6 Jan 1940 | World War II Database

6 Jan 1940

At 0300 hours, Finnish troops cut the Soviet column on Raate Road in Finland at several locations. Soviet troops began to become demoralized and many fled into the nearby forest. Soviet tanks began to counterattack to but little effect. Soviet 44th Division's commanding officer Vinogradov ordered a general retreat. Also on this day, Finnish Air Force Lieutenant Jorma Sarvanto shot down 6 of 7 Soviet bombers he attacked in only 5 minutes. In neighboring Sweden and Norway, the governments there reasserted their neutrality, both rejecting British requests to operate in their waters. ww2dbase [The Winter War | CPC]
Adolf Hitler postponed the attack of France and the Low Countries until spring 1940. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | CPC]
USS Helena arrived at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. ww2dbase [Helena (St. Louis-class) | CPC]

Gibraltar

The United States liner Manhattan was detained at Gibraltar by the British Contraband Control. A protest was made by the American government. ww2dbase [AC]

Italy

Luigi Torelli was launched at the Odero Terni Orlando shipyard in La Spezia, Italy. ww2dbase [Luigi Torelli | La Spezia | 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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