April 1941

[April 1], 1941 (Tuesday)

• The Battle of Keren in East Africa ended in Allied victory.
• The British withdrew from Brega.
• The Iraqi coup d'état overthrew the regime of Regent 'Abd al-Ilah and installed a pro-Nazi government with Rashid Ali al-Gaylani as Prime Minister.
• The Royal Air Force dropped the first 4,000-pound blockbuster bombs of the war, by Vickers Wellington medium bombers in a raid over Emden.
• The United States and Mexico signed an agreement in Washington allowing the reciprocal use of airfields and air space for the civil and military aircraft of both countries.
• Ford Motor Company workers at the River Rouge plant in Michigan went on strike in protest of the firing of several union members.

  [April 2], 1941 (Wednesday)

• German and Italian forces pushed the British out of Ajdabiya.
• During one of his radio broadcasts, the anonymous pro-Nazi commentator derisively nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw confirmed his identity as William Joyce.
• Born: Dr. Demento, disc jockey and novelty record collector, in Minneapolis, Minnesota

  [April 3], 1941 (Thursday)

• British troops captured Asmara, the capital of Eritrea.
• Hitler issued Directive No. 26, Co-operation with our Allies in the Balkans.
• László Bárdossy became Prime Minister of Hungary after Pál Teleki's suicide.
• German submarines U-564 and U-652 were commissioned.
• Born: Eric Braeden, actor, in Bredenbek, Germany; Jorma Hynninen, baritone, in Leppävirta, Finland; Philippé Wynne, soul and funk singer, in Detroit, Michigan
• Died: Pál Teleki, 61, Prime Minister of Hungary

  [April 4], 1941 (Friday)

• The naval battle known as the action of 4 April 1941 was fought in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. The German commerce raider Thor sank the British auxiliary cruiser Voltaire.
• The Germans and Italians took Benghazi.
• Hitler issued Directive No. 27, Plan of Attack on Greece.
• The Greek torpedo boat Proussa was sunk by Italian aircraft off Corfu.
• Born: Bill Tarmey, actor, singer and author, in Ardwick, Manchester, England

  [April 5], 1941 (Saturday)

• Henry Maitland Wilson officially took command of the British "W" Force in Greece.
• German submarine U-76 was depth charged and sunk in the North Atlantic by British warships.
• Operation Savanna ended with the main Allied objective having failed.
• German submarine U-431 was commissioned.
• The drama film The Great Lie starring Bette Davis, George Brent and Mary Astor premiered in Littleton, New Hampshire as a benefit for a local hospital, one week before opening nationwide.
• Died: Parvin E'tesami, 34, Iranian poet; Nigel Gresley, 64, British steam locomotive engineer; Franciszek Kleeberg, 53, Polish general

  [April 6], 1941 (Sunday)

• At 1:30 a.m. in Moscow, the Soviet Union and the new government of Yugoslavia signed a treaty of friendship and non-aggression. The treaty was backdated to April 5, possibly in anticipation of a German attack and the Russians wanting to avoid any impression that the agreement was signed while Yugoslavia was at war.
• The German-led Battle of Greece began at dawn when the XL Panzer Corps crossed the Greek border.
• The Battle of the Metaxas Line began.
• The German-led invasion of Yugoslavia began at 7 a.m. with a Luftwaffe assault, the opening stage of Operation Retribution.
• The Allies captured the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
• German battleship Gneisenau was heavily damaged by a Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber while moored in Brest, France.
• The British cargo ship Clan Fraser was bombed by the Luftwaffe and sunk at Piraeus.
• Craig Wood won the Masters Tournament.
• Born: Gheorghe Zamfir, pan flute musician, in Găești, Romania
• Died: Kenneth Campbell, 23, Scottish pilot and posthumous Victoria Cross recipient ; Agenore Frangipani, 64, Italian general and Governor of Addis Ababa

  [April 7], 1941 (Monday)

• Axis troops retook Derna, Libya.
• The Luftwaffe sank 12 ships in an attack on the Greek port of Piraeus.
• On Budget Day in the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Exchequer Kingsley Wood presented an innovative plan modeled after Keynesian economics that used taxation and forced savings to attack an estimated £500 million "inflation gap". Wood increased taxes by £250 million and projected a deficit of £2.304 billion, almost identical to the previous year's deficit of £2.475 billion. British newspaper editorials generally found the wartime sacrifices asked for in the budget to be reasonable and the stock exchange also took the news of the budget well. For the first time in British history, a majority of the population was liable to income tax.
• Britain severed diplomatic relations with Hungary, saying it had "become a base of operations against the Allies."
• The first night of the Belfast Blitz began.
• British general Richard O'Connor was captured by a German reconnaissance patrol in North Africa.
• The results of a Gallup poll were published asking Americans, "Which of these two things do you think it is more important for the United States to try to do — to keep out of the war ourselves, or to help England win, even at the risk of getting into the war?" 67% said help England, a 7 percent increase since the same question was polled three months previously.

