On This Day

Historical Events in December 1940

  • Dec 1 Four sets of brothers play in one NHL game when Chicago Blackhawks beat NY Rangers, 4-1; Lynn & Muzz Patrick and Neil & Mac Colville (Rangers); Max & Doug Bentley and Bob & Bill Carse (Chicago)
  • Dec 6 Gestapo arrest German resistance fighter/poster artist Helen Ernst
  • Dec 6 Pietro Badoglio resigns as viceroy of Ethiopia
  • Dec 7 CFL Grey Cup (Game 2), Lansdowne Park, Ottawa: Ottawa beats Toronto Balmy Beach, 12-5
  • Dec 7 North Africa: British counter offensive under general O'Connor
  • Dec 7 The first prototype Fairey Barracuda flew
  • Dec 8 National Football League Championship, Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: Chicago Bears beat Washington Redskins, 73-0; most one-sided victory in NFL history; first NFL title game broadcast on national radio
  • Dec 9 British assault on Benghazi, Libya: first major allied offensive in North Africa
  • Dec 9 Illegal Jewish immigrants to Haifa are deported to Mauritius
  • Dec 9 South Australia all out for 47 v NSW, O'Reilly 5-11
  • Dec 10 British anti-offensive in Libya (Sidi Barrani)
  • Dec 10 1941 NFL Draft: Tom Harmon from University of Michigan first pick by Chicago Bears

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 11 Russian general Georgy Zhukov warns of German assault

Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Georgy Zhukov
  • Dec 12 British troops conquer Sidi el-Barrani
  • Dec 16 British air raid on Mannheim

Sport defeatBoxing Title Fight

Dec 16 Joe Louis KOs Al McCoy in 6 for heavyweight boxing title in Chicago

Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis
Boxer and World Heavyweight Champion
Joe Louis
  • Dec 17 British troops occupy Sollum, Egypt

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 20 Connie Mack acquires controlling interest in the Athletics for $42,000

Baseball Legend Connie Mack
Baseball Legend
Connie Mack

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Dec 25 Bradman out 1st ball for South Australia v Victoria before 6213

Cricket Legend Donald Bradman
Cricket Legend
Donald Bradman

Music releaseMusic Premiere

Dec 25 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Pal Joey" premieres in NYC

Composer Richard Rodgers
Composer
Richard Rodgers
  • Dec 26 1st-class cricket debut of Arthur Morris, who scores 148
  • Dec 26 JA Fields/J Chodorov's "My Sister Eileen," premieres in NYC

Film release premierFilm Release

Dec 26 "The Philadelphia Story" film directed by George Cukor, based on the Broadway play of the same name, starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart, is released (Academy Awards Best Actor 1941)

Actor Cary Grant
Actor
Cary Grant
Actress Katharine Hepburn
Actress
Katharine Hepburn
Director George Cukor
Director
George Cukor
  • Dec 28 Cricketer Arthur Morris scores 111 in 2nd innings of 1st game after 148
  • Dec 29 3rd NFL All Star Game: Chicago Bears beats NFL All-Stars, 28-14

'Hitler Will Have to Break Us or Lose the War''Hitler Will Have to Break Us or Lose the War'

Dec 29 Worst German air raid on London as over 10,000 bombs including the 1st incendiary bombs are dropped on the city as part of the Blitz

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Buckingham Palace is bombed. Churchill, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth inspect the damage. Photo: NPA Rota
Buckingham Palace is bombed. Churchill, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth inspect the damage. Photo: NPA Rota
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  • Dec 30 California's 1st freeway, (Arroyo Seco Parkway), opens

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