nationalist gunboat Eduardo Dato was sunk at Algeciras, Spain by the Republican battleship Jaime I.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1937
- The first flight of the Boulton Paul Defiant aircraft was made at Wolverhampton, England, United Kingdom with Chief Test Pilot Cecil Feather at the controls. This first prototype was flown without the gun turret and with ballast added to compensate for the turret and its gunner. As such it achieved a satisfactory 302 mph, and the flying characteristics were pronounced as excellent.
» In-depth article
- Chinese trawlers Ganlu, Aori, and Qingtian and gunboats Suining, and Weining destroyed lighthouses, buoys, and other navigation aids at the mouth of the Yangtze River at Jiangsu Province, China to disrupt an expected naval incursion. On the ground, additional Chinese troops began arriving in Shanghai.
» In-depth article - Tongji was scuttled in the Yangtze River at Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, China.
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- Mutsu departed Sasebo, Japan to patrol the Chinese coast.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
11 Aug 1938
- The Battle of Lake Khasan ended indecisively. During this battle, 717 Soviet troops were killed, 75 were missing, and 2,752 were wounded. 526 Japanese and Manchukuo troops were killed and 916 were wounded.
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11 Aug 1939
- German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop met with Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano at Salzburg, Germany (occupied Austria), during which he said that "we want war".
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11 Aug 1940
- Battle of Britain: Although the weather was fine, the German Luftwaffe did not start its offensive against RAF airfields, instead mounting a carefully prepared feint. Starting at 0730 hours, Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters bombed and strafed Dover Harbor in southern England as a prelude to a larger attack on Portland Naval base and Weymouth, aiming to draw RAF fighters. Spitfire fighters of No. 64 and No. 74 Squadrons responded, but most RAF units remain on the ground per Keith Park's strategy of sending up only enough fighters to counter the German attack and withholding the remaining in reserve. As a larger formation consisted of 56 Ju 88 bombers and 20 He 111 bombers arrived with 97 Bf 110 fighters in escort was detected in the direction of Cherbourg, France at 0945 hours, there were enough British fighters to counter that attack; the ensuing battle caused 20 British Hurricane fighters, 5 British Spitfire fighters, 27 German bombers, and 10 German Bf 110 fighters to become destroyed. The day's German bombing damaged 4 British destroyers: HMS Windsor in the Thames Estuary, HMS Esk at Harwich, and HMS Scimitar and HMS Skate in Portland Harbor.
» In-depth article - British Major General Reade Godwin-Austen arrived in Berbera, British Somaliland to take over the defense. The British had maintained prepared defenses at Tug Argan on 6 hills overlooking the Hargeisa-Berbera road, knowing that this was the most likely invasion route. Italian troops attacked 3 of the hills and captured the one defended by the 3rd Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-38 sank British ship Llanfair 125 miles west of Ireland at 1519 hours; 3 were killed and 30 were rescued by American merchant ship California.
» In-depth article - US President Roosevelt departed Boston Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, United States aboard presidential yacht Potomac, escorted by destroyer USS Mayrant, for Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, arriving later on the same day.
» In-depth article - With the three Baltic States now annexed by the Soviet Union, Vyacheslav Molotov asked Germany to recall their ambassador to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia within the next two weeks, and to close the embassies by 1 Sep 1940.
» In-depth article
- British Commander-in-Chief Middle East Major General General Wavell was in London, England, United Kingdom to discuss the defense of British colonies in Africa and the Middle East. Seeing events in Somaliland and expecting an Italian attack on Egypt, Winston Churchill's War Cabinet made a far-reaching decision to send tanks to defend the vital Suez Canal. Despite the ongoing threat of invasion, 150 tanks (about half the total in Britain), 48 anti-tank guns, 48 field guns, and 20 Bofors anti-aircraft guns were ordered to Egypt.
11 Aug 1941
- Matome Ugaki was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet.
» In-depth article - Vichy France enacted a law to exclude Jewish doctors.
- Lieutenant Colonel Harold D. Shannon, executive officer of the US Marine Corps 6th Defense Battalion, arrived at Midway to prepare for his battalion to relieve the 3rd Defense Battalion.
- Captain Yoshioki Tawara was named the commanding officer of Naka.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Historical document written: Memorandum of Conversation by Under Secretary of State Welles, 11 Aug 1941, 1 of 2
» In-depth article - Historical document written: Memorandum of Conversation by Under Secretary of State Welles, 11 Aug 1941, 2 of 2
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1942
- The German 250th Infantry Division, consisted of Spanish volunteers, was redeployed on the Volkhov River near Leningrad, Russia.
» In-depth article - US Marines, using captured Japanese bulldozer and various equipment, continued the construction of an airfield that was to be named Henderson Field.
» In-depth article - US Marine Observation Squadron 251 was set up at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides with 16 F4F-3 Wildcat fighters modified for long-range photographic missions.
