23 Oct 1939 | World War II Database

23 Oct 1939

Germany

On being told by Admiral Erich Raeder that he lacked adequate support from both the civil administration and the other two military branches, Adolf Hitler sent a memorandum to the Air Force and Army Commanders-in-Chiefs as well as to the Ministers concerned. The memo made it clear that "All measures for attacking the merchant shipping and economic resources of Great Britain were to be directed through the O.K.W. (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht)." This gave Raeder the chance to press for a relaxation of the restrictions on sinking neutral vessels trading with England. Hitler however remained adamant that any incidents should be forbidden until he was ready to strike on land. He told the admiral that he was worried about the name of the heavy cruiser Deutschland. As soon as she arrived back her name was to be changed to Lützow. "Should she be sunk with her present name it would have serious repercussions back home." Hitler then ordered a meeting of Naval Staff in Berlin, Germany on 1 Nov 1939. ww2dbase [Start of the Battle of the Atlantic | Adolf Hitler | Erich Raeder | Deutschland | Berlin | HM]

United Kingdom

HMS Edinburgh departed Rosyth, Scotland, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Edinburgh | Rosyth, Scotland | CPC]

United States

Life Magazine published 15 of war time photographs of Warsaw, Poland taken by Julien Bryan. ww2dbase [Julien Bryan | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 23 Oct 1939

Scharnhorst and U-47 at Kiel, Germany, 23 Oct 1939

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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