12 Aug 1939
  • Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano met with German leader Adolf Hitler and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. During the meeting, upon hearing Hitler's hypothesis that Britain and France could not go into a war for Poland, Ciano expressed doubts and that it was his belief that Europe would be engulf in a general war should German and Poland become entangled in a war. As he realized Hitler was set on going to war with Poland, Ciano expressed Italian unpreparedness for conflict. Ribbentrop responded by saying Germany did not need Italy's military assistance. Ciano, skeptical, noted that time would tell whether that was true. ww2dbase [Galeazzo Ciano | CPC]
  • The Soviet Union expressed to Germany that it was willing to host a visit by a high-level German diplomat in Moscow, Russia for talks. ww2dbase [Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact | CPC]
  • Light carrier Hosho was designated a training carrier. ww2dbase [Hosho | CPC]
Singapore
  • HMS Eagle began her refitting work at Singapore. ww2dbase [Eagle | Singapore | 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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