On this day
Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.
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Thanks to improved British defenses, it was reported from London, German raids on the capital last night and early today were reduced to something approaching the comparatively brief "insomnia" forays that preceded the all-night attacks of the last week.
RAF bombs German bases on French, Belgian and Netherlands coasts; 2 Brit planes lost; map
Ital cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni during battle with Brit ship Sydney illus
En route to Wash as father dies
1940Merlin Olsen, American football player, sportscaster, and actor (died 2010)[†]
Merlin Jay Olsen was an American professional football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career, he was a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected to play in the Pro Bowl 14 times — every year but his last. The only other football players to have matched or exceeded that number are Bruce Matthews, Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, who is the only NFL player to have played more times in the Pro Bowl, with 15 selections.
1940William B. Bankhead, American lawyer and politician, 47th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1874)[†]
William Brockman Bankhead was an American politician who served as the 42nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1936 to 1940, representing Alabama's 10th and later 7th congressional districts as a Democrat from 1917 to 1940. Bankhead was a strong liberal and a prominent supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal of pro-labor union legislation, thus clashing with most other Southern Democrats in Congress at the time. Bankhead described himself as proud to be a politician, by which he meant that he did not neglect matters that concerned his district or reelection. He was the father of actress Tallulah Bankhead.
1940World War II: The climax of the Battle of Britain, when the Luftwaffe launches its largest and most concentrated attack of the entire campaign.[†]
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.