 |
[laterpay_premium_download target_post_id=”55487″ heading_text=”Download For $1.99:” description_text=”April 7, 1941 – NBC News Of The World – Gordon Skene Sound Collection” content_type=”link”] |
April 7, 1941 – NBC News Of The World – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
April 7, 1941 – News from the Balkans was grim this day. The German Army had invaded Yugoslavia and had pushed their way through Macedonia. German dive bombers were targeting Greek defensive positions while German artillery were busy pouring shells into the area. At last report, Greek positions were holding. It was not yet known if British forces had made contact with the invading army. Unconfirmed reports said Greek anti-aircraft fire had shot down some 18 German planes and some 7 German airmen who had bailed out were captured. Since the Belgrade wireless went off the air the previous evening, no direct reports were available to find out what the last situation was and gathering the latest news had to fall back entirely on reports from German and Italian radio and newspaper reports. As far as it was known, the German operations were going according to plan. German bombing runs over Greece led observers to suspect a new front may be opening in the coming days. Air Raid sirens were reported being heard over Athens as the news broadcast was going on, but no planes were reported.
South African troops were busy pursuing retreating Italian troops from Addis Ababa, while the RAF were staging raids over northern France, attacking German shipping and doing heavy damage to the French port of Brest as well as Calais. Three British planes were missing from the daylight attack and one from the night attack.
News from Moscow reported a non-aggression pact was in place between Moscow and Belgrade. No comment from Berlin as the details of the pact were not known.
From Washington – As expected, Secretary of State Cordell Hull denounced Germany’s invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece as “barbaric”. On Capitol Hill the concern was over the potential situation with Strikes affecting Defense production.
All that, and a lot more for this April 7, 1941 as presented by NBC’s News Of The World.
