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• Japanese luxury ocean liner Hikawa Maru arrived at Osaka, completing her 73rd round trip across the Pacific. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | CPC]
• The Soviet Union resumed diplomatic relations with the countries occupied by Germany. ww2dbase [TH]
• 6 British Blenheim bombers damaged a tanker off Le Touquet, France with three high explosive bombs and several incendiary bombs, forcing the ship to beach near Berck-sur-Mer to prevent sinking. Two British aircraft and one German Bf 109 fighter were shot down. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Italian torpedo boat Circe sank British submarine HMS Union with depth charges southwest of the Italian island of Pantellaria between Sicily and Tunisia. ww2dbase [CPC]
• German submarine U-126 spotted transport Canadian Star in the Atlantic Ocean at 0100 hours and proceeded to attack at 0242 hours with both torpedoes fired missing; U-126 and Canadian Star engaged in a duel with surface guns, and U-126 was forced to abandon the attack. ww2dbase [CPC]
• German submarine U-95 attacked transport Palma in the Atlantic Ocean at 0505 hours with both torpedoes fired missing. At 0528, U-95 opened fire with her deck gun, hitting Palma three times (though the German lookouts only spotted and recorded one hit), but Palma would be able to escape. ww2dbase [CPC]
• In a broadcast to the people of occupied Europe, Prime Minister Winston Churchill inaugurated the "V" (for victory) campaign. ww2dbase [Winston Churchill | AC]

• Alessandro Malaspina was ordered to change its patrol area in the Atlantic Ocean twice, at 0600 hours and then again at 2200 hours. ww2dbase [Alessandro Malaspina | CPC]
• Alpino Bagnolini sighted Vichy French freighter Île D'Ouessant in the Atlantic Ocean at 0740 hours and did not pursue. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | CPC]

• The German 2nd Rannikkoiskukompania arrived at Bengtskär island, Finland at the entry of the Gulf of Finland. ww2dbase [Bengtskär | CPC]

• Werner Mölders was promoted to the rank of Oberst and was transferred to the Reich Air Ministry in Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Werner Mölders | Berlin | CPC]

• Soviet destroyer Stremitel'ny was sunk by German aircraft in Kolafjord north of Murmansk, Russia. ww2dbase [Murmansk | CPC]
• Vsevolod Merkulov stepped down as the People's Commissar of State Security of the Soviet Union. ww2dbase [Vsevolod Merkulov | Moscow | CPC]

• Brendan Bracken was named the British Minister of Information. ww2dbase [London, England | CPC]
• British destroyer HMS Lively was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [CPC]

20 Jul 1941 Interactive Map