March 1940

March

• 01

  • The directive for Operation WeserübungOn 1 March 1940 Hitler signed the directive to occupy Denmark and Norway. It was to look like a “peaceful occupation”; the date was set only in April.
• 03

  • The fighting for ViipuriIn early March 1940 the Red Army attacked Viipuri and across the ice of Viipuri Bay. Yet the Finns held the city centre until the ceasefire of 13 March.
• 05

  • Decision to shoot Polish prisonersOn 5 March 1940 the Politburo adopted Beria's proposal to shoot 14,700 Polish POWs and 11,000 prisoners without trial. Stalin was among the signatories.
• 11

  • Meat rationing in BritainOn 11 March 1940 meat was rationed in Britain. The ration was set by price – 1s 10d per person a week – while offal stayed off the ration.
• 12

  • Key eventThe Moscow Peace TreatyOn 12 March 1940 Finland signed the peace ending the Winter War in Moscow. It ceded the Karelian Isthmus and Viipuri but kept its independence.
• 16

  • The Scapa Flow raid and the first civilian deathOn 16 March 1940 the Luftwaffe attacked the fleet at Scapa Flow and damaged the cruiser Norfolk. Bombs on Orkney killed James Isbister, the first civilian.
• 18

  • Hitler and Mussolini meet at the Brenner PassOn 18 March 1940 Hitler and Mussolini met in a train at the Brenner Pass. The Duce pledged that Italy would enter the war, but at a moment of his choosing.
• 21

  • Paul Reynaud becomes Prime Minister of FranceOn 20 March 1940 Daladier resigned after a secret debate on Finland. On 21 March Paul Reynaud formed a government; next day the Chamber backed him by one vote.
• 28

  • The Anglo-French pledge against a separate peaceOn 28 March 1940 Britain and France pledged not to make a separate armistice or peace with Germany. The Council also decided to mine Norwegian waters.
• 29

  • Molotov on BessarabiaOn 29 March 1940 Molotov reported to the Supreme Soviet on the Winter War and reminded Romania of an “unsettled dispute” – Bessarabia.
• 30

  • Wang Jingwei’s government in NanjingOn 30 March 1940 Wang Jingwei set up a collaborationist government in occupied Nanjing. It hailed a “return to the capital” but ruled only where Japan allowed.
  • British reconnaissance flights over BakuOn 30 March 1940 a British intelligence aircraft took off from Iraq and photographed the Soviet oilfields at Baku. The Allies were preparing to bomb them.