11 August 1939

August 11th, 1939 (FRIDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The Foreign Office learns that Germany will be in a state of complete military readiness on the 15th.

GERMANY: Karl Burckhardt, Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig, is summoned to see Hitler in Berchtesgaden.

Ciano and Ribbentrop meet in Salzburg, and when Ciano asks Ribbentrop whether Germany wants the 'Polish Corridor' or Danzig, Ribbentrop replies, 'Not that any more. We want war.'

U-124 laid down.

FREE CITY OF DANZIG: Gauleiter Forster warns Danzig Nazis to be prepared for anything.

U.S.S.R.: The Anglo-French delegation finally arrives in Moscow. It is agreed to start talks the next day.

U.S.A.: Destroyer USS Hammann commissioned.

11 August 1940

August 11th, 1940 (SUNDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Battle of Britain:
RAF Fighter Command: Weather, fine.

38 Luftwaffe and 32 RAF planes are downed in air battles today.

Dover and Portland heavily attacked. Several senior Luftwaffe officers killed or captured.

Convoys off east coast attacked.

At 1519, the Llanfair, a straggler from Convoy SL-41, was hit by one torpedo from U-38 in the stern and sank after 11 minutes west of Ireland. Three crewmembers were lost. The US-flagged California picked up the master and 29 crewmembers.

At night Merseyside and the Bristol Channel are mined.

Squadron log No. 74 squadron (Manston and Hornchurch: Spitfire I and II) commanded by South Africa's "Sailor" Malan - Squadron log reads:-
take off at 0749 hrs., second patrol: take off 0950, third patrol: take off 1145, fourth patrol: take off 1356.

Ten Bf110's and 13 Bf109s (including six of JG 2) are lost. Bombs fall for the first time on York and heavy raids are reported on Bristol and Plymouth.

During a heavy air raid on Weymouth and Portland, ASW Trawler HMS Hertfordshire was in Admiralty floating dock (AFD19) which was holed and strained. The Hertfordshire suffered some splinter damage.

At night a Bristol searchlight team hold a He-111H in their beam long enough for a Hurricane of 10 Group to bring about the Groups first night success.

RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: 2 Blenheims of 604 Squadron escorted by 3 Spitfires of 152 Squadron attempted to set fire to waterborne He59s off France.
4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen and Frankfurt - 'Razzling'.
10 Sqn. Eight aircraft to Gelsenkirchen. All bombed primary and 'Razzled'. Four damaged by Flak, six damaged by burning 'Razzles'.
51 Sqn. Eight aircraft. One returned early, six bombed primary and 'Razzled'. One fighter seen, but no attack. One FTR.
102 Sqn. Ten aircraft to Frankfurt. One returned early, seven bombed primary.
['RAZZLE' was an incendiary device; pills of phosphorus covered with gauze and inserted between square pieces of celluloid. The were carried in sealed cans containing water which kept them from drying out and becoming combustible and the idea was to scatter these incendiary 'leaves' over areas of the Black Forest where, it was believed, arms and other military stores were being concealed. After fluttering to earth they would dry out, instantaneous combustion would take place and 'Puff' up would go the arms dumps. During the first use of RAZZLE the aircraft, after first bombing their primary target, proceeded to the Black Forest area where the first WOP/AG opened the cans and poured the contents down the flare chute. However, not all the leaves fluttered to earth. Some of them, caught in the aircraft's slipstream, were blown onto the tailplane, elevators and even the tailwheel. Consequently when they dried out they burnt whichever surface they had stuck to. the safety device supplied for use in such an emergency was a garden water syringe!]

FRANCE: Paris: Zeitschel, the Jewish affairs attaché at the German embassy, send a memorandum to Abetz about the sale of 30 canvasses remaining in the embassy. These ought to be auctioned while a decent price was obtainable before the Einsatzstab flooded the market with entarte Kunst, or "degenerate art."

BRITISH SOMALILAND: Italian troops attack British forces at Tug Argan.

USA: Washington: The government is to supply Britain with 4,000 tanks.

11 August 1941

August 11th, 1941 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Submarine HMS Unsparing laid down.