  [April 8], 1941 (Tuesday)

• British forces captured the crucial port city of Massawa and completed the conquest of Italian Eritrea.
• Axis troops captured Mechili, Libya.
• President Roosevelt sent Peter II of Yugoslavia a message promising that "the United States will speedily furnish all material assistance possible in accordance with its existing statutes. I send Your Majesty my most earnest hopes for a successful resistance to this criminal assault upon the independence and integrity of your country."
• Born: Peggy Lennon, singer, in Los Angeles, California

  [April 9], 1941 (Wednesday)

• On the night of April 9 British airmen made the heaviest attack on Berlin which the city had so far suffered. The damage was done in the Government quarter and civilian casualties amounted to more than 2000.
• The Battle of Shanggao ended in Chinese victory.
• The Battle of the Metaxas Line ended in German victory.
• The Germans captured Thessaloniki.
• Greenland in World War II: The U.S. and Danish governments signed an agreement in which the Americans took over the defense of Greenland in exchange for the right to build air and naval bases there. The U.S. established a protectorate over Greenland the following day.
• Winston Churchill made a lengthy speech before the House of Commons reviewing the course of the war. He said in conclusion: "Once we have gained the Battle of the Atlantic and are sure of the constant flow of American supplies which are being prepared for us, then, however far Hitler may go or whatever new millions and scores of millions he may lap in misery, we who are armed with the sword of retributive justice shall be on his track."
• American battleship USS North Carolina was commissioned.
• Born: Kay Adams, country singer, in Knox City, Texas

  [April 10], 1941 (Thursday)

• The Germans captured Zagreb and the Independent State of Croatia was proclaimed.
• The Siege of Tobruk began.
• German battleship Gneisenau was hit again in an RAF raid on Brest.
• German submarines U-401 and U-565 were commissioned.
• The trial of Anthony and William Esposito began in New York City. The brothers faced two counts of murder for the January 14 slaying of a police officer and a holdup victim. The case was a sensation in the New York media, who dubbed the defendants the "Mad Dog" brothers because they entered an insanity defense and displayed wild behavior such as walking in and out of the courtroom like apes, howling and gnawing on their own fingers.

  [April 11], 1941 (Friday)

• Hungary joined the invasion of Yugoslavia. The Hungarian occupation of Yugoslav territories began.
• Battle of Vevi: British, Australian and New Zealand troops engaged the Germans in Greece for the first time south of Vevi.
• The Ford strike in Michigan ended after ten days with both sides agreeing to make concessions.
• The comedy film Road to Zanzibar, the second in the popular Road to... film series starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, was released.
• Born: Shirley Stelfox, actress, in Dukinfield, Cheshire, England

  [April 12], 1941 (Saturday)

• The Germans captured Belgrade.
• The Battle of Vevi ended in German victory.
• In North Africa, the Germans captured Fort Capuzzo and Bardia.
• The Yugoslav monitors Morava, Sava and Vardar were scuttled to prevent capture.
• The Boston Bruins beat the Detroit Red Wings 3–1 to win the Stanley Cup in a four-game sweep.
• Born: Bobby Moore, footballer, in Barking, Essex, England

  [April 13], 1941 (Sunday)

• The Battle of Ptolemaida was fought, resulting in German victory.
• The Battle of Kleisoura Pass began.
• Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact: Japan and the Soviet Union signed a five-year Treaty of Neutrality, pledging to remain neutral in the event of one country being attacked by a third party. The pact also saw the Soviet Union recognize du jure Manchukuo for the first time.
• The British armed merchant cruiser Rajputana was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic by German submarine U-108.
• Pope Pius XII broadcast an Easter address asking listeners to pray for an early peace. He directed a message to the occupying powers as well, saying, "let your conscience guide you in dealing justly, humanely and providently with the peoples of occupied territories. Do not impose upon them burdens which you in similar circumstances have felt or would feel to be unjust." The pope also called for an end to attacks against civilian targets.
• Born: Michael Stuart Brown, geneticist and Nobel laureate, in Brooklyn, New York
• Died: Annie Jump Cannon, 77, American astronomer