Today in World War II History—Aug. 19, 1940 & 1945
Assembling North American B-25 Mitchell bombers, Kansas City, KS, 1942 (Library of Congress: fsac.1a35291)
80 Years Ago—Aug. 19, 1940: Italians occupy Berbera, capital of British Somaliland, and Mussolini annexes British Somaliland to Italian Empire, the only Italian victory achieved in WWII without German assistance.
US Civil Aeronautics Administration issues the first pilot’s license, an honorary one to Orville Wright, born on this date in 1871.
Maiden flight of production North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber.
Japanese POWs at Guam listen to Emperor Hirohito’s surrender announcement, 15 Aug 1945 (US National Archives: 80-G-490320)
75 Years Ago—Aug. 19, 1945: Japanese soldiers are told that surrendering under cease-fire doesn’t break the Bushido code.
Chiang Kai-shek forbids Japanese to surrender to Communist Chinese; they must surrender to the Nationalists.
US troops enter Shanghai to prevent a communist takeover.
Okay, I know they were in the wrong and everything, but that picture is soooo sad…
It is. Feeling compassion for people in mourning is never a bad thing 🙂
There’s on of German POWs seeing footage of the Holocaust for the first time and it just breaks my heart. I think it’s good for us all to remember these are still people, with a soul, and with feelings just like us. Jesus died for then too and He still reached out His forgiveness to them if only they would ask…
Think how much conflict and division could be avoided if we all recognized the humanity and worth of others – including those who disagree with us. Thank you for choosing to see others as God does.
What a sad picture of the POW’s. Why is this the first time I’m seeing these pictures? Guess these pictures they don’t want us to see.
Thanks for sharing them Sarah.
I showed it five years ago 🙂 And I’ve seen it on other sites and in books. The iconic photos of the surrender of those of Allies rejoicing rather than the Japanese mourning – not surprising at all.