USA: The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act raises tariffs to record levels. Europe and Canada retaliate by imposing tariffs on US goods. This leads to a worldwide depression.
1932 — , June 17
USA: About 1,000 American WWI veterans, dubbed the Bonus Army, gather before the Capitol building in Washington DC as the US Senate considers a bill that will give the promised benefits they never got.
1937 — , June 17
Spain: Day 336 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
1938 — , June 17
Spain: Day 701 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 346 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 7 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , June 17
France: The last public guillotining in France is carried out when a convicted murderer is beheaded in Versailles outside the Saint-Pierre prison.
CBI - China: Day 711 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 4 of 68 of the Battle of Tianjin.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 38 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , June 17
UK: Winston Churchill makes a broadcast to the nation, saying the British will defend their island home and fight on until the curse of Hitler is removed.
Atlantic: The British ocean liner LANCASTRIA , with 3,000 British troops aboard, is bombed and sunk at St Nazaire, in northwest France.
Atlantic: German sub U-46 sinks the Greek ship ELPIS 250 miles west of Cape Finisterre, Spain.
ETO - France: Day 39 of 44 of the Battle of France. German troops cross the Loire near Orleans. Prime Minister Pétain orders French troops to stop fighting while he sues for honorable peace terms.
Germany: The deposed German Emperor Wilhelm II sends a congratulatory telegram to Adolf Hitler regarding the victory over France.
Eastern Front: Estonia and Latvia give in to Soviet demands. However, the fighting at Tallinn, Estonia, will continue for four more days. Meanwhile in Lithuania, the president flees the country.
East Africa: Day 8 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,077 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 216 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
Day 48 of 49 of the Battle of Yichang.
1941 — , June 17
Atlantic: German sub U-43 sinks the British ship CATHRINE 250 miles southwest of Ireland.
Finland: Finland begins secretly mobilizing its military for Operation SILVER FOX in concert with Germany's upcoming invasion on the USSR. The joint German-Finnish operation will begin on 29 June 41.
MTO - Libya: Day 69 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk. The Afrika Korps beats back the British attack at Sollum, causing the British to call off Operation BATTLEAXE.
Middle East: Day 10 of 37 of the Battle for Syria and Lebanon.
East Africa: Day 373 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,442 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1942 — , June 17
USA: The US War Department advises the Army to discontinue the recruitment of Nisei, second generation American citizens of Japanese parentage, all of whom are to be re-classified as IV-C: unacceptable for service because of ancestry. Not until 1944 will these American citizens be allowed to enlist again. Drafting of Nisei will begin again at that time as well.
Spotlight...
30 Jul 44: A choir group of US 442nd Regimental Combat Team soldiers sings "Abide in Me" at the memorial ceremony for the 72 members of the 2nd Battalion who died in the first month of combat in Italy
Of the over 33,000 Nisei soldiers that served in the US Army during WWII, most served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a self-sufficient force which fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, southern France and Germany.
The unit became the most highly-decorated regiment in the history of the United States Armed Forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients. The motto of the 442nd RCT was "Go for Broke."
The families of many of its soldiers were in internment camps back in the US.
Related dates (Japanese-American Nisei)...
17 Jun 42: Army advised to discontinue recruitment of Nisei
14 Jan 44: Draft restored for Japanese-American Nisei
15 Jul 44: Japanese-American Staff Sergeant killed in Italy
21 Apr 45: Nisei Daniel Inouye loses his right arm in battle
Related dates (Allied military conscription)...
16 Sep 40: Military Conscription bill passed, beginning first peacetime US draft
29 Oct 40: Lottery system begins selecting US men to serve for 12 months
12 Aug 41: Congress extends service period of draftees as requested by FDR
05 Mar 42: Conscription in Britain extended to men between age 41 and 45
17 Jun 42: US Army advised to discontinue recruitment of Nisei
13 Jan 43: The draft for single girls in Britain is lowered to age 19
14 Jan 44: Draft restored for Japanese-American Nisei
29 Aug 45: The United States stops drafting citizens for the military
Related WWII Store items...
Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During World War II
Atlantic: Day 155 of 169 of Germany's Second "Happy Time," during which U-boats sink 609 Allied ships with little risk.
Russian Front - North: Day 283 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 44 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 20 of 31 of Operation KREMLIN, a German diversion to trick the Soviets into thinking Moscow is their main objective instead of Stalingrad and the Caucasus.
Russian Front - South: Day 231 of 248 of the Siege of Sevastopol, Crimean Peninsula. The Luftwaffe attacks become less frequent as they start running low of fuel.
