17 Aug 1940
  • Destroyers USS Walke and USS Wainwright departed Bahia, Brazil for Pará, Brazil. ww2dbase [CPC]
Afghanistan
  • The Parliament of the Kingdom of Afghanistan was established. ww2dbase [CPC]
Germany
  • Adolf Hitler announced an air and sea blockade of Britain, threatening that all ships approaching Britain would be sunk without warning. ww2dbase [First Happy Time | TH]
  • German leaders designated Berlin as the European financial center after Germany's victory. ww2dbase [Berlin | TH]
Italy South Africa
  • HMS Hermes began receiving repairs at Simon's Town, South Africa for damage caused by the 10 Jul 1940 collision with armed merchant cruiser HMS Corfu. ww2dbase [Hermes | Simon's Town | CPC]
United Kingdom
  • Pilot Officer Billy Fiske of No. 601 Squadron RAF died from his injuries at Royal West Sussex Hospital in Chichester, England, United Kingdom after being shot down and badly burned on the previous day. Billy Fiske, an American volunteer, was remembered by a plaque in London's St. Paul's Cathedral as "An American Citizen who Died That England Might Live". ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | Chichester, England | AC]
Photo(s) dated 17 Aug 1940
German occupation administration destroying Adam Mickiewicz Monument in Kraków, Poland, 17 Aug 1940Destroyed Adam Mickiewicz Monument at the Main Market Square, Old Town, Kraków, Poland, 17 Aug 1940

17 Aug 1940 Interactive Map




Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Please help us spread the word:

 Reddit
 Bluesky
 Mastodon

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB
News

Random Photograph

Bao Yibo, Song Renqiong, Chen Yi, and Teng Daiyuan, China, 1945

Current Site Statistics

Famous WW2 Quote
"Since peace is now beyond hope, we can but fight to the end."

Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!