Russians cross ice-bound Viipuri Bay in Gulf of Finland
week from March 3 - March 10, 1940

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Finns repulse attacks east and west of Viipuri (in the West Russians attack across ice of Viipuri Bay).

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1940

Winter War, Finland: (MAIN EVENT) Russians cross ice-bound Viipuri Bay in Gulf of Finland, but meet fierce Finnish resistance.

Air War: Russians bomb Helsinki.

Western Front: Germans capture British outpost in Maginot Line (2 killed, 16 taken prisoner); outpost later recaptured.

Picture: camouflaged German observer near an Allied outpost at the Maginot Line.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 1940

Diplomacy: Finnish government, faced with desperate military situation, sends peace delegation to Moscow.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Fierce fighting continues in Viipuri Bay sector.

Picture: Finnish troops with captured Russian BT-5 tank in action. They have painted a bold swastika emblem on the tank's turret, which was a Finnish identifiying symbol, not a mark of allegiance to the German Nazi Party.

Air War: RAF aircraft, flying from bases in France, drop Polish language leaflets over West Poland and return via Leipzig and the Ruhr (where leaflets in German are released) .

Sea War: British warships detain 13 Italian colliers with cargoes of German coal.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Large quantities of French arms, ammunition and aircraft (175) now en route to Finland.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Finnish communique admits that Russians have established bridgehead on northwest shore of Viipuri Bay, but claims all other sectors of Karelian Isthmus front remain intact.

Diplomacy: Anglo-Italian compromise solution to 'Coal Ships Affair' of March 7. Colliers to be released and Italy to find alternative (overland) supply route from German coalfields.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Russians capture Repola (northeast of Viipuri), Karppila and Ruhela on north shore of Viipuri Bay. Marshal Mannerheim urges Finnish Government to make terms with USSR.

Picture: The Russain heavy tank T-28A, with the short 76.2mm (3in) L/16.5 gun in the main central turret and two auxiliary turrets and up-armoured for its use in Finland.

Diplomacy: Ribbentrop has interview with Mussolini and invites him to meet with Hitler.