Corvette HMS Bellwort launched.

Minesweeper HMS Ipswich launched.

GERMANY: U-416 laid down.
U-655 commissioned.

FINLAND: Finnish attacks south of Lake Ladoga reach Vuosalmi.

CANADA: Minesweepers HMCS Gananoque and Nipigon commissioned.
Corvette HMCS Moncton launched.

Fairmile "B" patrol craft ordered for RCN: HMC ML 074, ML 075, ML 076, ML 077, ML 078, ML 079, ML 080, ML 081, ML 082, ML 083, ML 084 and ML 085.

NEWFOUNDLAND: President Franklin D Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill confer twice today aboard the US heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) in Placentia Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland.

U.S.A.: Glenn Miller and his Orchestra record "Elmer's Tune" on Bluebird Records.

Light fleet carriers USS Belleau Wood and Independence laid down as Cleveland Class cruisers.

11 August 1942

August 11th, 1942 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Orders are issued for the establishment by RAF Bomber Command of a pathfinder force, to locate and illuminate targets for subsequent bombardment.

Sloop HMS Wren launched.

ENGLISH CHANNEL: Lt. John Edward Gibbons (1905-71), RNVR, was wounded when his launch was mined but insisted on going to the rescue of a seaman in difficulties. (Albert Medal)

FRANCE: At Compiégne station today the first train carrying freed prisoners crossed with a train loaded with workers en route to the factories in the Reich. On 22 June, Laval had announced the policy of La Releve, introduced by the Germans and aimed at obtaining manpower at all costs. Since not enough "volunteers" had been seduced by the promise of high wages, Hitler asked the Gauleiter Fritz Saukel, who doubles as Reich plenipotentiary for the allocation of labour, to recruit workers in the conquered countries. Sauckel, known as the "slaver of Europe", demanded 250,000 men, of whom 150,000 had to be qualified workers.
To get the French to accept this bitter news, Laval asked Hitler to release French prisoners in exchange for the workers. The Fuhrer was willing to agree to the deal on the condition that each prisoner be replaced by three workers. Despite all the best efforts of the Vichy government, French citizens did not respond: there was still a lack of volunteers.
Hitler thought he had given the French plenty of time to organize a flow of "volunteers". But the threat of compulsion was never far away. Even before Laval's speech Sauckel had issued a directive on 7 May permitting the use of force in recruiting workers in occupied countries. Factories were shut down and round-ups were organized to get together a sufficient number of workers. Despite all this there was little despair at Compiégne station today, as families were reunited with their soldiers after a long absence.
The soldiers permitted to return home for what was called a "holiday from captivity" had been chosen from among the oldest; priority was also given to doctors, and to fathers with more than four children. Laval presided over the welcoming ceremony.

GERMANY: U-316 laid down.

U.S.S.R.: German forces capture Soviet positions at Kalach on the west bank of the Don.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA:

Operation PEDESTAL, a convoy bringing supplies from the U.K. to Malta, passes through the Straits of Gibraltar during the night of 10/11 August. The convoy of 14 merchant ships is escorted by two battleships, HMS Nelson (28) and Rodney (29); four aircraft carriers, HMS Eagle (94), Furious (47), Indomitable (92) and Victorious (38); seven light cruisers, HMS Cairo (D 87), Charybdis (88), Kenya (14), Manchester (15), Nigeria (60), Phoebe (43) and Sirius (82); 33 destroyers; two tugs; four corvettes; four minesweepers; and seven motor launches from Malta. The Germans and Italians begins attack the convoy and In the late morning, the German submarine U-73 manoeuvres past four destroyers, and from a distance of 500 yards (457 meters), fires four torpedoes at HMS Eagle, which strike the carrier on the port side. The ship sinks within six minutes about 80 nautical miles (148 kilometres) north of Algiers, Algeria (38.05N, 03.02E). Two officers and 158 ratings (enlisted men) are lost but 927 crewmen survive and are picked up by two destroyers and a tug. (Alex Gordon and Jack McKillop)(108)

Submarine HMS Thorn lost in Mediterranean.

