Air Operations, Europe

On the first of 20 successive nights the RAF hits the Ruhr, Rhineland and ports in northwest Germany.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-79 sinks the Norwegian steamer Havtor (1524t) west of Reykjavik with the loss of 6 crewmen. 14 survivors are picked up by the fishing vessel Pilot.
• German air attacks sink the British steamer Baron Carnegie (3178t) in St George's Channel with the loss of 25 crewmen and the British steamer Moorwood (2056t) north of Whitby with the entire crew being rescued.

The Blitz

There are widespread night raids over England. Leaflets are dropped in rural areas of East Anglia threatening starvation as a result of German victory in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Diplomatic Relations

Trade negotiations between Japan and the Netherlands East Indies are broken off because the Dutch are unwilling to consider the exorbitant Japanese demands for raw materials.

Germany, Strategy

Directive No 32 is distributed to Germany's armed forces. In it is described a drive through the Caucasus to take over Iran.

Mediterranean

The British submarine Taku sinks the German steamer Tilly L. M. Russ (1600t) in Benghazi Harbor.

British Troops Looking at Baghdad, 11 June 1941.