Today in World War II History—April 12, 1940 & 1945

Harry Truman being sworn in as the President of the United States, White House, Washington, DC, 12 Apr 1945 (Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum: 73-1909)
80 Years Ago—April 12, 1940: Movie premiere of Rebecca, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine (Alfred Hitchcock’s first film made in America).

Recruiting poster for pilots for the US Marine Corps, WWII
75 Years Ago—Apr. 12, 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in Warm Springs, GA of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Harry Truman is sworn in as president.
Over Okinawa, US Marine land- and carrier-based aircraft shoot down 77 Japanese aircraft, the Marines’ highest number of victories in a single day during the war.
Japan forms Volunteer Army of men ages 15-55 and women ages 17-45 to combat invasion.