Today in World War II History—July 4, 1940 & 1945

Poster for 1940 World’s Fair, New York City

80 Years Ago—July 4, 1940: At Portland, England, the Luftwaffe sinks antiaircraft ship HMS Foylebank (176 killed).

After the Luftwaffe destroys a British convoy off Sussex, Churchill orders fighter protection for convoys.

At the New York World’s Fair, a bomb explodes in the British Pavilion, killing 2 policemen; the case is never solved and was possibly caused by sabotage.

75 Years Ago—July 4, 1945: British occupation forces arrive in Berlin.

Canadian troops riot in Aldershot, England, over not being shipped home; no damage or injuries.

In the South Atlantic, Brazilian light cruiser Bahia is sunk in an accidental explosion of depth charges (294 killed).

Ruins of the German Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, covered with graffiti from Soviet soldiers, 3 Jul 1945 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-30 BU 8582)