» In-depth article - The first Axis air attacks from Sardinia, Italy, against the Pedestal convoy to Malta were beaten off.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-73 sank British carrier HMS Eagle 130 kilometers south of Cape Salinas on the Spanish island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea; 131 were killed, 929 survived.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-130 sank Norwegian ship Mirlo 870 miles west of Freetown, British West Africa at 1427 hours; all 37 aboard survived. At 1913 hours, U-109 sank British tanker Vimeira 1,050 miles west of Freetown; 17 were killed, 37 survived.
» In-depth article - In the Mediterranean Sea, British aircraft carrier HMS Furious launched 37 Spitfire fighters to Malta and then reversed course for Gibraltar.
» In-depth article
- USS Finback conducted a survey mission in Tanaga Bay, Tanaga, US Territory of Alaska.
» In-depth article
- 154 British bombers (68 Wellington, 33 Lancaster, 28 Stirling, and 25 Halifax) attacked Mainz, Germany, killing 162 and destroying many buildings in the city center; 6 bombers were lost on this mission.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Sasebo, Japan.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Mutsu departed Yokosuka, Japan.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Repair ship Akashi arrived at Kure, Japan.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German 6th Army captured Kalach in southern Russia and linked up with German 4th Panzer Army.
» In-depth article - Several Soviet ships were scuttled at Novorossiysk, Russia to prevent capture.
» In-depth article - Submarine S-7 arrived at Moshchny Island near Leningrad, Russia.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1943
- Jews from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp began to be transported to Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
» In-depth article - South African bomber pilot Flying Officer Lloyd Trigg attacked the German submarine U-468 in the South Atlantic off Senegal. On the first pass the submarine's anti-aircraft weapons seriously damaged the bomber. Instead of attempting a water landing, Trigg conducted a second attack run. As the bomber released depth charges, the Liberator aircraft was hit again and crashed into the sea 300 yards from the stricken submarine which also went down. Trigg and his entire crew all perished and only seven German sailors were rescued. Based on German survivor accounts, a report would later be filed detailing the gallant pilot's courage which led to the award of a posthumous Victoria Cross.
- The minesweeper USS Alchemy was transferred to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease act.
- Following the crushing defeat at Kursk, Russia, the German forces at Kharkov became in danger of being encircled.
- USS Finback damaged a Japanese ship in the South China Sea, hitting her with 1 of 7 torpedoes fired.
» In-depth article - The construction of Akashi-class repair ships Mihara and Momotori at the Mitsubishi Yokohama Shipyard, Japan were canceled.
- USS S-35 sighted a Japanese ship in the Pacific Ocean but failed to close in for attack.
» In-depth article
- Admiral William Halsey received operational orders for the New Georgia region of the Solomon Islands, including the seizure of Vella Lavella island and the elimination of Japanese positions on Kolombangara island. Meanwhile, US Army and US Marine Corps forces continued to engage Japanese troops on New Georgia.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1944
- Hideyoshi Obata passed away.
» In-depth article - USS Tang sank Roko Maru and damaged another freighter with a total of five torpedoes, then endured a 38-minute-long depth charge attack.
» In-depth article - Lieutenant General Guy Simmonds of the 11 Canadian Corps called off Operation Totalize after it became clear that the expected breakthrough would not be achieved. Nevertheless the Canadian and Polish armoured divisions had advanced eight miles, against numerous well-constructed enemy bunkers which were immune to bombing, and were now half way between Caen and Falais. Whilst Simmonds blamed ther lack of success on the inexperience of the two divisions, General Maczek of the Polish Armoured Division was more realistic in stating that the troops had been given just too much to do. The Poles had lost 66 tanks and the Canadian slightly more during Operation Totalize. On the same day, US forces captured Nantes and Angers and then moved across the Loire River; in response, the German Navy scuttled 26 warships and 28 merchant vessels stranded at Nantes, Bordeaux, and in the Gironde and Seine estuaries.
» In-depth article - In northern Burma the Chindits' 7th Leicesters fought their way into Taungni cutting the rail line.
» In-depth article - USS Wake Island detached from Allied convoy UC-32.
» In-depth article
- Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade arrived in Italy from French Syria-Lebanon.
- USS Alabama arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1945
- USS Blenny reported sinking three small Japanese craft with the deck gun in the South China Sea off Malaya.
» In-depth article - US Secretary of State James Byrnes rejected the Japanese surrender terms offered on the previous day, citing the refusal for any Japanese preconditions. Meanwhile, American aircraft continued conventional bombing of Japanese cities.
» In-depth article - USS Carbonero sank a sampan with her deck gun in the Gulf of Siam-South China Sea area.
» In-depth article - USS Chub attacked a Japanese convoy in the Java Sea with her deck gun, sinking one small ship and damaging a patrol vessel.
» In-depth article
- Du Yuming arrived at Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
» In-depth article
- USS Whale set sail for Saipan, Mariana Islands.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1948
- Submarine Skipjack was sunk as a target off southern California, United States.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1949
- Omar Bradley was appointed the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1960
- USS Macabi was decommissioned from service and transferred to Argentina as submarine Santa Fe with Capitán de Corbeta Julio A. Aureggi in command.
» In-depth article
11 Aug 1975
- Anthony McAuliffe passed away.
» In-depth article
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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