NEW GUINEA: Japanese attacks have pushed the Australian Papuan defenders five miles back up the Kokoda Track. From Deniki toward Templeton's Crossing. They are approaching the summit of the Owen Stanley Mountains in their retreat towards Port Moresby.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Guadalcanal: 6 IJN A6M "Zekes," based on Rabaul, strafe US Marines working on Henderson Field.

NEW CALEDONIA: The US 56th Cavalry Brigade (112th and 124th Regiments) arrive complete with their horses. They are the last such US Army unit to be deployed with horses. (Gary Butler)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: A B-24 Liberator of the US 11th Air Force flies photo reconnaissance over western Semichi Island and the north coast of Attu Island.

CANADA: HMC ML 100 commissioned.
Corvettes HMCS La Malbaie and Saskatoon commence refit Halifax, Nova Scotia.

U.S.A.: Admiral King desires Nimitz to move between three and five old battleships to Tongatabu in the South Pacific, "in view Japanese concentration (of heavy ships) directed towards Rabaul." Capt. Lynde D. McCormick, Nimitz's War Plans Officer, noted in his war diary, "Cincpac will probably desire not to do that." (John B. Lundstrom)(225)

The motion picture "Wake Island" is released. This war drama depicting the Marines defence of Wake Island in December 1941, is directed by John Farrow and stars Brian Donlevy, Robert Preston, Macdonald Carey, Albert Dekker, Barbara Britton, William Bendix, Walter Abel and Rod Cameron; Hugh Beaumont, Hillary Brooke, Dane Clark, Alan Hale, Jr. and Richard Loo appear in uncredited roles.

The film is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Bendix). IMDB entry.

Brian Donlevy, who played Marine Major Geoffrey Caton in the film, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and at age 14 (he lied and said he was 16), joined the U.S. Army and served with "Black Jack" Pershing during the Mexican expedition against Pancho Villa. During World War I, he was a pilot with the Lafayette Escadrille and after the war, he spent two years at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, but gave up on a military career for the stage.

An agreement was signed between the United States and Bolivia.

It was announced that the United States and Brazil had agreed to establish a joint defence board, similar to those established with Canada and Mexico.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-109 sinks SS Vimeria at 10.03N, 28.55W.

At 1427, the unescorted RFA Mirlo was hit on the starboard side in the foreship by one of two torpedoes fired by U-130 about 870 miles WSW of Freetown and the crew abandoned ship in three lifeboats. The U-boat came alongside and took the master on board for questioning. He then asked Kals if he could reboard the tanker and search for a missing man, this was allowed and the master rowed back to his ship and found the seriously wounded able seaman Sverre Gustavsen. After they had recovered him, Kals apologized for having to sink his ship and fired a coup de grâce at 1529, which sank the tanker. He then gave some first
aid items to the master and sent him back in the lifeboat, because he already had two prisoners from Malmanger on board.

After three days in stormy weather, the lifeboats got separated. On 18 August, the 11 men in the boat of the first mate were picked up by HMS Banff and landed in Freetown the next day. On the same day, the 15 men in the boat of the second mate were located by HMS Boreas and landed in Freetown on the 23 August. The remaining lifeboat was found over 100 miles southwest of Freetown by trawler HMS Canna on 20 August and also landed in Freetown two days later, where the injured man was brought to a hospital where he was found to have a very severe skull fracture in addition to other injuries.

Mirlo had left Port of Spain in convoy with twelve other ships, after travelling 300 miles the convoy was dispersed on 3 August and the ship continued alone. At 2032 on 3 August, U-155 fired a spread of two torpedoes at the tanker in grid EE 9773, but the attack was noticed and she turned quickly to starboard. Piening heard one torpedo hit but it did not detonate, while the other passed in front of the bow. The gun crew then fired a shot from the 4-inch gun in the direction of the U-boat and the master ordered a southerly zigzagging course at high speed, shaking off the attacker.

11 August 1943

August 11th, 1943 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Escort carrier HMS Slinger commissioned.
Frigate HMS Cosby laid down.

Minesweeper HMS Harrier is laid down.

GERMANY: U-1221 commissioned.

