Today in World War II History—January 23, 1940 & 1945
Count Helmuth von Moltke on trial in the Nazi People’s Court in Berlin, January 1945 (German Federal Archive, Bild 147-1277)
80 Years Ago—January 23, 1940: Britain and France say they will not honor 200-mile Pan-American neutrality zone and will attack German ships in that zone.
Animals in the Berlin Zoo are placed on war rations—less meat, no bananas or peanuts.
75 Years Ago—Jan. 23, 1945: US First Army retakes St. Vith in Belgium from Germans.
Nazis execute German resistance leaders Count Helmuth von Moltke (leader of the Kreisau Circle resistance group) and Erwin Planck (son of physicist Max Planck).
In the shallow harbor of Nanguan Island, China, submarine USS Barb sinks Japanese freighter Taikyu Maru; Cdr. Eugene Fluckey will receive the Medal of Honor and Barb will receive the Presidential Unit Citation.
