1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
On December 12 when the 9th War Area launched their offensive, 19th Army Group's 50th and 60th Corps attacked the Japanese at Wangshengang, Dacheng, and Kulo-pu  in the area north of Shitougang and Gaoyou and east of Xiangfuguan, cut off the communications between Dacheng and Nanchang and Chih-tien-chang. They captured Wan-ling, Pu-ling, Hsiao-ling, Man-kang-ling, Aicheng and Pai-tze-chiao  northwest of Fengchuan. On the night of December 13 Japanese warehouses north of Fengchuan were burned while the main force 139th Division, 32nd Corps attacked Jing'an. On the night of December 21 Jing'an was attacked, and Japanese warehouses were burned. 141st Division and part of 131st Division sabotaged traffic and signal communications between Chang-kung-tu  and Anyi, between De'an and Ruoxi, and the rails and telegraph wires between Jiaoqiao and Lehuajie and in the vicinity of De'an.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
These attacks prompted the 33rd and 34th Division to send out forces to hunt these Chinese forces. One of them, the 213th Regiment of 33rd Division was attacked by the Chinese 78th Corps of 30th Army Group near Wuning that pressed it back to Lao-ta-hsia in the south and Chapi-ao in the western end of the city. Meanwhile, the 72nd Corps and 8th Corps of the 30th Army Group attacked the Japanese 40th Division at Xintanpu in Hubei, Dafan, in Hubei, Tongyang and Nanliqiao, and cut wires from Yangxin to Tongyang and Bainiqiao. Later 72nd Corps took Xintanpu, and Tze-kou Chen, and 8th Corps captured Ni-keng-kou [Xi-keng?] and Shih-hsia .


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
On December 14 the Japanese 33rd and 40th Divisions reacted by sending two regiments to counterattack from Yu-chia-fan [Zhifang? ], Lung-kang  and Dafan, fighting against the 72nd and 8th Corps in the area from Shih-men  to Shih-pi-hu . By the 19th the Japanese were driven back and the Chinese continued to attack Hsin-tan-pu, Tongyang, and Nanliqiao. The 3rd Division cut the rails and telegraph wires at Tingsiqiao.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
1st Advance Column sabotaged rails and telegraph wires at Shanpo, Heshengqiao, and Tao-lin-pu  along the Canton - Hankow Railway. 3rd Advance Column sabotaged rails and telegraph wires from Lehua to Ta-chiao  on the Nan - Hsun Railway and signal communications in the area of Wangjiapu on the Jui-Wu [ Jui-chang-Wuning] Highway.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
On December 12 after recovering Chongyang, the 20th Corps of the 27th Army Group telegraph wires along the highways from Bainiqiao, to Chungyang and Yanglodong and between Chongyang and Shichengwan. It also drove off enemy reinforcements in the area of Wu-li-miao, Ta-shih-ling [Tiancheng?] and Guihuashu. From December 13 the 70th Corps' 3rd and 19th Divisions attacked Chongyang, Guihuashu, and Shichengwan areas clearing the Japanese east of Guihuashu, and captured localities on the outskirts of Shichengwan. On the night of January 8, 1940, the 70th Corps moved to Yangloudong, Puqi and Zhaoliqiao to clear the enemy there, routing enemy reinforcements at Pai-hua-pu  and sabotaging the rails and telegraph wires at Tingsiqiao, Guantangyi and Zhonghuopu.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 9th War Area
82nd Division of the 79th Corps, 15th Army Group, cut the Canton-Hangkow Railway at Yanglousi Station, attacked Dashaping and Tucheng, blew the bridge at Tieh-chu-kang . The 15th Army Group captured in succession, Chiu-kung-shan and Wulipai on the outskirts of Yuehyang. Then with 116th Division from 6th War area 4th Corps attacked Lin-yueh, destroyed rails and telegraph wires from Wulipai to Yuehyang, then intercepted Japanese reinforcements at Ching-kang-yi [Chenglingji? ], Tang-chia-pai  and Kun-shan [Kun mountain?] northwest of Taolin, Wulipai, and Yunxi. 6th Divisions supply and liaison was so disrupted that it was effectively cut off.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 12, the various armies of the 5th War area began the offensive against the Japanese. 32nd and 40th Divisions of the River North Army moving to Chien-chiang [Qianjiachang?] and Pai-lo-chi. Meanwhile, the 128th Division attacked Hsien-tao [Xiantao]. Once the 6th, 13th and 41st Divisions crossed the Han river they mopped up Japanese strong points west of the Yung-lung River. On the night of December 15, the Chinese 4th Reserve Division crossed the Han river north of Shayang to take part in the operation. On December 16 the River North Army recovered  the Japanese strong points at Nieh-chia-chang, Fu-nan-chang, Wu-hsu-chia-chang, Chou-chia-chang, Tung-hsin-chang, Tuo-chuan-fu and Nan-ho-fu. Fighting continued at Shayang and Kung-yi-chang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