U.S.S.R.: 30 miles west of Kharkov the Red Army cuts the Poltava--Kharkov railroad.

ITALY: Last night another landing on Sicily, east of Cape Orlando, at Brolo is made by US forces. The Germans fall back quickly.

German forces begin a six-day evacuation of Sicily. Over the next six days and seven nights, the Germans evacuated 39,569 troops, 47 tanks, 94 heavy guns, 9,605 vehicles and 2,000+ tons of ammunition to Italy from Messina. In addition, 60,000 Italian troops were evacuated.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Submarine HMS Parthian mined and sunk.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Admiral Halsey orders the occupation of Japanese bases on Vella Lavella.
5 US Thirteenth Air Force B-24s hit a supply area on the eastern side of Suavanau Point, Santa Isabel Island and on Papatura Fa Island. '

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutian Islands, the US Eleventh Air Force dispatches B-24s, B-25 Mitchells, A-24 Dauntlesses, and P-38 Lightnings to pound Kiska Island targets in 11 attack missions; later, 10 reconnaissance, strafing and photo missions to Kiska are flown by 3 P-38s, 26 P-40s, 4 F-5A Lightnings and a B-24. In the Kurile Islands, 9 B-24s from Attu Island drop bombs and incendiaries on Paramushiru Island, including Kashiwabara Airfield and Shimushu Island where the Kataoka naval base and staging area are hit. 40 enemy aircraft challenge the attackers, which score 4 confirmed kills, 1 probable, and 4 possible.

CANADA: The Quebec Conference begins. President Franklin D Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston S Churchill discuss the entire spectrum of world operations and decide on the future action of Anglo-US armed forces.

Destroyer HMCS Hamilton assigned HMCS Cornwallis for training duties.

U.S.A.: Minesweeper USS Harrier laid down.
Destroyer escorts USS Hayter and Hubbard laid down.
Destroyer escort USS George W Ingram commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Three German submarines are sunk:

- U-468 is sunk near Bathurst, Gambia, in position 12.20N, 20.07W, by depth charges from an RAF Liberator Mk V of No 200 Squadron based at Yundum, Gambia; the Liberator was shot down by the U-boat crew. 7 of the 51 U-boat crewmen survive. F/O Lloyd Alan Trigg (b.1914), RNZAF, attacked this U-boat while on patrol. The U-boat fought back with its anti-aircraft guns, inflicting fatal damage on the aircraft. He died when his bomber was shot down by blistering anti-aircraft fire, but the U-boat sank soon after. (Victoria Cross)

- U-525 is sunk about 376 miles (605 km) west-southwest of the Azores, in position 41.29N, 38.55W, by depth charges and aerial torpedoes from a TBF Avenger and an F4F Wildcat of Composite Squadron One (VC-1) in the US escort aircraft carrier USS Card (CVE-11). All hand on the U-boat, 54-men, are lost.

- U-604 is scuttled by her crew in the South Atlantic, in position 04.30S, 21.20W. The U-boat had been severely damaged by 4 Mark 47 depth charges from a USN PV-1 Ventura of Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty Nine (VB-129) based at NAF Ipitanga, Bahia, Brazil on 30 July. The crew of the PV-1 had spotted the U-boat on the surface and after attacking, the U-boat had submerged, resurfaced and submerged again. On 3 August, U-604 was again attacked by PB4Y-1 Liberators of Patrol Squadron One Hundred Seven (VP-107) based at NAF Natal, Brazil and the destroyer USS Moffett (DD-362). The U-boat is so damaged that her crew scuttles her and they are taken aboard U-172 and U-185 for the voyage home. During the rescue U-172 is attacked by an American Liberator aircraft from Squadron VB-107, one man from its crew is killed [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]. 31 of the 45-man crew survives. (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

U-64 Scuttled 11 Aug, 1943 in the South Atlantic, in position 04.30S, 21.20W, after being badly damaged by depth charges from 2 American aircraft, a Ventura (VB-129) and a Liberator (VB-107). 14 dead and 31 survivors.

11 August 1944

August 11th, 1944 (FRIDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The US Eighth Air Force in England flies 3 missions today (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking the target).

