Timeline of World War II (1941) - January 1941

January 1941

• 1: Accounting of the previous night's bombing of London reveals that the Old Bailey, the Guildhall, and eight churches by Christopher Wren were destroyed or badly damaged.
  :RAF bombs aircraft factories in Bremen, Germany.
• 2: German bombers, perhaps off course, bomb Ireland the second night in a row.
• 2-4: Bardia is bombed by British bombers and bombarded by naval vessels off shore.
• 3: RAF bombers attacked Bremen and the Kiel Canal in Germany. The Kiel Canal Bridge suffered a direct hit and collapsed on Finnish ships Yrsa.
• 5: Operation Compass: Australian troops of XIII Corps (the re-designated Western Desert Force) capture Italian-held Bardia and 45,000 Italian prisoners are taken.
  : Tobruk, the next target, is 70 miles away.
• 6: The Greeks advance towards Klisura Pass.
• 7: British and Commonwealth offensive in North Africa nears Tobruk; the airport is taken.
• 10: Lend-Lease introduced into the U.S. Congress
  :German–Soviet Border and Commercial Agreement is signed.
  : German aircraft damage aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, which is heading for Malta. German Luftwaffe, it is now clear, has command of air over the Mediterranean. The attack is also the opening of Malta's agony over the next months.
  : Greek forces in Albania take the strategically important Klissoura pass.
• 11: In London, 57 people are killed and 69 injured when a German bomb lands outside the Bank of England, demolishing the Underground station below and leaving a 120-foot crater.
• 12: Operation Compass: British and Australian troops of XIII Corps prepare for the assault on Italian-held Tobruk.
• 13: Heavy Luftwaffe night raid on Plymouth.
• 15: The rivalry between Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists becomes more evident; large numbers of the latter are forced to give up their arms, reluctantly of course.
• 16: British forces start the first attacks of their East African counter-offensive, on Italian-held Ethiopia, from Kenya
  : German bombers pound Valletta, Malta, and the HMS Illustrious is hit again.
• 17: The Battle of Koh Chang ended in a decisive victory for the Vichy French naval forces during the French-Thai War.
  : Molotov meets German Ambassador Schulenburg in Moscow. The Soviets are surprised that they have not received any answer from Germany to their offer to join the Axis (November 26, 1940). Schulenburg replies that it has to be first discussed with Italy and Japan.
• 18: Air raids on Malta are increasing in focus and intensity.
• 19: The 4th and 5th Indian Divisions continue the British counter-offensive in East Africa, attacking Italian-held Eritrea from the Sudan.
  : Hitler and Mussolini meet at Berchtesgaden; Hitler agrees to provide aid in North Africa.
• 21: Operation Compass: British and Australian troops of XIII Corps complete capture of Italian-held Tobruk.
  : There are reports that Romanian Fascist ("Iron Guards") are executing Jews in Bucharest.
• 23: HMS Illustrious, heavily damaged, leaves Malta for repairs in Alexandria.
  : Charles Lindbergh testifies before the U.S. Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler
• 24: British forces in Kenya continue the East African counter-offensive, attacking Italian Somaliland
• 29: Death of the Greek dictator, Ioannis Metaxas.
• 30: British forces in North Africa take Derna; 100 miles west of Tobruk.
• 31: Indian 4th Division flanked and then captured Agordat, Eritrea, Italian East Africa. 1,000 Italian troops and 43 field guns were captured.