Timeline of World War II (1940) - October 1940

October 1940

1-31: The United States Of America separates the Corps Areas established in 1921 to perform the administrative tasks of the various regions of the US from the four Field Armies that had been established in 1932.

1: Chinese Nationalist and Chinese Communists fight each other in southern China. Meanwhile Japanese forces have a setback at Changsha.

2: The bombing of London continues throughout the month.

3: Warsaw's Jews are directed to move into the Warsaw ghetto.

4: Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet at the Brenner Pass to discuss the prospects in the war.

7: Germany invades Romania to block the Soviet Army and get access to valuable oil fields.

9: Neville Chamberlain resigns from the House of Commons for health reasons; Winston Churchill is elected head of the Conservative Party.

12: Any German invasion of Britain is postponed until Spring 1941 at the earliest.

12: The Royal Navy clash with and defeat several Italian ships which attacked them after a convoy mission to Malta.

13: British civilians are still being killed by German bombs though the attacks have dropped off significantly.

15: Clarence Addison Dykstra becomes Director of Selective Service in the United States.

15: Mussolini and his closest advisers decide to invade Greece.

16: Draft registration begins in the United States.

19: The Italians bomb Bahrain.

20: Italian aircraft bomb Cairo, Egypt and American-operated oil refineries in the British Protectorate of Bahrain.

21: Liverpool is bombed for the 200th time.

23: Adolf Hitler meets with Franco at Hendaye, near the Spanish-French border; little is accomplished, and least of all Hitler's hope to convince Franco to enter the war on the Axis side.

24: After meeting with Franco, Hitler was going to Montoire where he met with Philippe Pétain took place signifying the start of organised French collaboration with the Nazi regime.

24: The Italian Air Corps sees its first action during the Battle of Britain.

25: Berlin and Hamburg are bombed heavily.

28: Italy issues ultimatum to Greece and Greek Prime Minister Metaxas replies: "So it is war". The Italian Royal Army launches attacks into Greece from Italian-held Albania and begins the Greco-Italian War. Hitler is angered at the initiative of his ally.

29: Very heavy convoy losses during this period as numbers of U-boats increase.

29: The first number drawings for US Selective Service Act draftees.

30: President Roosevelt, in the middle of an election campaign, promises not to send "our boys" to war.

31: The Warsaw District government moves all Jews living in Warsaw to the ghettos.