26 Feb 1940
  • Soviet troops continued to attack toward Viipuri, Finland. The Finnish 23rd Division counterattacked with 8 Mark E light tanks in the Battle of Honkaniemi, destroying 3 Soviet tanks but all 8 light tanks were lost during the engagement. ww2dbase [The Winter War | CPC]
Atlantic Ocean
  • The 4,354-ton German merchant ship Orizaba, having successfully breaking the British-French blockade outside of Vigo, Spain, ran aground off Troms in northern Norway. ww2dbase [Start of the Battle of the Atlantic | HM]
United Kingdom
  • Newly-constructed British large passenger liner Queen Elizabeth left Clydeside, Glasgow, Scotland on the spring tide. To prevent German attack, false intelligence regarding her destination being Southampton in southern England was generated, but her actual destination was New York in the United States. She would reach New York for her final fitting. ww2dbase [Queen Elizabeth | Clydeside, Scotland | CPC]

26 Feb 1940 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Portrait of Ivan Bagramyan, 1945-1960

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"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935


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