At dawn of December 17 two Japanese columns attacked the Chinese at Xiantao and Shayang. The first from Hsiang-chia-wan  and Lin-chia-chi  had more than 1,000 infantry of the 116th Regiment supported by 10 tanks and artillery. The second from Shayang had 1,000 troops and several tanks. Eventually the Chinese took Xiantao and Shayang, after engaging in a bitter fight.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 18, Japanese 600 cavalry and infantry in more than 90 trucks advancing to the southwest via Wu-miao-chi. They were intercepted in the area of Wang-wu-tai  and Han-ching-miao  cutting off their withdrawal route, however some managed to retreat to Tao-pao-wan.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 22 under cover of 8 aircraft a Japanese at Kung-yi-chang  attacked Chinese positions at Wang-wu-tai and Lo-chia-tang. The Chinese suffered heavy losses and the Japanese cleared the highway from Wang-wu-tai to Tao-pao-wan. Meanwhile, the Japanese force at Lin-chia-chi increased to 2,000 men, more than 10 guns and 60 tanks and more Japanese troops appeared northeast of Chu-chia-chang and northwest of Tuo-chuan-fu.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
Since the fighting had gone on for days with heavy loss to the Chinese they decided to avoid further loss and began to withdraw west of the Han river on the 23rd. 55th and 13th Division covered this withdrawal, holding the Japanese at Yen-men-kuan [Yen-men pass?]. The withdrawal was complete by December 31. §However some fighting continued, on January 11, a detachment of the 32nd Division ambushed a Japanese truck convoy between Qianjiachang and Yuekou, killing a colonel, and 50 enlisted men and capturing large amounts of military supplies. 13th Division attacked Japanese reinforcements on January 17, 1940, at Yeh-chia-chi  and Lo-chia-chi.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On the front of the Right Flank Army on December 12, 33rd Army Group's 74th Division crossed the river to attack the Japanese south of Zhongxiang. 77th and 59th Corps of the 33rd Army Group and the 29th Army Group separately crossed the Han River to capture Chu-pao-ta-chiao and Hsi-hu-shan  and went on to attack Lo-chia-po, San-yan-tien, Wang-chia-pao and Tan-fu-miao. On December 13 they captured Ta-hsiao-chen-chung  and Chang-chia-wan. On December 18, Chinese forces fought several thousand Japanese troops at Wang-chia-ling and San-yang-tien. On December 19, a converging attack was made in conjunction with 74th Division resulting in heavy loss to both sides, but on December 21 the Japanese withdrew to the south followed by the Chinese who attacked Dongqiao and Huangjiaji and strongpoints at Yangzi and Zhongxiang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 26 the Japanese force in the area of Zhongxiang was increased to 5,000 men with more than 10 guns and 20 tanks. At dawn the following day they made a strong attack along the entire front, advancing to Changshoudian on the 28th. 84th Corps, the War Area reserve had to be thrown in to stop them. Meanwhile, the 74th Division had reached Yeh-chia-pu  and Pai-miao-chang  to join forces with the 59th Corps in launching a flanking attack on the Japanese in the area of Hung-shih-po. By December 31 the Chinese faced the Japanese on a line from Pu-men-chung to the south of Changshoudian, Tan-chia-ta-shu and Pai-miao-chang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On January 5, 1940, Wangdian and the heights in front of the 29th Army group were captured by the Japanese but a counterattack by the 55th Division recovered them. From January 9–13, the Japanese force at Huang-yang  was increased to three regiments and began attacks on the Right Flank Army. Japanese artillery at Yangtzi shelled the Chinese. On January 14, Chinese forces made a night attack and took the high ground south of Gaocheng and Shih-ling-szu  and Wang-chia-tai, Sun-chia-tien  and Chu-chia-miao. The Chinese claimed that six days of continuous attack led to 2,000 Japanese casualties and resulted in a stalemate on this front.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
Left Flank Army (River East Army) attacked the Japanese in the area between Luoyangdian, to Xudian. Another force occupied Wu-li-pu  and Shih-li-pu  east of Suizhou, and also destroying communications between Suizhou, and Hsi-shui. On December 15, under Japanese pressure the left flank of the 22nd Army Group moved to the line from Chih-cheng-shan [Chih-cheng mountain?] to Chi-ku-tien  and Shan-ching-kuan [Shan-ching pass?]. On December 18, Chinese forces continued their offensive and took Tze-pa-kang  and Chang-kang [Changlinggang? ] .