- Mission 541: 660 bombers and 300+ fighters, in 5 forces, are dispatched to attack 13 marshalling yards, fuel dumps, airfields, and targets of opportunity, in northeastern France and the Paris area; 4 bombers are lost
(1) B-17 Flying Fortresses attack Belfort (76) and Mulhouse (76) marshalling yards and 1 B-17 hit a target of opportunity.
(2) B-24s bomb Coulommiers Airfield (47), Pacy-sur-Armancon (36) and St Florentin (34).
(3) 76 B-17s bomb the Villacoublay aircraft depot; 1 B-17 is lost.
(4) 45 B-24s attack Toussus le Noble Airfield; 9 others hit Saran Airfield at Orleans. (5) B-24s, bomb the Strasbourg fuel dump (66); marshalling yards at Strasbourg (65) and Saarbrucken (60); Nivelles Airfield (10) and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost.

- Mission 542: 275 B-17s attack 23 arsenal areas, barracks, concrete emplacements and heavy artillery posts in and around Brest, France; 1 B-17 is lost. Mission 541 and 542 are escorted by 356 P-38s and P-51 Mustangs; 1 P-51 is lost.

- Mission 543: 1 B-17 flies a Micro H test against La Chenaie rail bridge. Escort is provided by 7 P-47 Thunderbolts.

- Mission 544: 6 B-17s drop leaflets in Franc during the night.

- 165 P-47s fly a fighter sweep of the Paris area; they claim 5-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft.

- 28 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.

The following Canadian corvettes departed with the 102-ship Londonderry to New York City convoy ON-248S: HMCS Dauphin, Sackville, Halifax and Huntsville. Submarine HMS Scythian commissioned.

FRANCE: Operation Totalize, the Canadian First Army offensive towards Falaise, has failed to break out and is called off.

The 2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards are part of a major southward thrust by the Guards Armoured Division to cut the main Vassy-Vire road. Captain 'Tinker' Taylor is in command of two troops of tanks which are supporting the Prince of Wales Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, in an attack near the village of Houssemagne, east of Vire.

The tanks rolled forward under heavy shell and mortar fire, keeping pace with 1 Welsh Guards; but as they climbed a long spur towards the Vassy-Vire road, Taylor realised that there were too few infantry to hold the ground unless they were given time to dig themselves in.

He therefore ordered his tanks forward into the orchards on top of the ridge; but the German anti-tank guns were already in position covering the crest, and Taylor's tank was the first to be knocked out.

Sergeant Garland, one of his troop commanders, accelerated ahead to engage the anti-tank gun and give Taylor and his crew a chance to escape. Garland was now in a very exposed position, so Taylor jumped into the next tank, and immediately ordered it forward to support him.

He duly engaged and destroyed the anti-tank gun, but not before it had hit and crippled Garland's tank. But Garland's crew continued fighting until all their ammunition had been expended; they then escaped under cover of a smoke screen.

The enemy, which had infiltrated the surrounding orchards with Panther tanks and self-propelled guns, had knocked out six of eight tanks when Taylor's became bogged down in a stream.

For two hours he stayed with the immobilised machine, in full view and under heavy enemy fire while directing his remaining tanks and preventing all further attempts to penetrate the position.

Only when the Welsh Guards had reported that they were firmly established and he had been given a direct order to withdraw, did Taylor abandon his tank and bring his crew safely back. He was awarded an immediate MC. (Daily Telegraph 5th June, 2003) (Peter Kilduff)

US forces cross the River Loire.

The US Ninth Air Force sends A-20 Havocs and B-26 Marauders to attack bridges at Montrichard, Oissel, Fismes, and Creil/Saint-Maximin, gun defences at Ile de Cezembre and Saint-Malo, and an ammunition dump at Foret de Roumare; fighters cover the assault area, escort IX Bomber Command aircraft, and fly armed reconnaissance in the battle area and extensively over northern France.

GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler allows von Kluge's men to retreat from Mortain, recognizing the failure of his planned counter-attack.

U-2329 launched.