MTO - Libya: Day 23 of 27 of the Battle of Gazala. The British 8th Army withdraws back into Egypt, leaving the Axis troops to surround Tobruk.
East Africa: Day 44 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,807 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 34 of 124 of Japan's Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, launched to punish anyone suspected of aiding the Doolittle raiders in China. Roughly 250,000 Chinese will be killed.
PTO - Alaska: Day 11 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 119 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
1943 — , June 17
Russian Front - North: Day 648 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 409 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
MTO - Italy: US 9th Air Force attacks airfields at Biscariy and Comiso, Sicily.
MTO - Italy: US 12th Air Force RAF Wellingtons bomb docks and marshalling yard at Naples.
CBI - China: Day 2,172 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
US 14th Air Force attacks at Chiuchiang and Nanchang.
PTO: Day 22 of 47 adrift in a raft for the survivors of B-24 GREEN HORNET that crashed 850 miles from Hawaii.
PTO - Alaska: Day 376 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Gilbert Islands: US 7th Air Force B-24s night bomb on the Tarawa Atoll. This raid is a diversion in support of the first night photo-reconnaissance mission to photograph Mille Atoll in the Caroline Islands and nearby waters in the Marshall Islands.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 57 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
1944 — , June 17
Iceland: Iceland declares independence from Denmark, becoming a republic with Sveinn Björnsson as its first president.
ETO - UK: Day 5 of 86 of the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" offensive on Britain.
ETO - France: Adolf Hitler meets with Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and Hans Speidel in France. Hitler agrees to visit the front lines in France, but ultimately this will not take place.
ETO - France: Day 12 of 49 of Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, known forever simply as D-Day.
ETO - France: Day 12 of 62 of the Battle of Caen.
ETO - France: Day 12 of 25 of the Battle of Cherbourg.
ETO - France: US 8th Air Force B-17s and B-24s bomb airfields in France to keep the Luftwaffe from using them and get within striking distance of Normandy.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 8 of 11 of the Battle of Vyborg. Soviet troops keep pushing the Finnish troops backwards on the Karelian Isthmus.
Russian Front - North: Day 137 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia. Both German and Soviet troops remain locked in their defensive positions.
MTO - Italy: Day 13 of 16 of the Battle of the Trasimene Line (north of Rome). Allied Air Forces provide air support.
MTO - Italy: Day 2 of 34 of the Battle of Ancona.
MTO - Italy: German troops evacuate the island of Elba off the west coast of Italy as Free French troops begin landing. It will take them just two days to secure the island.
CBI - Burma: Day 105 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. Monsoon season bogs down all operations.
CBI - Burma: Day 100 of 147 of the Battle of Myitkyina. US 10th Air Force provides air support. Monsoon season bogs down all operations.
CBI - Burma: Day 78 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support. Monsoon season bogs down all operations.
CBI - China: Day 2,538 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 62 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
CBI - India: Day 102 of 118 of the Battle of Imphal-Kohima.
PTO - Caroline Islands: US 7th Air Force bombs targets on Ponape and Nauru Islands.
PTO - Mariana Islands: Day 3 of 25 of the Battle of Saipan.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 22 of 83 of the Battle of Biak. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 186 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 57 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 4 of 80 of the Battle of Lone Tree Hill.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 230 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , June 17
CBI - China: Day 2,903 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 78 of 91 of the Battle of Zhijiang. US 14th Air Force provides air support. Japanese troops continue pulling out of China.
PTO - Alaska: US 11th Air Force B-25s bomb shipping near Kataoka on Shimushu Island, setting the KONGO MARU and another ship on fire.
PTO - Borneo: Day 8 of 67 of the Battle of North Borneo.
PTO - Dutch East Indies: Day 48 of 52 of the Battle of Tarakan Island.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force B-29s fire bomb the urban areas Kagoshima, Hamamatsu and Yokkaichi.
PTO - Japan: Day 78 of 83 of the Battle of Okinawa.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 538 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 422 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 240 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 185 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 100 of 159 of the Battle of Mindanao Island. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 92 of 135 of the Battle of the Visayas region. US 5th and 7th Air Forces provide air support.
1948 — , June 17
Poland: In Kraków, the trial by the Supreme National Tribunal begins against former deputy governor to the Nazi-controlled General Government in Kraków Josef Bühler. He will be found guilty of crimes against humanity, sentenced to death and hanged on 22 Aug 48.
Day-By-Day listings for June 17 were last modified on Tuesday, February 2, 2016
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