Italy: The Italian Army releases members of the Blackshirt paramilitary organization between the age of 26 and 36 so that they can join the Blackshirt combat legions.
1932 — , July 10
Germany: Clashes between the Nazi Party protesters and the police result in 18 deaths.
1937 — , July 10
Spain: Day 359 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 4 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 4 of 33 of the 2nd Battle of Hebei. Japanese troops continue moving into China.
1938 — , July 10
Spain: Day 724 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 369 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 30 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , July 10
CBI - China: Day 734 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 27 of 68 of the Battle of Tianjin.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 61 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , July 10
ETO - UK: Day 1 of 114 of the Battle of Britain, the air campaign waged by the Luftwaffe to gain air superiority over the RAF. Although Britain has been bombed regularly for quite sometime, this day is considered to be the beginning of the battle.
Spotlight...
Pattern of condensation trails left by British and German aircraft during a Battle of Britain dogfight on 18 September 1940
The Battle of Britain was the first major campaign to be fought entirely by air forces, and was also the largest and most sustained aerial bombing campaign to that date. Beginning this day coastal shipping convoys and shipping centers, such as Portsmouth, were the main targets; one month later the Luftwaffe shifted its attacks to RAF airfields and infrastructure. As the battle progressed, the Luftwaffe also targeted aircraft factories and ground infrastructure. Eventually the Luftwaffe resorted to attacking areas of political significance and using terror bombing tactics.
The failure of Germany to achieve its objectives of destroying Britain's air defenses, or forcing Britain to negotiate an armistice or an outright surrender, is considered its first major defeat and a crucial turning point in World War II. By preventing Germany from gaining air superiority, the battle ended the threat that Adolf Hitler would launch Operation SEA LION, his proposed amphibious and airborne invasion of Britain.
Battle of Britain related dates...
10 Jul 40: The Battle of Britain begins
13 Aug 40: Luftwaffe's "Eagle Day" against RAF airfields
Invasion, 1940: The Truth About the Battle of Britain and What Stopped Hitler
Atlantic: German armed merchant cruiser WIDDER sinks the British ship DAVISAN 500 miles of the coast of Florida. The entire crew is taken prisoner.
Atlantic: German sub U-34 sinks the Finnish ship PETSAMO close to the southern coast of Ireland. U-61 torpedoes the Dutch ship ALWAKI 10 miles off Cape Wrath, Scotland, but the torpedo fails to detonate, but leaves a hole in the hull. The ship manages to make it to port.
UK: The British government bans the fascist British Union Party.
UK: The British put 200 Italian POWs, 251 German POWs, 55 British Nazi sympathizers and 2,036 German civilians (mostly Jewish refugees) on the British troop ship DUNERA, whose intended passenger capacity is only 1,600. Over the next 57 days, while en route to Australia, these people will be robbed, beaten, and in one case bayoneted by the British guards, while many of them will suffer from dysentery. Several of the guards are later court-martialled, including Lt Col William Scott.
MTO - Italy: British warplanes from carrier HMS EAGLE bomb Augusta, Sicily, sinking the Italian destroyer LEONE PANCALDO. Meanwhile, the Italian sub SCIRE sinks the French ship CHEIK 54 miles northwest of Sicily.
East Africa: Day 31 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,100 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 239 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
1941 — , July 10
South America: Day 6 of 27 of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War, a territorial dispute between Peru and Ecuador.
Germany: Germany urges Japan to enter the war.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 12 of 142 of Operation SILVER FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign to capture the Russian port of Murmansk in the Arctic.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 10 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 19 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 1 of 18 of Finland's reconquest of Ladoga, Karelia. The Finns mount an offensive toward Lake Ladoga northeast of Leningrad.
Russian Front: Day 19 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the USSR.
Russian Front - North: German Army Group North continues advancing toward Novgorod and Leningrad.
Russian Front - Center: Day 5 of 31 of the 1st Battle of Smolensk, Russia. German Army Group Centre needs this town so they can continue on to Moscow.
Russian Front - South: In Ukraine, German Army Group South defeats a Soviet counter-attack at Korosten (west of Kiev) while other units begin crossing the Dnieper River.
Russian Front - South: Day 9 of 21 of the Battle of Bessarabia, Russia. German and Romanian troops continue their attack at Bessarabia to take the land and city that Romania was forced to cede to the USSR a year ago.
Russian Front - South: German and Romanian troops keep advancing toward Vinnitsa and the Black Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine.
MTO - Libya: Day 92 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
Middle East: Day 33 of 37 of the Battle for Syria and Lebanon.
East Africa: Day 396 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,465 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1942 — , July 10
USA: The Douglas A-26 Invader twin-engine light bomber and attack aircraft makes its first flight.
Spotlight...
Douglas A-26B-15-DL, England, Sept 44
The Douglas A-26 Invader also saw service during several major conflicts of the Cold War and highly modified versions served in combat until 1969.
It was found to be a fast aircraft capable of carrying twice its specified bomb load. A range of guns could be fitted to produce a formidable ground-attack aircraft.
The A-26 Invader was originally designed as a single-pilot aircraft, a characteristic shared with the British de Havilland Mosquito, among others.
The original A-26 was built in two different configurations...
The "solid nose" A-26B...
Originally it could be equipped with a combination of armament including .50 caliber machine guns, 37mm auto cannon, 20mm or even a 75mm pack howitzer.
The "glass nose" A-26C...
Officially termed the "bombardier nose", it contained a Norden bombsight for medium altitude precision bombing and two fixed M-2 guns.
The Douglas A-26 Invader was re-designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965, which has led to a fair amount of confusion with the Martin B-26 Marauder which first flew some 16 months earlier than the A-26.
