February 1940

February

• 01

  • Japan’s record military budgetOn 1 February 1940 Yonai’s government put a budget of over 10 billion yen, two-thirds military, to the Diet. Next day Takao Saitō asked what the war was for.
• 05

  • The Allies plan an intervention in ScandinaviaOn 5 February 1940 the Supreme War Council in Paris adopted a plan for an expedition via Narvik and the Swedish ore mines, officially to help Finland.
• 10

  • First deportation from the eastern landsOn 10 February 1940 the NKVD began deporting families of military settlers and foresters from the Kresy. NKVD documents put the total at nearly 140,000.
• 11

  • The German–Soviet commercial agreementOn 11 February 1940 Germany and the USSR signed a trade agreement in Moscow. Soviet grain, oil and ores were to flow to the Reich for machinery and arms.
• 14

  • Volunteers for FinlandOn 14 February 1940 the British government allowed volunteers to serve in the Finnish army. Swedes, Hungarians, Americans and Estonians also went to Finland.
• 15

  • Key eventThe Red Army breaks the Mannerheim LineOn 11 February 1940 the Red Army broke the Mannerheim Line at Lähde. On 15 February Mannerheim ordered a retreat and the Russians entered Summa.
  • Germany widens the U-boat warContrary to popular chronologies, no new order came on 15 February 1940. The zones where U-boats sank even neutral ships unwarned had grown since January.
• 16

  • The Altmark incidentOn 16 February 1940 the destroyer HMS Cossack entered Norway’s Jøssingfjord and freed 299 British prisoners from the German supply ship Altmark.
• 17

  • Key eventManstein presents his plan to HitlerOn 17 February 1940 Manstein, removed from planning, put his Ardennes idea to Hitler. On 24 February the OKH shifted the main thrust to Army Group A.
• 21

  • Falkenhorst to command Operation WeserübungOn 21 February 1940 Hitler gave General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst the task of preparing and leading the attack on Norway. His staff added Denmark to the plan.