May 1941

1 May 1941 Britain withdrew from Greece. (When it became obvious that the resistance of the Greek army to German invasion was at an end, the Government of Greece requested that the entire contingent which had been sent to its help should be withdrawn from Greece. Times, May 1, 1941, pp. 1, 4.)
2 May 1941 British began fighting in Iraq. (Iraq Government held British reinforcements violated pact. Times, May 2, 1941, p. 1. ) Occupied oil fields. (Times, May 3., 1941, p. 2. Cf. Apr. 19, supra.)
3 May 1941 Germany and Italy divided and annexed Slovenia. By decree. ("Contemporary history in all parts of the globe, which this war has confirmed, demonstrates the impossibility for very Small nations to lead an autonomous life. They are fatally destined too enter into the sphere of influence of this or that great neighboring power." Times, May 4, 1941, p. 43.)
4 May 1941 ADDRESS BY CHANCELLOR ADOLPH HITLER TO REICHSTAG Berlin, Germany, " The driving personality behind this mad and devilish plan of starting war at any price was Churchill and his accomplices, the men in the present British Government. " See doc.
6 May 1941 Emperor Hailie Selassie regained Ethiopian throne.   (Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 100, p. 635. Cf. Times, May 7, 1941, p. 5. Cf. May 2, 1936, supra.)
6 May 1941 Secretary of War Stimson advocated use of Navy to convoy to Britain. ("The world is facing so great a crisis that all of our efforts must be turned toward the defense of our nation's safety. . . . our own self-defense requires that limits should be put to lawless aggression on the ocean. The President has said that we must not allow the steps which we have already taken to become ineffective." Times, May 7, 1941, p. 14.)
9 May 1941 French Indochinese-Thai peace treaty signed at Tokyo with Japanese guarantee of new borders. (Japanese mediation. Times, May 9, 1941, p. 8. Cf. Jan. 31, supra.)
9 May 1941 Russia withdrew recognition from German‑occupied states of Belgium, Norway, and Yugoslavia. (Patching up differences with Germany. Times, May 10, 1941, p. 1.)
10 May 1941 Flight of Rudolph Hess to Scotland. (Times, May 13, 1941, p. 1.)
11 May 1941 MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE REGARDING A CONVERSATION WITH THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR (NOMURA) "He promptly proceeded to say that his Government had instructed him to hand me certain documents, of which the attached are copies. [62] He had still another document, which he said was pre­pared by his Government and which constituted a part of the written material that he was instructed to deliver to me." See doc.
12 MAY 1941 DRAFT PROPOSAL HANDED BY THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR (NOMURA) TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE "The Governments of the United States and of Japan accept joint responsibility for the initiation and conclusion of a general agreement disposing the resumption of our traditional friendly relations." See doc.
12 May 1941 Russia recognized rebel government of Iraq. (To improve relations with Germany and avert German attack on Ukraine and Caucasus. Times, May 13. 1941, p. 2. Cf. Apr. 19, Supra.)
13 May 1941 Prime Minister Robert G. Menzies of Australia told America the war was America's business. (". . . for parliamentary liberty and the ordered rights of self-government are our joint and several heritage. . . . it is essential for the world not only that tyranny should be defeated but that it should be defeated quickly before the scars made by it are too deep and too lasting. . . ." Times, May 14, 1941, p. 6.)
14 May 1941 France accepted new German terms for economic collaboration. (Times, May 15, 1941, p. 1. "France can, surmount her defeat and save her rank as a European and colonial power in the world." [Unofficial translation.] Rice, p. 68.)
14 May 1941 Germany proclaimed the northern part of the Red Sea a zone of military operations. (Result of war developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. Times, May 14, 1941, p. 1. Cf. Apr. 10, supra.)
15 May 1941 President Roosevelt rebuked France for collaboration amounting to an alliance. ("The people of the United States can hardly believe that the present Government of France could be brought to lend itself to a plan of voluntary alliance, implied or otherwise, which would apparently deliver up France and its colonial empire, including French African colonies and their Atlantic coasts, with the menace which that involves to the peace and safety of the Western Hemisphere." Times, May 16, 1941, pp. 1, 4.)
15 May 1941 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S STATEMENT ON THE UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE FRENCH REPUBLIC "The policy of this government in its relations with the French Republic has been based upon the terms of the armistice between Germany and France and upon recognition of certain clear limitations imposed upon the French Government by this armistice. " See doc.
