America at war! (1941--) -- Part 2

Millett: Service

Uniforms for women are fine things
By Ruth Millett

Getting into uniform for the duration would be awfully good for some types of women.

Think what it would do to the personality of the woman who has always depended on clothes to put herself across. The woman who has always expected service, admiration and respect for no other reason than that her coat was mink and her dresses designed by the tops of the fashion world.

And think what it would do to the woman who “never has a thing to wear” and was always so busy being apologetic about her clothes that she didn’t know what was going on.

And how good it would be for the woman who has always sacrificed everything in life to have good clothes, stepping daily out of a rundown, neglected home looking like a fashion ad.

All those women would find themselves face to face with the fact that nothing counts but what they are themselves, how capable they are, how likable, how charming, how good-natured.

They couldn’t get by any longer – or think they were getting by – hidden behind good-looking clothes, pretending they really were whatever character they were dressed to play.

They couldn’t any longer walk into a room and expect everybody to take notice because of their clothes. Dressed in the uniform worn by thousands of other women, they might realize that it was up to them to amount to something or be lost in the crowd.

Uniforms aren’t a bad idea for women at all.

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Völkischer Beobachter (February 28, 1943)

Wieder ein Stück der Empire-Herrschaft –
Mr. Knox okkupiert ein „Sprungbrett“

Eigener Bericht des „Völkischen Beobachters“

rd. Bern, 27. Februar –
Nachdem die USA.-Agitation für eine Ausdehnung des Stützpunktsystems, vor allem auf Kosten des britischen Verbündeten, in den letzten Tagen einen Höhepunkt erreicht hatte, glaubte Marineminister Knox nun zu einem offiziellen Regierungsvorstoß übergehen zu können. Er erklärte vor amerikanischen Journalisten, man schneide zweckmäßigerweise schon jetzt diese Frage offen an und ließ durchblicken, daß bereits gewisse Verhandlungen aufgenommen worden seien. Mit Neuseeland werde bereits die völlige militärische USA.-Kontrolle der Insel Upolu in der Samoainselgruppe besprochen.

Hier wird es allerdings nicht mehr viel zu verhandeln geben, denn die Amerikaner haben, wie Knox hinzufügte, auf dieser Insel schon einen Flugplatz angelegt, „ein Sprungbrett im pazifischen Raum,“ wie er es nannte. Die wenigen Tage zurückliegende Erklärung des neuseeländischen Gesandten in Washington, Nash, Neuseeland sei bereit, „den USA. das Recht für Errichtung von See- und Luftbasen auf Neuseeland nach dem Krieg einzuräumen“ kann damit als teilweise überholt betrachtet werden. Jedoch lassen die Ausführungen von Nash erkennen, daß die USA. von Neuseeland nicht nur die Insel Upolu verlangen, sondern auch auf dem neuseeländischen Festlande noch Stützpunkte „politisch anpeilen.“

Als Verhandlungspartner für ein „gemeinsames Stützpunktsystem“ nach dem Krieg nannte der neuseeländische Gesandte in den USA. auch Australien, Niederländisch-Indien und Indien, ein Hinweis, der nur so auszulegen ist, daß Nash fest mit dem Versuch eines Übergreifens und Festsetzens der USA. in diesen Gebieten auf Kosten ihrer Verbündeten rechnet.

Bei einer Besprechung der Frage der Überlassung neuseeländischer Stützpunkte an die USA im USA.-Kongreß wurde bekannt, daß Neuseeland auf „reziproke Leihpachtrechnung“ nicht weniger als 106 Flugfelder für die USA. gebaut habe.

U.S. Navy Department (February 28, 1943)

Communiqué No. 294

South Pacific.
On February 27:

  1. During the afternoon, Dauntless dive bombers (Douglas), with Wildcat escort (Grumman F4F), bombed Japanese positions at Munda, on New Georgia Island. One large and two small fires were started. All U.S. planes returned.

