Tuesday July 8, 1941. Intentions.

On this day in 1941, German General Franz Halder, Chief of Staff, recorded in his diary that at a meeting he attended Hitler expressed his intention to raise Leningrad and Moscow to the ground and to dispose of Moscow's population. lest they have to be fed during the winter.  Of course, the Germans would never take either city.

That, of course, was revealing as to the Germans genocidal intent, and also evidence of whatever they may have later claimed, nearly anyone of significance in the Third Reich was fully aware of the regime's genocidal nature and intentions.

Of interest, the inner circle was already having a heated debate about diverting from the original Operation Barbarossa plans with their being discussion about diverting troops to assist in taking Leningrad.  Some, like Halder, opposed that as they saw it vital to rush on to take Moscow.  Historians for decades have debated if those who argued along the lines of Halder were correct or not.

As for Halder, he was complicit in the orders that instructed genocidal actions be taken in Operation Barbarossa.  Given that, he was one of the individuals that would logically have received the death penalty at the Nuremburg trials post war, but in fact he was not tried in them, but instead in a German civilian court.  He was fortunate that he fell out of favor with Hitler in 1942 and was retired at that time, taking no more active role in the war.  In 1944 he was arrested following the July 20 plot, but was found not to be associated with it.  Nonetheless, he was found to have been a figure in prior plots to topple Hitler, so he spent the rest of the war in incarceration.  Following the war he worked for the U.S. Army and was instrumental in the development of the false "clean Wehrmacht" myth.

His German trial resulted in a not guilty verdict.  Shortly after that, his diaries were discovered and the German government sought to charge him again, but by that time he was working for the United States and the US wouldn't allow it to occur.  He went on to develop the still persistent myth of a clean Wehrmacht for the rest of his life, dying in 1972.

The B-17 was flown in action for the first time.  The mission was a RAF strike on Wilhelmshaven.  The daylight raid was carried out without loss, but also without effect.

We don't think much of the British using B-17s, but they did acquire some lend lease.

Japan replied to an inquiry from the US about its intentions in regard to the war in Europe.

MESSAGE IN REPLY SENT BY H. I. M.'S FOREIGN MINISTER AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRIME MINISTER FOR DELIVERY TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A., DATED JULY 7TH, SHOWA 16

At a time like this all sorts of rumours are abundantly bred not only in Japan but in all countries. 

It is hardly necessary to state that the prevention of the European War from spreading to the regions of Greater East Asia and the maintenance and preservation of peace in the area of the Pacific have always been the sincere and genuine desire of the Japanese Government which have consistently contributed their earnest efforts toward achieving that high purpose. 

The Japanese Government wish to state, in reply to the last paragraph of the Message, that they have not so far considered the possibility of joining the hostilities against the Soviet Union. The position of the Japanese Government vis-à-vis the Soviet/Axis war was made clear in the Oral statement of July 2nd, 1941 of H. I. M.'s Foreign Minister to the Soviet Ambassador in Tokyo. One can do no better than attach hereto a copy of this Oral statement for the President's perusal in order to bring home the course of policy Japan has been compelled to pursue in the present circumstances. Of course, it is understood that the American Government will treat it as strictly confidential. Incidentally, the Japanese Government would like to avail themselves of this opportunity for definitely ascertaining whether it is really the intention of the President or the American Government to intervene in the European war as they are naturally and very deeply concerned at the prospect, disturbed as they sincerely are, by reports reaching them from a variety of sources.

The question to Japan was a fair one, but the Japanese at the time were not contemplating a war against the Soviet Union in the near term, and for that matter were having a hard enough time attempting to defeat China.  Realistically, a Japanese strike against the Soviet Union was out of the question for strategic reasons.

American journalist Richard C. Hottelet was released from four months of German incarceration.  He'd been arrested by the Germans as a spy.  Born of German parents, Hottelet spoke fluid German, but his work was reporting, not espionage.