12 Feb 1940
  • USS Helena arrived at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
  • At 0500 hours, Soviet tanks dragged sleds with explosives on board up to the Million Fort on the Mannerheim Line in Finland. When the sleds were detonated, all defenders inside the fort were killed, but the Soviet 7th Army did not pass through this breach on the Mannerheim Line. Later on this day, near the eastern end of the Mannerheim Line, Soviet troops captured the Kirvesmäki stronghold in Taipale (now Solovyovo, Russia). By the end of the day, the Finnish government agreed that it has little hope other than to seek peace. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
  • British Royal Navy minesweeper HMS Gleaner located German submarine U-33 laying mines in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland at 0250 hours. U-33 was badly damaged by depth charges and surfaced at 0522 hours, but the submarine began to sink shortly after surfacing, killing 25 men, including commanding officer Kapitänleutnant Hans-Wilhelm von Dresky. One of the 17 survivors had 3 Enigma rotors in his pockets, which was sent to Alan Turing at the Government Code and Cypher School for further study. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
  • British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Hasty intercepted and captured German blockade runner Morea 300 miles west of Porto, Portugal. Morea had departed from Vigo, Spain and was bound for Germany. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German submarine U-53 sank Swedish ship Dalarö west of Scotland, killing the captain. 29 survivors were rescued by Belgian trawler Jan de Waele. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German submarine U-26 sank Norwegian ship Nidarholm west of Ireland. The entire crew of 25 were rescued by Norwegian ship Berto about 10 hours later. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Erwin Rommel was named the commanding officer of the 7. Panzer-Division. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
Germany
  • The first deportation of German Jews into occupied Poland took place. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis


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"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935