80 Years Ago—Oct. 10, 1941: Marshal Georgy Zhukov replaces Ivan Konev over Soviet Western Front. In Luxembourg, less than 3% of the population votes to join Germany. Nazis open Theresienstadt concentration camp in Czechoslovakia.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 9, 1941: President Roosevelt approves Vannevar Bush’s program to research the possibility of atomic weapons. Pro-German president Arnulfo Arias of Panama is overthrown in a US-supported bloodless coup, replaced by Ricardo de la Guardia. A week-long test of US air defense network begins: 40,000 civilian aircraft spotters of Aircraft Warning System search… Read more »
80 Years Ago—Oct. 8, 1941: Germans take Orel, key city south of Moscow. USSR establishes three regiments of female fighter pilots, including the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, later called the “Night Witches” by the Germans. Chinese drive Japanese out of the Changsha area.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 7, 1941: To boost morale in the USSR as the Germans advance, Stalin lifts the ban on religion and permits many churches to reopen. Germans break through Vyazma defense line in Russia. Due to parliamentary elections in Australia, John Curtin replaces Arthur Fadden as prime minister.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 6, 1941: US House of Representatives declares Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday in November, as it was from 1863-1939, later amended to the fourth Thursday (Read more: Thanksgiving in World War II). In the World Series, New York Yankees defeat Brooklyn Dodgers four games to one.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 5, 1941: Field Marshal Paul von Kleist is named commander of German 1st Panzer Army and Gen. Heinz Guderian over 2nd Panzer Army. Former US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis dies, age 84; he was the first Jewish Supreme Court justice.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 4, 1941: German U-boats first attack British supply line between Alexandria, Egypt and besieged Tobruk, Libya. Norman Rockwell’s “Willie Gillis” character premieres on cover of Saturday Evening Post, an “everyman” private.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 3, 1941: Dwight D. Eisenhower is promoted to brigadier general. Movie premiere of The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart & Mary Astor.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 2, 1941: German Army Group Center launches an offensive toward Moscow. First deaths due to starvation are reported in Nazi-besieged Leningrad.
80 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1941: US signs contract to send military aircraft to the USSR (15,000 sent during the war). Sale of US War Savings Bonds to naval personnel begins; will sell $61,000,000 worth throughout the war.
