April 1, 1941 The Golden Circle Iraqi Coup

A pro Nazi coup by Iraqi officers who were seeking full, rather than the then partial, independence from the UK took place.  The plotters were in contact with the Germans and had calculated that World War Two could bring this about.  Instead, it brought about a direct British intervention that made short work of the coup.

German HE 111 with Iraq and German markings. Axis powers supplying aircraft to the Iraqi insurrectionist were reflagged in Iraqi colors.

The Germans and Italians did attempt to aid the insurrectionist by supplying aircraft. Vichy France allowed the use of its airfields in Syria, which would bring about the British intervention in Syria terminating their rule.

The plotters, termed the "Golden Circle" had formed in the 1930s and had been working towards this goal since that time.  Supported by the German ambassador in Iraq, their goal was to overthrow the British supported monarchy, end British influence in the country, and form a fascist state.

While the coup was a catastrophic failure for those participating in it, it's worth noting that in some ways it echoes to this day.  Fascism was proving to be popular in Middle Eastern quarters and it would reemerge as the Baath Party, a pan Arab fascist movement which still rules Syria and which did rule Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

More on that, and the ongoing British advance in the desert, can be read about here:

Today in World War II History—April 1, 1941

The Germans, it should be noted, would find their air intervention in Iraq ineffective and Vichy's decision to allow the Germans and Italians to use their airfields would end, forever, French rule in Syria.  Syrian airfields were already under attack by the UK at the time, so France's decision was not as bold as it might seem, given the circumstances.  Nonetheless France was entering the quasi belligerent stage.

British Commonwealth forces took the capitol of Eritrea on this day.

The Germans did seem to be reversing Axis fortunes in North Africa, however.

Workers at Ford Motors went on strike.

New York hit 60F for the first time that year, the fifth latest such date since records started to be kept, at that time, and now the seventh.

March 28, 1941. Royal Navy victory in the Mediterranean, manufacturing victory in Detroit.

B-24s being built at Willow Run.

Ford Motor Company began building B-24s components at Air Force Plant 31 in Michigan. The plant is better known as the Willow Run plant.  Ultimately it would construct entire aircraft, something that was not foreign to Ford which had manufactured civilian aircraft prior to the war.  The facility was actually leased, rather than owned, by Ford, which had an option to purchase it.  It would decline that option post war.

The plant was taken over by Kaiser after the war, a Ford competitor, which manufactured automobiles there until the Korean War, at which time it also manufactured C-119 cargo aircraft.  Kaiser was formed in July 1945, so it was a post war startup, and was originally the Kaiser-Frazer Company.  It technically lasted only until 1953, but it didn't disappear at that time but merged with Willys Overland, whose forte at that time were its 4x4 vehicles, lead by the Jeep.  It sold Willys to American Motors in 1970, but retained a minority interest in that company.  American Motors continues in operation today, contrary to the common assumption, as AM General, the manufacturer of the military and civilian variants of the Hummer.

It was a bad day for the Italians in the Battle of  Matapan as a heavy cruiser and two destroyers were sunk by the Royal Navy.  More on that here:

Today in World War II History—March 28, 1941

Italian fleet surprised at ‘The Battle of Matapan’

On the same day, the Italians suffered further losses in Eritrea.

Day 575 March 28, 1941

King Peter assumed the Yugoslavian throne to cheering crowds.

March 22, 1941. British advances in Africa, frustrations on the Atlantic, and Vichy French complicity in murder.

Things continued, on this day in 1941, to go downhill for the Italians as the British overran them in Ethiopia at the Babille Pass.  By this point it was pretty obvious that the Italian army wasn't up to. . .well about much of anything.  Italian fortunes were flagging.

Having said that, the Italians did put up a fight at Keren in Eritrea where they launched a massive counterattack at Ft. Dologorodoc.  It failed, but it was fiercely fought.

In spite of the Italian misfortunes, Vichy France signed a bill to construct a trans Saharan railway, which admittedly didn't directly involve Italy, but given that Italy was losing badly to the British, should at least have signaled that North African construction projects were rather unlikely to be successful constructed.  To make matters worse, the French government conceived of the project being built by POWs, which made them a quasi belligerent, and Jewish slave labor, which additionally made them racist criminals. So already, by this point in 1941, Vichy France was complicit in one of the greatest crimes of all time.

By some accounts the 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated on this day and Jimmy Stewart, who would go on to long service in the Air Corps and Air Force, was inducted, which demonstrates how even relatively recent dates can become confused. We've covered both of these events, attributed to earlier dates, within the last week.

More on the 99th Pursuit Squadron on this entry here, which also discusses the Grand Coulee Dam.

Today in World War II History—March 22, 1941

In the early morning hours, the German near battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were met by German Kreigsmarine destroyers operating out of Brest and were escorted into port.  Their 60 day sortie had resulted in 22 merchant ships being destroyed. The Royal Navy attempted to intercept them, but was too late to do so.  On the same day, the German armed merchant ship Kormoran stopped the British tanker Agnita and sank it.