U.S.S.R.: The Red Army begins a new offensive south of Lake Peipus.
The Soviet High Command had announced the opening of a new offensive in the Baltic. It began at dawn yesterday with a heavy artillery barrage in the south-east corner of Estonia. The tanks and infantry of General Maslennikov's Third Baltic Front attacked as the barrage lifted, and quickly breached the German defences in the Pskov area. The Russians have advanced some 15 miles and have captured the railway town of Pechory, sealing the fate of the 30 German divisions trapped in the Baltic states. These trapped divisions were "doomed to extermination owing to the strategy of the irresponsible Hitler", according to the captured German Generals von Kurowski and Lindemann who today called on the German people and military command to end the war.

ITALY: The Pope has allowed his concern for the fate of the Polish patriots fighting in Warsaw to be reflected tonight in the Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano.
In a powerful commentary, the newspaper says: "The Russian advance is meeting no obstacles. When the news indicates there is a battle near some town, it is invariably followed by the entry into its suburbs and its occupation within a few hours. It is only in Warsaw that this does not happen.
"In Warsaw, Poles of the resistance movement have fought and are fighting. It is necessary to ask whether there is any connection between these two facts. Is this a division of the war effort?" The article goes on to ask why it is necessary for the fighters to say "we ask for help from those who owe us help", and comments bitterly: "This help is not forthcoming ... Why for the past few days have the Russian bulletins ignored the fight in Warsaw?"

Naples: The sight of a familiar figure wearing a homburg hat and a siren suit and waving a big cigar, did much to cheer up British troops here today. Morale has not been good here in the US Fifth and British Eighth Armies, particularly with the headlines at home dominated by events in Normandy and thousands of their comrades taken from the Italian front for the planned operation in the south of France. Churchill has flown here to meet Tito, with whose help he hopes to salvage earlier British plans for a Balkan campaign which the US rejected. He will also learn of a new plan by General Alexander to break through the Gothic line.

KURILE ISLANDS: 4 Eleventh Air Force B-24s and 2 F-7 Liberators bomb Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru Island. They are attacked by 15-20 Japanese fighters and the Americans claim 3 fighters shot down.

Radar-equipped B-24s of the US Thirteenth Air Force based on Los Negros Island, attack Japanese airfields and defences in the Palau Islands during the night of 11/12 August.

18 B-24s of 30th Bombardment Group leave their airbase at Saipan to bomb Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands.

CANADA: Tugs HMCS Glenella, Glenfield and Glenvalley launched Kingston Ontario.
Frigate HMCS Loch Achamalt (ex HMS Loch Achamalt) commissioned.

U.S.A.: An electric-powered rescue hoist is installed on a USCG HNS-1 helicopter at CGAS Floyd Bennett Field, New York. During the ensuing 4-day test period, in which flights are conducted over Jamaica Bay, the feasibility of rescuing personnel from the water and of transferring personnel and equipment to and from underway boats is demonstrated. In late September, a hydraulic hoist, which overcomes basic disadvantages of the electric hoist, is installed and successfully tested, leading to its adoption for service use.

Destroyer USS Lofberg launched. Destroyer escort USS George E Davis commissioned. Destroyer USS Leary laid down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Two German submarines are sunk:

- U-385 is sunk in the Bay of Biscay west of La Rochelle, France, in position 46.16N, 02.45W, by depth charges from the RN sloop HMS Starling and depth charges from an RAAF Sunderland Mk III of No. 461 Squadron based at Pembroke Dock, Wales. 42 of the crew of 43 survive.

- U-967 is scuttled in Toulon, France. 2 crewmen die.

11 August 1945

August 11th, 1945 (SATURDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Repair ship HMS Mull of Oa is launched.

Minesweeper HMS Orcadia is commissioned.

JAPAN: Shortly after midnight Japan receives unofficial notification of the rejection of Japan's conditional acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.

The Chief of Staff for the Army and Navy meet with Hirohito. They review the US response and offer their advice. "Reject the impertinent terms and fight to the very last." Hirohito realizes that they have not really heard his desire on the 10th to end the war.

