1 Apr 1940



- Hitler set the date of the Denmark and Norway invasion to be 9 Apr 1940. 2 divisions were allocated for Denmark and 6 division for Norway, while a bulk of the German Navy was to support the overall operation. Coordinated support in the air from the Luftwaffe was also planned. ww2dbase [Invasion of Denmark and Norway | CPC]
- British Royal Navy Vice Admiral Max Horton, in charge of submarines operating in Britain, dispatched 9 British submarines, 2 French submarines, and 1 Polish submarine to patrol the waters near Norway and Denmark in anticipation of a German invasion of the two countries. ww2dbase [CPC]
- The towns of Ota, Kuai, Sawano, and Niragawa in Gunma Prefecture, Japan were merged to form a new town of Ota. ww2dbase [CPC]
- The fourth group of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing was established. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Otto Kretschmer stepped down as the commanding officer of U-23. ww2dbase [U-23 | CPC]
- Lieutenant Commander Edwin Layton was relieved of command of Wickes-class destroyer USS Boggs. ww2dbase [Edwin Layton | DS]
- Submarine USS Spearfish departed San Diego, California bound for Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i. ww2dbase [Spearfish | DS]
- Chinese troops captured Wuyuan, Suiyuan Province, China. ww2dbase [Battle of Wuyuan | Wuyuan, Suiyuan | CPC]
- Primauguet departed France for Fort-de-France, Martinique. ww2dbase [Primauguet | Fort-de-France, Martinique | CPC]
- The work to convert fleet escort ship F2 was halted. ww2dbase [F2 | CPC]
- Fleet escort ship F7 was assigned to the 25th Submarine Flotilla as a torpedo recovery vessel. ww2dbase [F7 | CPC]
- Fleet escort ship F8 was assigned to the 25th Submarine Flotilla as a torpedo recovery vessel. ww2dbase [F8 | CPC]
- British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), created by Act of Parliament on 24 Nov 1939, took over the activities of British Airways and Imperial Airways. ww2dbase [AC]
- USS Skipjack departed San Diego, California, United States for the Hawaiian Islands area for training exercises. ww2dbase [Skipjack | San Diego, California | CPC]
- Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of colonel. ww2dbase [Clifton Cates | Washington | CPC]




1 Apr 1940 Interactive Map
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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