An action between British and Italian warships was started yesterday in the Mediterranean east of Malta. According to the British, the Italian vessels retreated after a brief engagement in which one hit was scored on an Italian battleship; the British ...

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1940Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai, Indian-English economist and politician^[†]

Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai, Baron Desai was an Indian-born British economist and Labour politician.

1940Helen Donath, American soprano and actress^[†]

Helen Jeanette Donath is an American soprano with a career spanning fifty years.

1940Brian Priestley, English pianist and composer^[†]

Brian Priestley is an English jazz writer, pianist and arranger.

1940Keith Stackpole, Australian cricketer (died 2025)^[†]

Keith Raymond Stackpole MBE was an Australian cricketer who played in 43 Test matches and six One Day Internationals between 1966 and 1974. He went on to become a cricket commentator on radio and television in the 1980s and '90s. His father, Keith Stackpole Sr. also played first-class cricket and was a noted Australian rules footballer for Collingwood and Fitzroy.

Historical Events

1940World War II: The Vichy government is established in France.^[†]

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.

1940World War II: Six days before Adolf Hitler issues his Directive 16 to the combined Wehrmacht armed forces for Operation Sea Lion, the Kanalkampf shipping attacks begin against British maritime convoys in the leadup to initiating the Battle of Britain.^[†]

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Germany during the Nazi period from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and then taking the title of Führer und Reichskanzler in 1934. His invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 marked the outbreak of the Second World War. Throughout his leadership in the ensuing conflict, he was closely involved in the direction of German military operations and the perpetration of the Holocaust—the genocide of about six million Jews and millions of other victims.

Headlines from July 10, 1940

Profit of 1940 Fair Thus Far Is $696,118; 5% Payment on Bonds Is Likely in August; 1940 FAIR EARNINGS $696,118 IN 58 DAYS

WINDSOR IS NAMED FOR BAHAMAS POST; Accepts Minor Governorship That May Become Important--Nassau Is Elated WINDSOR IS NAMED FOR BAHAMAS POST NEW GOVERNOR OF THE BAHAMAS AND HIS WIFE

EACH SEES VICTORY; Both Say Foe Is Fleeing After Having Capital Ships Damaged GIBRALTAR FORCES ATTACK Clashes Reported Near Malta and Crete--British Put Richelieu Out of Action

The International Situation; The European War

Notable Births

Historical Events