WW2 Tweets @RealTimeWWII@mastodon.muage.org

To remember Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, two years ago today, US Navy release new propaganda film, December 7th: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDNFZSFZ__E&ab_channel=NuclearVault

The world's first "computer" has come online: British codebreakers at Bletchley Park start up Colossus, the first ever programmable, electronic, digital computer, designed to crack German ciphers.

US government now concerned about too few workers & potential inflation: unemployment stands at just 1.9%, millions of women & formerly excluded Black & minority Americans are doing factory work, & military conscription is stripping workers from vital industries.

With unemployment falling to historic lows, US govt. closes Works Progress Administration, federal project to employ jobseekers. After 8 years, employing 8.5 million people, & constructing roads, parks, bridges & schools, WPA’s end symbolically marks end of the Great Depression.

The Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō has been torpedoed in the Pacific by the American submarine Sailfish, leaving her dead in the water. As other warships come alongside to try & rescue crew, US sub strikes again, capsizing the ship. 737 passengers & 513 crewmen are dead.

Allied powers at Tehran agree to recognise Yugoslav Partisans, led by Josef Tito, as the official anti-Nazi resistance in Balkans, & supply them with arms & military support.

In Tehran, Winston Churchill presents Stalin with the “Sword of Stalingrad”, a gold-handled long sword made of Sheffield steel & engraved “To the steel-hearted citizens of Stalingrad” in English & Russian. Stalin hands it to Marshal Voroshilov, who drops it.

Allied conference in Tehran has ended, with a commitment between USA, USSR, & UK to begin an amphibious invasion of France next May; planned “Operation Overlord” sees Stalin & Roosevelt overrule Churchill, who argued for invasion of Greece & Balkans first.

On US CBS radio, reporter Edward R. Murrow gives a broadcast describing a bombing raid over Berlin, which he witnessed last night from an RAF Lancaster Bomber: "Orchestrated Hell." Listen now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=079ZwYGGgQM&ab_channel=Speeches

At least 1000 Allied sailors & troops are dead, & 1000 more Italian civilians, after spectacular success of Luftwaffe bombing at Bari. Those fished from the water, covered in sulfur-mustard oil, are not treated: only officers who knew of secret Allied chemical weapons are dead.

John Henry contains 2000 mustard gas bombs from the American chemical weapons supply, sent to Italy to threaten retaliation if Germans use poison gas. Now, devastating explosion has spread corrosive, lethal chemicals across Bari, exposing 100s of survivors from Luftwaffe bombing.

Luftwaffe have launched a major bombing raid on Allied vessels at port of Bari, sinking 27 cargo ships supplying the Allied invasion of Italy. One of the wrecked ships, SS John Harvey, is secretly carrying 70 tons of mustard gas, which has spilled into harbour.

Churchill storms off from dinner table- then: "Stalin & Molotov, both grinning broadly, clapped me on shoulders, claiming they were joking."

Churchill: "After the labours of the conference, there was a good deal of gaiety, & many toasts were proposed. Stalin indulged in teasing me." Stalin: "50,000 Germans- Hitler's top officers- must be shot." Churchill objects. Roosevelt: "Let's compromise- we'll only shoot 49,000."

At the Allied war conference in Tehran, Iran, Winston Churchill has celebrated his 69th birthday at a party with Stalin and Roosevelt.

German soldiers are astonished to see a black man in RAF uniform: “Why are you here? We’re not fighting Africa.” Johnny Smythe responds: “Sierra Leone is part of the British Empire and I’m fighting for my king.” Read more: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/sierra-leone-stalag-luft-i-remembering-johnny-smythe

As RAF bombing raids on Germany continue, among the airmen shot down is Johnny Smythe, a Krio plane navigator from Sierra Leone. After parachuting from his wrecked bomber, wounded in the ribs & groin, he has been captured by Germans.

This November is "Food Fights for Freedom" month in USA- celebrating rationing & sending food overseas for war effort. Americans are urged not to waste food, especially around Thanksgiving holiday.

Red Army troops have surged beyond Kiev into Ukraine- they're now approaching borders of Nazi-occupied Poland, & have recaptured the city of Gomel (2). New York Times map shows the continuing Soviet success:

First ever meeting of war leaders from "Big Three" Allies in Iran- Stalin demands USA & UK open a "second front" in Western Europe & wants extra territory given to the USSR after the war.