CBI - China: Day 9 of 154 of the Japanese Invasion of Manchuria.
1936 — , September 26
Spain: Day 72 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
1937 — , September 26
Spain: Day 437 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 82 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 45 of 106 of the 2nd Battle of Shanghai.
Day 26 of 70 of the Battle of Taiyuan.
1938 — , September 26
Germany: Adolf Hitler, on his desire to annex part of Czechoslovakia says, "It is the last territorial claim which I have to make in Europe, but it is the claim from which I will not recede."
Spain: Day 802 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 447 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 108 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , September 26
Poland: Day 26 of 36 of Germany's Invasion of Poland. The Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa - AK) is formed in Warsaw.
Poland: Day 10 of 20 of the USSR's Invasion of Poland.
CBI - China: Day 812 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 14 of 26 of the 1st Battle of Changsha.
1940 — , September 26
USA: President Franklin Roosevelt imposes an embargo on the export of aviation fuel, scrap iron and steel to Japan, citing American defense needs, which causes a crisis in Japan.
Spotlight...
US President Franklin D Roosevelt in the Oval Office
Prior to the outbreak of World War II, China was heavily supported by Germany (until 1938) and the Soviet Union. The Russians readily provided aircraft, military supplies, and advisers seeing China as a buffer against Japan. The United States, Britain and France limited their support to war contracts prior to the beginning of the larger conflict.
Public opinion, while initially on the side of the Japanese, began to shift following reports of atrocities such as the Rape of Nanking. It was further swayed by incidents such as the Japanese sinking of the gunboat USS PANAY on 12 Dec 37 and increasing fears about Japan's policy of expansionism.
The American oil embargo caused a crisis in Japan. Reliant on the US for 80% of its oil, the Japanese were forced to decide between withdrawing from China, negotiating an end to the conflict or going to war to obtain the needed resources elsewhere.
Dates related to oil in World War II...
03 Mar 38: Oil is discovered in large quantities in Saudi Arabia
26 Sep 40: FDR imposes an embargo on the export of aviation fuel
01 Aug 41: US announces oil embargo against all aggressor nations
12 Jan 42: Dutch POWs executed for destruction of oil installations
25 Mar 42: Standard Oil pleads "no contest" over synthetic rubber
01 May 42: PLUTO pipeline under English Channel is tested
15 May 42: Gasoline rationing goes into effect in the eastern US
28 Jan 44: US, UK place oil embargo on Spain for supplying Germany
05 Mar 44: Gen Spaatz issues "Oil Plan" to bomb Germany's fuel
05 May 44: Spain stops exporting Tungsten to Germany for US oil
12 May 44: US 8th AF begins bombing oil production in Germany
12 Aug 44: PLUTO pipeline is laid across English Channel
16 Aug 45: Gasoline and fuel oil rationing comes to an end
East Africa: Day 109 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,178 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 317 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
Day 38 of 42 of the Hundred Regiments Offensive.
CBI - Indochina: Day 5 of 5 of the Japanese invasion of Vichy French Indochina.
CBI - Indochina: Day 3 of 3 of the Battle of Hai Phong.
1941 — , September 26
ETO - France: Free French government under General de Gaulle signs an alliance with the Soviet Union.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 97 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko. The Soviets will be forced off their leased naval base.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 23 of 28 of Finland's reconquest of East Karelia in southern Finland. The Soviets continue withdrawing from Finland back to Leningrad.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 90 of 142 of Operation SILVER FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign to capture the Russian port of Murmansk in the Arctic. The German troops continue withdrawing back into northern Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 88 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front: Day 97 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA, the overall invasion of the USSR.
Russian Front - North: Day 19 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - South: Day 50 of 70 of the Siege of Odessa, Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 35 of 35 of the 1st Battle of Kiev, Ukraine. German troops now occupy the city.
Russian Front - South: Day 1 of 12 of the Battle of the Sea of Azov (north of Black Sea).
MTO - Libya: Day 170 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
MTO: British 8th Army is formed in Egypt, British 9th Army is created in Palestine, and British 10th Army is formed in Iraq and Iran to guard against Turkey entering the war on the side of the Axis.
East Africa: Day 474 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,543 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 21 of 33 of the 2nd Battle of Changsha.
1942 — , September 26
Germany: The SS begin to take possessions and valuables from the Jews at Auschwitz and Majdanek. Their clothing is distributed to German families.
Russian Front - North: Day 384 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 145 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket, USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - Center: Day 59 of 64 of the 1st Battle of Rzhev-Sychevka, Russia. Though it will end in a stalemate, it will keep German troops from going to Stalingrad.
Russian Front - South: Day 91 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE, the failed offensive to take the Caucasus oil fields.
Russian Front - South: Day 35 of 165 of the Battle of Stalingrad, the bloodiest battle in human history.
East Africa: Day 145 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,908 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 112 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. The US and Canada will defeat the Japanese invaders.
PTO - Malaya: Day 220 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island, a long guerrilla war ending in Japanese victory.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 68 of 119 of the Battle of the Kokoda Track. The Australians continue pushing back the Japanese troops. This will become an Allied victory.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 51 of 187 of the Battle of Guadalcanal.
1943 — , September 26
ETO: US 8th Air Force: B-17s and B-24s attack multiple targets in France.
ETO: US 8th Air Force: B-26s hit one airfield in France.
Russian Front - North: Day 749 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 510 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket, USSR lays siege to the Kholm Pocket but the Germans hold out for a about a year and a half.
Russian Front - North: Day 1 of 15 of the USSR Kremenchug Offensive into Estonia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 51 of 57 of the 2nd Battle of Smolensk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 41 of 48 of the Battle of Bryansk, Russia. German troops continue evacuating the Bryansk area.
Russian Front - South: Day 34 of 122 of the Battle of the Lower Dnieper River, USSR.
MTO - Italy: The RAF, US 9th and 12th Air Forces provide the air cover for the Allied ground troops.
CBI - China: Day 2,273 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 8 of 219 of the Battle of Shaggy Ridge. This will become an Allied victory.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 5 of 162 of the Battle of the Huon Peninsula. This will result as an Allied victory.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 43 of 56 of the Battle of Vella Lavella. The Allies will win this one.
1944 — , September 26
ETO - France: Day 57 of 284 of the Battle of Brittany.
ETO - Belgium: Day 25 of 62 of the liberation of Belgium.
ETO - France: Day 12 of 236 of the Siege of Dunkirk.
ETO - Germany: Day 8 of 145 of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest.
ETO: US 8th Air Force B-24s and B-17s attack industrial targets in Germany.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 12 of 223 of the Lapland War. Finland and Russia have joined forces to kick the Germans out of Finland's most northern province.
Russian Front - North: Day 10 of 10 of the Battle of Porkuni, Estonia. The Soviets liberate Porkuni.
Russian Front - North: Day 13 of 41 of the Battle of Riga, Latvia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 13 of 72 of the Battle into East Prussia and northern Poland.
Russian Front - South: Day 13 of 72 of the Battle of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
MTO - Italy: British 8th Army crosses the Rubicon in northeastern Italy.
MTO - Italy: US 12th Air Force A-20s night bomb in the Po Valley. During the day B-25s and B-26s go back and hit inside the valley again.
CBI - Burma: Day 179 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive in Burma.
CBI - China: Day 2,639 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 163 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 287 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 158 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea.
PTO - Palau Islands: Day 12 of 74 of the Battle of Peleliu (Operation STALEMATE II).
PTO - Palau Islands: Day 10 of 36 of the Battle of Angaur.
Day-By-Day listings for September 26 were last modified on Monday, January 25, 2016
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