8 May 1940
  • The opposition party in the United Kingdom, the Labour Party, called for a vote of no confidence for Prime Minister Chamberlain's government. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister David Lloyd George called for Chamberlain to step down for the good of the country. ww2dbase [Neville Chamberlain | CPC]
  • Adolf Hitler pushed the decision date for the invasion of France to the following day. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | CPC]
  • Bruce Fraser was promoted to the rank of vice admiral. ww2dbase [Bruce Fraser | CPC]
China
  • American river gunboat Tutuila ran aground on a reef and became stranded in the Yangtze River at Chongqing, China. ww2dbase [Chongqing | CPC]
  • Chinese Communist Brigadier General Chen Yi recommended his superiors to launch an offensive against Nationalist positions in Jiangsu Province, China. ww2dbase [Battle of Huangqiao | CPC]
Malta
  • Garland exited drydocks at Malta. ww2dbase [Garland | CPC]
Russia
  • Semyon Timoshenko was appointed the Soviet commissar for defense. ww2dbase [Semyon Timoshenko | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 8 May 1940
Troops of 6th Infantry Regiment of Japanese 3rd Division crossing the Bai River north of Yichang, Hubei, China, 8 May 1940

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




Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Please help us spread the word:

 Reddit
 Bluesky
 Mastodon

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB
News

Random Photograph

HMS Eagle underway, 1931, as seen in Jul 1978 issue of US Navy Naval Aviation News

Current Site Statistics

Famous WW2 Quote
"You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terrors. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival."

Winston Churchill


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!