Sea War: U-31 is bombed and sunk by RAF Blenheim in Schillig Roads, northwest Germany. She is subsequently raised, recommissioned, and again sunk by destroyer HMS Antelope on November 2, 1940, northwest of Ireland.
French battleship Bretagne and cruiser Algerie sail from Toulon for Canada with large gold shipment (2,379 bars).

Picture: British Bristol Blenheim bomber over a burning ship.

Home Front Britain: Meat rationing begins: 1s 10d (9 pence) worth of meat per person per week.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1940

Diplomacy: (MAIN EVENT) TREATY OF MOSCOW ends 104-day Russo-Finnish Winter War. Finland loses Karelian Isthmus (inc. city of Viipuri and Vuoksi 'industrial belt'), Hango naval base, and border areas northwest of Lake Ladoga, in the 'Waist' and on Arctic coast.
On the same day, French Prime Minister Daladier tells Chamber of Deputies that Anglo-French expeditionary force is ready to embark for Finland on receipt of formal Finnish appeal for assistance.

Sea War: British Home Fleet returns to Scapa Flow from Rosyth and Loch Ewe. Since the sinking of the Royal Oak anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defences have been greatly strengthened.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Cease-fire on all fronts at 11 a.m. Field Marshal Mannerheim's last Order of the Day to Finnish Army: 'A severe peace has been concluded which cedes to Russia nearly all the battlefields we have drenched with our blood. . . The deeds you have accomplished will shine for centuries in the pages of our history.'

SOVIET-FINNISH WAR LOSSES
	Finland	Russia
Killed Soldiers	24,923	aprox. 200,000
Wounded Soldiers	43,557	?
Tanks	3	aprox. 1,600
Planes	61	aprox. 750-900
Guns	?	over 300
Ships	1 armed yacht, 1 steamer	1 submarine
Killed Civilians	637	-
Wounded Civilians	1,400	-
Buildings destroyed or damaged	4,500	-

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1940

Winter War, Finland: Evacuation of 470,000 people from lost territories commences (completed March 26) .

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1940

Air War: RAF aircraft drop leaflets over Warsaw (night March 15-16). A Whitley, low on fuel, lands by mistake in a field in West Germany and crew converse with inhabitants. They take off again and escape, despite small arms fire.

Picture: Ground and aircrew investigate a last minute engine snag before the day air test of a Armstrong Whitworth AW38 Whitley bomber that always preceded a mission.

Neutrals, Rumania: Amnesty for fascist Iron Guard (see September 21, 1939). 800 released from prison camps after they swear oath of loyalty to King Carol.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1940

Air War: German raid on Scapa Flow by 32 bombers (2 lost). Cruiser Norfolk damaged; 7 naval and 8 civilian casualties, inc. James Isbister, first British civilian killed by enemy air action in WW2.

Neutrals, Argentinia: Government deports crew of Admiral Graf Spee into the interior and forbids them to wear their uniforms.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 1940

Sea War Atlantic: Shipping losses for week ending March 17 are 3 British, 1 French, 4 neutral, 3 German.

Picture: A German U-Boat has stopped a Allied cargo ship. Standard practice for unarmed merchent men outside of a escorted convoy at the beginning of WW2, to give the crew time to leave the ship.