US Bomber Production in WWII
B-24
(H)
Liberator
18,256
B-17
(H)
Flying Fortress
12,692
B-25
(M)
Mitchell
9,816
A-20
(L)
Havoc
7,385
B-26
(M)
Marauder
5,157
B-29
(VH)
Superfortress
3,970
A-26
(L)
Invader
2,449
*
*Part of 9,831 Douglas bombers of similar design built
Atlantic: Day 14 of 14 of Germany's Hunt for Allied Convoy PQ-17. Two ships are sunk, bringing the total losses for this 34-ship convoy to 24. Meanwhile, the first two surviving ships arrive at Arkhangelsk (Archangel), Russia.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 3 of 3 of the Battle of Someri. The Finns repel the Soviet attack at Sommers in the Gulf of Finland.
Russian Front - North: Day 306 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad. German Army Group North captures the Volkhov pocket taking in some 30,000 Soviet POWs.
Russian Front - North: Day 67 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 9 of 22 of Germany's Operation SEYDLITZ, a plan to trap and capture numerous Soviet troops.
Russian Front - South: Day 13 of 27 of the Battle of Voronezh, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 13 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE, the failed offensive to take the Caucasus oil fields. Units of German Army Group South hook up north of Kalach on the Don River.
MTO - Egypt: Day 10 of 27 of the 1st Battle of El Alamein. The Australian troops capture Tel el Eisa while the South African troops capture Tel el Makh Khad.
East Africa: Day 67 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,830 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 57 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 34 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
PTO - Malaya: Day 142 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
1943 — , July 10
ETO - France: US 8th Air Force B-17s bomb Luftwaffe airfields in France.
Russian Front - North: Day 671 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 432 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 6 of 50 of the Battle of Kursk, Russia.
MTO - Italy: Day 2 of 40 of the Battle of Sicily. Operation HUSKY is now in full swing as 12 Allied divisions are brought to the southeast shores. RAF and US Air Forces provide air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,195 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
CBI - Indochina: US 14th Air Force bombs the dock area at Haiphong.
PTO: Day 45 of 47 adrift in a raft for the survivors of B-24 GREEN HORNET that crashed 850 miles from Hawaii.
PTO - Alaska: Day 399 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. US 11th Air Force attacks the Japanese Home Islands for their first time as B-25s raid Paramushiru Island in the Kurile Islands.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 80 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 21 of 67 of the Battle of New Georgia. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support. US Marines capture the island of Enogai and also report that the Gatukai Island is now clear. US Navy Seabees report that the airfield on Segi is ready for operations.
1944 — , July 10
ETO - UK: Day 28 of 86 of the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" offensive on Britain.
ETO - France: Day 35 of 49 of Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, known forever simply as D-Day. D-Day+34: Allied Air Forces provide air support. US troops keep pushing toward St Lo.
ETO - France: Day 35 of 62 of the Battle of Caen. Although the town has been captured, the surrounding area is still full of German troops.
Germany: 221 former prisoners of Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp and 61 former internees in Vittel, France, who had been given permission by Germany to go to Palestine, arrive in Haifa.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 20 of 50 of the Battle of Karelia. Soviet troops continue their offensive against the Finns in eastern Karelia between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in northern Russia.
Russian Front - North: Day 160 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia. Both German and Soviet troops remain locked in their defensive positions.
Russian Front - Center: Day 6 of 16 of the Battle of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 6 of 27 of the Battle of Siauliai, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 6 of 23 of the Battle of Belostock, Poland.
Hungary: Raoul Wallenberg arrives at the Swedish embassy in Budapest with the job as a secretary. In this role, he will issue many protective passports which will save the lives of thousands of Jews.
MTO - Italy: Day 25 of 34 of the Battle of Ancona (north of Rome). Allied Air Forces provide air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 128 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 123 of 147 of the Battle of Myitkyina. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 101 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,561 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 85 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
Day 19 of 48 of the Battle of Hengyang. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Caroline Islands: US 7th Air Force bombs in the Truk Atoll.
PTO - Dutch New Guinea: Day 9 of 61 of the Battle of Noemfoor. Although the island has been declared secured, bitter fighting from Japanese continues.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 45 of 83 of the Battle of Biak. There are still 3,000 Japanese soldiers on the island who won't give up.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 209 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 80 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea:
PTO - New Guinea: Day 27 of 80 of the Battle of Lone Tree Hill.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 1 of 47 of the Battle of Driniumor River, a failed Japanese attack on US troops near Aitape.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 253 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , July 10
Argentina: German sub U-530 arrives at Mar del Plata and surrenders to the Argentineans.
Germany: The USSR, UK and US agree that France should be included in the administration of the greater Berlin area.
CBI: US 14th Air Force attacks transportation targets in French Indochina and nail a truck convoy in China.
CBI - China: Day 2,926 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
The USS SEA ROBIN sinks the Japanese cargo ship SAKISHIMA MARU in the East China Sea.
PTO - Alaska: US 11th Air Force B-24s bomb Minami Zaki on Shimushu Island.
PTO - Borneo: Day 31 of 67 of the Battle of North Borneo. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Dutch East Indies: Day 10 of 21 of the 2nd Battle of Balikpapan.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force attacks several airfields on the Japanese home islands.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 561 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 445 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 263 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 208 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 123 of 159 of the Battle of Mindanao Island. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 115 of 135 of the Battle of the Visayas region. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting for several weeks.
1948 — , July 10
Poland: Josef Bühler is found guilty of crimes against humanity by the Supreme National Tribunal of Poland and is sentenced to death.
Day-By-Day listings for July 10 were last modified on Sunday, January 31, 2016
Spotlight...
