Today in World War II History—July 4, 1940 & 1945
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)
Poster for 1940 World’s Fair, New York City
85 Years Ago—July 4, 1940: At Portland, England, the German 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 or possibly by a British agent trying to gain sympathy for the Allied cause,
80 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).
