Today in World War II History—March 9, 1940 & 1945
Tokyo, Japan in ruins after aerial bombing, circa 10 Mar 1945 (Photographer: Kouyou Ishikawa; public domain via WW2 Database)
80 Years Ago—March 9, 1940: French military intelligence takes possession of supply of heavy water at Norsk Hydro plant in Telemark, Norway with permission of Norwegians.
New song in Top Ten: “When You Wish upon a Star” from Walt Disney’s Pinocchio.
75 Years Ago—Mar. 9, 1945: On the night of March 9-10, US B-29s launch first major nighttime, low-altitude incendiary raid on Tokyo—97,000 are killed in the most destructive air attack of the entire war.
On Iwo Jima, US Marines repulse a large banzai suicide attack and reach the far coast, dividing Japanese forces.
At Fort Devens, MA, black Women’s Army Corps orderlies at the hospital go on strike to protest the lack of opportunity for technical training; 4 women choose to face court-martial for mutiny.