15 May 1941 MARSHAL PETAIN'S SPEECH TO THE FRENCH PEOPLE Vichy, France. " For you, the French people, it is simply a question of following me without mental reservation along the path of honor and national interest." See doc.
16 May 1941 Iceland severed union with Denmark. (Because the latter was unable to exercise governmental functions under the law of 1918 and the former did not wish to prolong the treaty. Times, May 20, 1941, p. 11. Cf. Apr. 24, May 9, 1940, supra.)
16 May 1941 Iraq and Russia exchanged notes to establish diplomatic and consular relations. (Times, May 18, 1941, p. 6. Cf. May 12, supra.)
18 May 1941 Italy planned to restore Croatian monarchy. ("By virtue of further. agreements entered into with representatives of the so‑called 'Independent State of Croatia' that 'state,' previously established on Yugoslav territory by the military authorities of occupation, has been declared by the Italian Government to be a hereditary monarchy under Italian protection, thus establishing in effect if not in name an annexation of these territories by the Italian Government." Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 102, p. 683. Cf. May 12, supra.)
18 May 1941 RADIO ADDRESS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, CORDELL HULL Broadcast from Washington. " And so, for the present, our foreign trade consists more and more, and will consist more and more, of making and placing in the hands of nations which are resisting unlawful attack the tools of self-defence. This trade, like all trade, is futile if the goods produced do not reach those for whom they are intended." See doc.
21 May 1941 Germany requested that foreign diplomatic agents evacuate Paris by June 10. (Paris area was regarded as "an extended zone of operations." Times, May 22, 1941, p. 1.)
21 May 1941 S. S. Robin Moor sunk by German submarine. (Bulletin, Vol. IV, No. 103, p. 716.)
22 May 1941 Britain warned France of the danger of collaboration with Germany. ("If the Vichy government, in pursuance of their declared policy of collaboration with the enemy, take action or permit action detrimental to our conduct of the war or designed to assist the enemy's war effort, we shall naturally hold ourselves free to attack the enemy wherever he may be found, and in so doing we shall no longer feel bound to draw any distinction between occupied and unoccupied territory in the execution of our military plans." Times, May 23, 1941, p. 4. Cf. Oct. 21, 1940, May 14, supra.)
23 May 1941 VICE PREMIER DARLAN'S BROADCAST TO THE FRENCH PEOPLE Vichy, France. " France freely is choosing the road she is taking. " See doc.
27 May 1941 PROCLAMATION OF UNLIMITED NATIONAL EMERGENCY (U.S.) "... do proclaim that an unlimited national emergency confronts this country, which requires that its military, naval, air and civilian defences be put on the basis of readiness to repel any and all acts or threats of aggression directed toward any part of the Western Hemisphere." See doc.
27 MAY 1941 RADIO ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FROM WASHINGTON "I am speaking tonight from the White House in the presence of the Governing Board of the Pan American Union, the Canadian Minister, and their families." See doc.
27 May 1941 PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT'S BROADCAST Washington, D. C. " The first and fundamental fact is that what started as a European war has developed, as the Nazis always intended it should develop, into a world war for world domination." See doc.
29 May 1941 The United States arranged to train British flyers. (To operate American planes sent abroad under lend‑lease. Times, May 30, 1941, p. 5.)
29 May 1941 Foreign Secretary Eden said international social security was Britain's prime policy after the war. ("For irrespective of the nature of the political settlement, Continental Europe will end this war starved and bankrupt of all foods and raw materials which she was accustomed to obtain from the rest of the world. "She will have no means, unaided, of breaking the vicious circle. She can export few goods until she has first received the necessary raw materials. Wasteful wartime cultivations in many lands will leave agriculture almost as weak as industry. Thus Europe will face vast problems of general demobilization with a general lack of the necessary means to put men to work." Times, May 30, 1941, p. 4. Cf. Mar. 25, supra.)

29 May 1941 ANTHONY EDEN'S, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF GREAT BRITAIN, SPEECH ON BRITISH WAR AIMS Excerpts from a talk at The Mansion House, London. " Yet this vast and sinister fabric will not endure. For this many reasons could no doubt be given. I will be content with two. " See doc.
31 May 1941 British-Iraqi armistice signed at Baghdad. ("The hostilities for which there is no longer any reason, will be ended as soon as the commission has received assurances that the complete independence of the country and the honor of the Army will be guaranteed." Times, June 1, 1941, p. 1. Cf. May 2, supra.)