Today in World War II History—June 12, 1940 & 1945
Friday, June 12, 2020 by Sarah Sundin
Japanese resistance fighters captured, Okinawa, Japan, Jun 1945; prisoner to the far left is reading American propaganda literature (US Army photo)
80 Years Ago—June 12, 1940: Gen. Maxime Weygand orders a general retreat to the Loire River, abandoning Paris.
Military governor of Paris Gen. Pierre Héring evacuates, leaving US Ambassador William Bullitt unofficially in charge of the city.
Japanese bomb Chongqing, China with 154 aircraft.
75 Years Ago—June 12, 1945: US Marines make push for final pocket of Japanese forces on the Oroku Peninsula on Okinawa; hundreds of Japanese Marines commit suicide.
US B-32 Dominator bomber is first flown in combat, in the Philippines.
