Today in World War II History—May 18, 1940 & 1945
Sunday, May 18, 2025 by Sarah Sundin
Destroyed Belgian A.C.G.1 tank, Antwerp, Belgium, 19 May 1940 (German Federal Archive, Bild 146-1971-040-60)
85 Years Ago—May 18, 1940: Germans take Antwerp, Belgium.
In a radio address, aviator and isolationist Charles Lindbergh accuses President Roosevelt of creating “a defense hysteria” and states, “If we desire peace, we have only to stop asking for war.”
US Marine running through Japanese fire at ‘Death Valley,’ Okinawa, Japan, 10 May 1945 (US National Archives: 41607-FMC)
80 Years Ago—May 18, 1945: An RAF Lancaster is the first plane in history to fly over both the true and the magnetic North Poles.
US Marines secure Sugar Loaf Hill on Okinawa after heavy fighting.
“May 18, 1945: An RAF Lancaster is the first plane in history to fly over both the true and the magnetic North Poles.”
Hello Sarah,
Was there a purpose to the flight other than to get a unique entry into “The Guinness Book of Superlatives”* ? My question sounds sarcastic, but it’s not. I thought there might be a reason like testing a route to attack the Japanese from Canada or something?
*Later became known as the “The Guinness Book of World Records”
Hi John! Great question. I actually don’t know the purpose of the flight.