Air Operations, CBI

11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s from Yunnani, China attack the airfield at Myitkiyna, Burma.

Air Operations, Egypt

12th Medium Bomb Group B-25s accompany RAF Bostons in an attack against German Army vehicles behind the main El Alamein battle line.

Air Operations, Europe

• 5 Lancasters lay mines off Denmark with no losses

Air Operations, Libya

• USAMEAF B-24s attack Tobruk harbor.
• 12th Medium Bomb Group attack aircraft parked on a Luftwaffe landing ground.
• 57th Fighter Group P-40s escort RAF bombers during an attack on Maryut.

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-17s attack an ammunition dump at Buna while 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s and 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack the airfield at Lae. In other attacks, 5th Air Force P-400s strafe Japanese Army ground forces at Wairopi and 5th Air Force P-40s hit gun positions and landing barges at Milne Bay.

Britain, Home Front

The Royal Ulster Constabulary seize 2 large caches of sub-machine guns and ammunition and make 90 arrests in Belfast over the next few days. It was discovered that there was an IRA plan to attack British and American troops in Northern Ireland.

Eastern Front

The Germans have thrust forward to within 16 miles of Stalingrad despite tenacious Russian resistance. Despite increased Russian resistance on the Terek River, the troops of Army Group A strengthen their bridgehead over the river in the area of Mozdok.

The Soviet 1st Guards Army attacks the XIV Panzer Corps north of Stalingrad, while to the south the XLVIII Panzer Corps advances close to Pitomnik in the rear of the 62nd and 64th Armies. In the Caucasus, the Soviets are unable to prevent the 1st Panzer Army from strengthening its bridgeheads on the Terek. Red Army losses in the region have been severe, North Caucasus Front losing 35,000 killed and missing since the end of July, and the Trans-Caucasus Front suffering 7,300 killed and missing in the same period. However, Army Group A is experiencing fuel shortages, which are hampering panzer operations.[MORE]

Guadalcanal

Gen Kiyotake Kawaguchi and 1,200 troops land on the island.

New Guinea

The Australians take the initiative at Milne Bay. Gen Tomitaro Horii is ordered by the Japanese headquarters to go on the defensive inland as well. Gen Harukichi Hyakutake, commanding 17th Army, decides to evacuate the troops who have landed in Milne Bay and concentrate on the Guadalcanal operation. This evacuation is completed by Sept 7, but at least 1,000 Japanese have died. This is the first significant setback the Japanese have received on land.

North Africa

The Battle of Alam el Halfa continues. By 8:00a.m. Rommel wishes to call off the attack but is persuaded not to. Instead he orders an earlier turn north and a direct attack on Alam el Halfa Ridge but this is beaten off. The Afrika Korps has been bombarded all day by the improved British artillery and by the RAF. This continues day and night for the remainder of the battle, allowing the Germans no rest. Rommel's offensive is slowed by the British 7th Arm Div on his right flank which prevents him from surrounding Alam El Halfa Ridge, his shortage of fuel and the elaborate minefields as well as the RAF who are controlling the skies.

Map of Alam Halfa

Pacific

• The American carrier Saratoga (CV-3), patrolling 260 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, is attacked by the Japanese submarine I-26 under Cmder Minoru Yokota. 1 torpedo hits just below the island wounding 12 men including Adm Fletcher, none seriously. Damage is done to the electrical system, an explosion having shorted out the ship's 2 main electrical generators. The cruiser Minneapolis (CA-36) takes the carrier in tow, leaving the South Pacific area with just 2 carriers once again. Capt Dewitt Ramsey flies his planes off to Espiritu Santo for safety. There they are dispatched without delay to Henderson Field and Gen Vandegrift gets another 20 fighters and 9 dive bombers.
• The destroyer Reid (DD-369) and naval land-based aircraft (VP-43) sink the Japanese submarine RO-61 in the Aleutian Islands area.
• The US submarine Growler (SS-215) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Eifuku Maru (5866t) in Formosa Strait.

Secret War

The Gestapo smash the Rote Kapelle, the 'Red Orchestra', a major Soviet spy ring inside the Reich. Many arrests are made during August.

United States, Home Front

Claude Wickard, the Agriculture Secretary, warns that it will probably be necessary to introduce meat rationing. Roosevelt has already spoken on August 28 about the possibility of introducing a meatless day.