Berlin, Germany · September 27, 1937 On this date in 1937 the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, Reich Security Head Office (known by its acronym RSHA), was created by Reichsfuehrer-SS Heinrich Himmler through the merger of the Nazi Party’s Schutzstaffel (SS) intelligence service; the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), or Security Service; and the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo), or Security Police. The SiPo comprised the…
Copenhagen, Occupied Denmark · September 16, 1943 On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Denmark, overrunning the tiny country of just over 3.8 million people and its army of 14,500 soldiers (the majority recruits) in less than a day. The Danish government and king remained in place, collaborating as little as possible with the enemy. In an effort…
London, England · July 22, 1940 On this date in 1940 the British government created the Special Operations Executive (SOE) organization. For security purposes the SOE was concealed behind the name “Inter-Service Research Bureau.” (At the time the SOE was variously referred to as “the Baker Street Irregulars,” “Churchill’s Secret Army,” or the “Ministry of…
Mont Mouchet, South Central France · June 20, 1944 During the Allied invasion of France (Operation Overlord), the Maquis and other French resistance groups played a role in delaying the arrival of German reinforcements to the Normandy beachhead as well as in the eventual Allied victory in France. The FFI (Forces Françaises de l’Interieur for…
Telemark, Occupied Norway · November 16, 1943 In the spring of 1940 Norway fell under the Nazi jackboot in a campaign that lasted 62 days and cost 5,000 lives on both sides. Three and a half years later, on this date in 1943, a massive daylight bombing raid by 143 U.S. Army Air Forces B‑17s caused extensive damage…
Berlin, Germany · September 27, 1937 On this date in 1937 the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, Reich Security Main Office (known by its acronym RSHA), was created by Reichsfuehrer-SS Heinrich Himmler through the merger of the SS (Schutzstaffel) intelligence service, the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), or Security Service, and the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo), or Security Police. The SiPo comprised the notorious…
Copenhagen, Occupied Denmark · September 16, 1943 On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Denmark, overrunning the tiny country in less than a day. The Danish government and king remained in place, collaborating as little as possible with the enemy. In an effort to create a “model protectorate” out of Denmark, the occupation authorities initially interfered…
London, England · July 22, 1940 On this date in 1940 the British government created the Special Operations Executive (SOE) organization. For security purposes the SOE was concealed behind the name “Inter-Service Research Bureau.” (At the time the SOE was variously referred to as “the Baker Street Irregulars,” “Churchill’s Secret Army,” or the “Ministry of…
Mont Mouchet, South-Central France · June 20, 1944 During the Allied invasion of France (Operation Overlord), the Maquis and other French resistance groups played a role in delaying the arrival of German reinforcements to the Normandy beachhead as well as in the eventual Allied victory in France. The FFI (Forces Françaises de l’Interieur for “French…
Berlin, Germany · September 27, 1937 On this date in 1937 the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, Reich Security Main Office (known by its acronym RSHA), was created by Reichsfuehrer-SS Heinrich Himmler through the merger of the SS (Schutzstaffel) intelligence service, the Sicherheitsdienst (SD), or Security Service, and the Sicherheitspolizei (SiPo), or Security Police. The SiPo comprised the notorious…