  2. During the afternoon, Dauntless dive bombers, with Corsair (Vought F4U), Lightning (Lockheed P-38), and Warhawk (Curtiss P-40) escort, attacked a Japanese transport, with an escort of two Corvettes, off Vella Lavella Island, the westernmost island of the New Georgia group. Several bomb hits were scored on the transport which was left burning. One of the Corvettes was hit and left burning and one float-type Zero was shot down. Two U.S. fighters failed to return.

Lol… so germany gets oil via another route. Amazing!

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The Pittsburgh Press (February 28, 1943)

U.S. planes batter French coast

Harbors at Brest, Dunkirk bombed as non-stop offensive mounts
By William B. Dickinson, United Press staff writer

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Rommel tank thrusts fail

Allies roll back Nazis in Kasserine area
By Virgil Pinkley, United Press staff writer

48-hour week rules listed; some exempt

Severe penalties provided, WMC warns; union clauses voided

Coal pit blast traps 72 men

Little hope for rescue held by official

They can still wear “Victory rolls” like a female friend of mine did to honour my training flight in a Spitfire were we did a Victory roll just before landing in Biggin Hill :slight_smile:

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Willkie will run in 1944, paper says

New York (UP) – (Feb. 27)
The New York Herald Tribune said tonight that Wendell Willkie has decided to campaign actively for the Republican presidential nomination in 1944 and will enter his name in key primaries to capture “sufficient delegates to control the party’s national convention.”

The newspaper said Mr. Willkie’s:

…open and aggressive campaign for the nomination is expected to force other potential candidates to come out as openly and to compete against him for first hold on some of the state delegations or to try to grab off, through the medium of stalking horses consisting of favorite sons, some of the other state delegations.

Wooing with bacon causes Army ‘mess’

Newark, New Jersey (UP) – (Feb. 27)
Two mess sergeants who took canned food and slabs of bacon instead of candy and flowers when they called on their girlfriends were held tonight in Camp Kilmer’s stockade for disciplinary action, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported.

The FBI recovered 18 cans of pineapple, a can of fruit cocktail, a jar of mayonnaise, nine pounds of bacon, 100 pounds of sugar and 32 cans of processed milk from the home of a tavern keeper whose two daughters had been keeping company with the mess sergeants.


U.S. distributes new steel penny

Washington (UP) – (Feb. 27)
The Treasury began distribution today of a new zinc-coated steel penny that looks at first glance like an outside dime or an emaciated nickel.

The Treasury put the new coin on sale to collectors and others, but limited purchases to 50 a person. The penny – designed like the old copper Lincoln penny – will go into general circulation as current penny stocks decline.

Criticism that the new coin, which will save 4,600 tons of copper, looks too much like a dime or nickel was easily answered by mint experts.

Give it a little circulation, they said, and the shiny new penny will turn almost black.


Minesweeper launched

Greenport, New York – (Feb. 27)
A minesweeper was launched today by the Greenport Basin and Construction Company.

Curb planned on banqueting

But OPA says nationwide ban is unlikely


Meat black markets face new federal crackdown

Governors will aid in drive to mete out stern justice to illegal operators; two other control moves planned by OPA


OPA price policy termed ‘menace to war effort’


AAA attacked by farm bloc

Some want its employees put to work

Filipinos resisting, Quezon tells rally

Army’s demand cuts canned food supply


Explosives plants returned to owners

Modern U.S. weapons given to French troops

Washington (UP) – (Feb. 27)
The first of the promised modern American weapons were delivered to French troops in North Africa on Washington’s birthday, it was announced here today by the French military mission.

It was emphasized that the weapons were only a small part of the supplies and materials that would go to the French in due course.

Capital is agog with reception for Mme. Chiang

Novelist freed on all counts in 10 minutes

Ursula Parrott acquitted on charge of aiding in desertion

Dewey finds path smooth as governor

Bigwigs admit ‘boy wonder’ has stuff ‘on the ball’

Meat trader fined $5,000 in price case

Baltimore man denounced for trying to ‘capitalize on war’

Lost reporter requests spot to end mix-up

By Walter Cronkite, United Press staff writer