Professor Asada, after investigating Hiroshima, returns to Osaka University. He has a visitor, Lt. Saito from the Etajima Naval Academy. He reports that his Commanding officer has deduced that the Hiroshima bomb was a mixture of magnesium and oxygen. There was not much more to fear from this new bomb than conventional bombs. There were 3 notations:
1) A special bomb was used;
2) burns can be prevented by covering the body;
3) rumour has it that the same kind of bomb will be dropped on Tokyo on August 12.

Professor Asada is shocked and convinces Lt. Saito to delay his report until Asada can report to Tokyo first.

During the day, a group of junior army officers around Col. Takeshita decide to mount a coup. They intend to overrule the "false advisors" of the Emperor and continue the war.

That evening the Emperor meets with all of the Imperial Family. He explains the object of his decision and asks for their support. After open discussion, the princes pledge their support.

War Minister Anami meets with Prince Mikasa. He asks the prince to ask the Emperor to change his mind. Anami later reports to his secretary "Prince Mikasa severely scolded me saying 'Since the Manchurian Incident the army has not once acted in accordance with the Imperial wish. It is most improper that you should still want to continue the war when things have come to this stage' "

Tokyo: The rapid moves towards peace in the last 24 hours have suddenly become deadlocked, with surrender negotiations between Japan and the Allies breaking down over the future role of Emperor Hirohito. The setback came today in a note from the US Secretary of State, James Byrnes, to the Japanese cabinet. It rejected the Japanese offer of unconditional surrender because it was in fact still conditional, containing a demand that Emperor Hirohito's prerogative as sovereign ruler should not be compromised.

The Byrnes note refuses to offer any such guarantee. It says that the Allies envisage an unconditional surrender as one where the emperor will be "subject to" the supreme commander of the Allied powers and that, ultimately, Japan's form of government will be established "by the freely-expressed will of the Japanese people."

The US response has thrown the Japanese cabinet into disarray. It strongly hoped that it had found a way to end the war after an all-night session in a palace air-raid shelter at which hardliners had argued for many more conditions. These included no US occupation of Japan, self-demobilization by Japan and the trial of all war criminals by Japanese courts. The doves, led by the foreign minister, Shigenori Togo, wanted unconditional surrender provided that the emperor was protected. With the votes even, the emperor was asked for his view. He backed Togo, whose proposals were then adopted unanimously.

In Japan:

- Okinawa-based B-24s, B-25s, A-26 Invaders, A-20s, and fighters of the US Far East Air Force fly about 530 sorties and cause extensive destruction to shipping and shore installations in the Inland Sea, in the Tsushima area, and of communications, transportation, and other targets throughout Kyushu Island.

- US carrier-based aircraft of Task Force 38 sink three IJN submarines at Kure.

BORNEO: After embarking Australian Army officers in Borneo, the US submarine USS Hawkbill (SS-366) lands the commandoes at Terampah Harbor, Matak Island, Anambas Islands and they destroy a gasoline dump, capture intelligence documents and rescues an Indian POW. Two radio stations are destroyed using the submarine deck gun. The submarine returned to Borneo on 13 August.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Manila: MacArthur designated the Allies' supreme commander to accept Japan's formal capitulation, says that the atomic bomb was unnecessary since the Japanese would have surrendered anyway.

CANADA: Frigate HMCS Lanark tropicalisation refit Liverpool, Nova Scotia, cancelled.

U.S.A.: Washington: As the world struggles to understand the scale of the devastation wreaked on the Japanese cities, the Allied press is full of excited speculation about the industrial and commercial potential of the newly-harnessed power of the atom.

A Tokyo radio station described the bomb as a "diabolical weapon", and the Allies as destroyers of "justice and mankind". President Truman, in a broadcast yesterday, spoke of guarding the secret of the bomb and ensuring that "its power be made an overwhelming influence towards world peace." He said: "We thank God that it has come to us, instead of to our enemies; and we pray that He may guide us to use it in His ways and for His purposes."

MEXICO: Mexicana DC-2-243 (ex USAAF C-39), msn 2075, registered XA-DOT, crashes in bad weather at Ixtaccihuatl; all 16 people on the aircraft are killed.

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