London, England • January 2, 1945 In the 19th century the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, long associated with gingerbread, sausages, handmade toys, and Christkindlmaerkte (Christmas markets), had become an important industrial center with companies such as engineering and manufacturing giants Siemens and MAN. Both firms contributed mightily to Germany’s war effort—Siemens by producing everything from…
Washington, D.C • December 16, 1940 The late 1930s saw storm clouds and thunder rumble over both mainland China and Europe. The 8‑year Second Sino-Japanese war erupted in July 1937, shattering an uneasy truce between the Nationalist Chinese and the Empire of Japan. In mid-March the following year events in Europe threatened full-scale war when Nazi…
Milan, Italy • October 27, 1922 On this date in 1922 in Italy, riots instigated by Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascista) erupted in several Italian towns. The Fascists called on the national government to resign. The next day 4 columns of Mussolini’s paramilitary insurgents, Blackshirts (Camicie nere) or squadristi as they were called,…
Berlin, Germany • April 8, 1940 On this date, April 8, 1940, when Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich was at the top of its game (the occupation of Denmark and the invasion of Norway were a day away), the German Fuehrer issued his order regarding the “handling of Jewish mixed-breeds in the German armed forces” (Behandlung…
Milan, Italy · October 27, 1922 On this date in 1922 in Italy, riots instigated by Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party (Partito Nazionale Fascista) erupted in several Italian towns. The Fascists called on the government to resign. The next day four columns of Mussolini’s paramilitary Blackshirts (Camicie nere, or squadristi) began a march from the…
London, England · January 2, 1945 In the 19th century the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, long associated with gingerbread, sausages, handmade toys, and Christkindlmaerkte (Christmas markets), had become an important industrial center with companies such as engineering and manufacturing giants Siemens and MAN. Both firms contributed mightily to Germany’s war effort—Siemens by producing everything from…