21 Jul 1940 | World War II Database

21 Jul 1940

Battleship Bismarck underwent an inclining test. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
British Hampden bombers from No. 61 and No. 144 Squadrons attacked German battleship Tirpitz at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, causing no damage. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
British Hampden bombers from No. 61 and No. 144 Squadrons attacked German cruiser Admiral Scheer at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, causing no damage. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
German submarine U-30 sank British ship Ellaroy 180 miles west of Cape Finisterre, Spain. The entire crew of 16 took to lifeboats and were later rescued by Spanish trawler Felix Montenegro. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
Mikio Furusho passed away. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

Atlantic Ocean

German aircraft attacked convoys in the English Channel. 1 British Hurricane fighter and 1 British Spitfire fighter were shot down, while the Germans lost 3 fighters and 1 Do 17 bomber. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

France

British Blenheim bombers of No. 107 Squadron RAF attacked Caen, Morlaix, and Querqueville in France. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

Germany

The German Army High Command submitted a plan to Adolf Hitler for an operation in the Baltic States and the Ukraine. ww2dbase [Main Article | AC]
3 bombers of No. 51 Squadron RAF attacked Hamm, Germany; the rail marshalling yard was the primary target. 10 bombers of No. 77 Squadron RAF and 10 bombers of No. 102 Squadron RAF attacked Kassel, Germany; the aircraft factory was the primary target. Finally, 5 bombers of No. 78 Squadron RAF attacked Soest, Germany; the rail marshalling yard was the primary target. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

Lithuania

The Soviet Union revealed the result of plebiscites in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania held on 14 Jul 1940, claiming that the citizens of the three countries approved the Soviet annexation of their countries. The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

United Kingdom

Edvard Beneš established the Czechoslovakian government-in-exile in London, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Main Article | TH]

United States

US President Franklin Roosevelt returned to Washington Navy Yard, Washington DC, United States after a cruise in the Chesapeake Bay aboard presidential yacht Potomac. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

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