Today in World War II History—February 9, 1940 & 1945

William Dodd after his appointment as US Ambassador to Germany, 10 June 1933 (public domain via International News Service)

80 Years Ago—February 9, 1940: Ireland establishes law to detain IRA men without trial.

William Dodd, US Ambassador to Germany 1933-37, dies of pneumonia in Virginia, age 70.

French Infantry advances into Colmar, 2 February 1945 (US Army Center of Military History)

75 Years Ago—Feb. 9, 1945: US Seventh & French First Armies clear Colmar Pocket and Alsatian Plain and drive Germans over Rhine south of Strasbourg, France.

In rare sub vs. sub combat and the only documented case in naval history where both were submerged, British submarine HMS Venturer sinks German U-boat U-864 off Bergen, Norway.

British secure Ramree Island, Burma.