American Steamer Sinks Off Cape Hatteras |
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Burma
The Japanese 18th Inf Div arrives in Rangoon by sea from Singapore.
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]Diplomatic Relations
There is an exchange of wounded British and Italian PoWs at Smyrna, Turkey: 60 British and 344 Italian. 4 similar exchanges will take place, the last being June 2, 1943.
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Eastern Front
Russian forces open a rail line to Leningrad.
[ | ]Malta
The island suffers its heaviest attack to date, and also record its 2,000th alert of the war.[MORE]
Stunned at Destruction of Royal Opera House (NWMA Malta) |
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Auberge de France in Ruins (NWMA Malta) |
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| ]Occupied Holland
Adm Helfrich is appointed Commander-in-Chief of all Dutch forces in the Far East and the Southwest Pacific.
[ | ]Philippines
The Japanese continue to make gains, particularly in the eastern sector of Bataan and break through the emergency defense lines. The American and Filipino forces are now behind a line running inland from Limao. Some sort of defense line is established from Point Caibobo on the west coast to Limao on the east. The Americans and Filipinos defend themselves more effectively in the western sector, only slowly retiring from Bagac. Roosevelt authorizes the commanders to take any necessary steps. Wainwright withdraws as much of his force as possible to the fortress island of Corregidor in Manila Bay. Only 2,000 of the 78,000 men in the 2 corps on Luzon can be evacuated. The submarine Seadragon evacuates pilots and other specialist personnel from Corregidor.
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