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From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Newsgroups: sci.military,soc.history
Subject: 50 Years Ago: Friday, 5 July, 1940
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Date: 8 Jul 90 05:36:47 GMT
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From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker)
Friday, 5 July, 1940

Vichy France breaks off diplomatic relations with Britain in reprisal for
the Mers-el-Kebir attack.  Vichy French ships capture several British 
merchant vessels in reprisal for the Mers-el-Kebir raid, and Vichy 
aircraft stage an unsuccessful raid on shipping at Gibraltar.  France warns
that British vessels approaching within 20 miles of the French coastlines
will be attacked.

The U-34 torpedoes and sinks the destroyer HMS Whirlwind off Ireland,
and the U-30 enters the newly-operational base at Lorient.  

Rumania's new government joins the Axis powers, invoking new policies,
including anti-Semitic measures, intended to strengthen German-Rumanian
ties.

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Bill Thacker			            military@att.att.com
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"The ties of comradeship and excessive fidelity are completely broken
now." - French Foreign Minister Paul Baudoin.