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 28, a portion of 22nd Army Group took Yun-tan-kang  southwest of Ma-ping, while the rest beat back attacks by Japanese reinforcements at Luoyangdian, Tze-pa-kang, Tu-chung-shan [Tu-chung mountain?] and Xudian.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On December 12, the Southern Honan Army launched their offensive, capturing Chuan-kou-tien, Chiang-hsi-tien, and Yang-liu-ho  on the 13th. Attacks on Mount Hua, Pingchangguan and Feng-chia-chuang  continued. On the 15th the Japanese recovered Yang-liu-ho, while the 30th and 68th Corps pressed the Japanese at Luotuodian, Youhe and Changtaiguan and sent detachments to sabotage communications between those strongpoints and Xinyang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
A Japanese force moving north from west of Changtaiguan, was driven back at Mu-chu-ho [Muzihe?]. On the night of December 22, two Chinese regiments separately advanced toward the northeast and southwest of Xinyang to attack the enemy forces there. On the 26th the 27th Division was also employed in the attack on Xinyang. Again on December 27 the Chinese repulsed Japanese reinforcements at Mount Hua and Pingchangguan.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On January 5, 1940, more than 2,000 Japanese infantry and artillery troops moved from Chang-tai-kuan to attack 68th Corps. The left flank of the Chinese 30th Corps employed two regiments east of Ping-chang-kuan [ Pingchangguan] against 2,000 Japanese troops. Later, the 68th Corps withdrew to the rear, exposing the flank of the 30th Corps and bitter fighting ensued at Hsiao-lin-tien and Kung-chia-fan. 85th Corps from 31st Army Group was committed to the fight enabling the repulse of the Japanese force on January 9, and continue the advance toward Yu-fang-wan, Wu-chia-tien [Wujiadien] and Ping-chang-kuan [ Pingchangguan] to mop up the remaining Japanese forces.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
To exploit this success the high command committed the balance of the 31st Army Group, from the Northern Hupei Army. Its main force was ordered to launch an attack from the Gaocheng, Yanzihe area and attack the area of Huayuan and Guangshui by January 1, 1940. On the 5th it attacked Japanese units at Haodian, Yu-chia-tien [Wujiadian? ],  Mount Hua, Ta-miao-fan  and Pingchangguan. Later, the 23rd Division (85th Corps?) advanced to the area between Wu-sheng-kuan [Wu-sheng pass?] and Guangshui. On January 7, 4th Division (85th Corps?) recovered Mount Hua. On January 17, the 4th, 21st and 141st Divisions engaged the Japanese at Wujiadian, Chien-ting-miao, Lo-han-ting, and Mount Hua.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
On January 22, the Japanese and Chinese forces fought at Chiang-chia-ho, Pi-chia-shan [Pi-chia mountain], Ku-sao-ling, Chih-shan-ai, Yin-chia-tien . Days of fighting at Hsiao-chia-wan, Tu-men-chung, Shih-men  and Kao-cheng [ Gaocheng], ended in the destruction of several thousand enemy troops, more than 10 tanks and large quantities of supplies.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Course of the offensive in central China, 5th War Area
Eastern Hupei Guerrilla force repeatedly attacked enemy strong points in eastern and western Anhwei, and employed its main force in attacks in the area of Huang'an, Hekou, and Xiadian.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
3rd War Area attacked 116th Division positions along the south bank of the Yangtze River, cutting communications and attacking traffic along the Yangtze River to prevent the forces of the 13th Army from giving aid to the 11th Army up river. Although it failed to take the major riverside towns that were some of its objectives it seems to have succeeded in tying up the local Japanese forces and harassing river traffic.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
How much it affected traffic on the river is not stated but 13th Army does not seem to have sent forces up river to 11th Army during the time of the offensive. The Chinese Hangchow offensive seems to have been somewhat successful but the Japanese replied with a counter offensive of their own.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
9th War Area with the support of the 3rd and 6th War Areas was to attack the 6th, 33rd, 34th and 40th Divisions, and 14th and 18th Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese 11th Army south of the Yangtze along the Canton-Hangkow Railway at Puchi and Hsien-ning and 19th Army Group and 32nd Army Groups did attack Nanchang, and along the Nanchang-Kuikiang Railway.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
27th Army Group did attack the Canton-Hangkow Railway at Puchi and Xianning and 30th Army Group attacked between Nan-Hsun Railway and Canton-Hangkow Railway, and 15th Army Group supported by 53rd Corps from 6th War area attacked Canton-Hangkow Railway and isolated 6th division at Yueh-yang. However planned advance by 27th Army Group on Wu-chang, and 30th Army Group against Jui-chang and Kiu-kiang did not occur.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
5th War Area had an ambitious goal, to mop up the 3rd, 13th and 39th Divisions and 14th Independent Mixed Brigade of the 11th Army north of the Yangtze between Xinyang and Wuhan along the Peiking-Hankow Railway and cut communications along the Han-yi [Hankow-Ichang] and Hsiang-Hua [ Hsiang-yang - Hua-yuan] Highways. This it did not come near to achieving, due to the failure of its various Armies.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
River North Army accomplished little and was driven back behind the river by December 23,  freeing up 13th Division units for use elsewhere. The Japanese held Right Flank Army in the Zhongxiang area far from the planned stop line from Xinshi to Songhe and Pingba. The Japanese contained Left Flank Army or (River East Army) far from its final objectives. Southern Honan Army did attack the enemy 3rd Division in the area north of Yingshan and Xishuanghe and send a strong force to cut enemy lines of communications in the area of Guangshui and Xinyang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
Its main force was to attack in the area of Xinyang and occupy it. Neither of these objectives was achieved despite the commitment of the 31st Army Group. Eastern Hupei Guerrilla force did not advance to the enemy rear areas at Guangshui, Huayuan and Hankow to check enemy movement along the railroad. They never got near those objectives, leaving the Japanese free to move troops along the rails to meet the other attacks.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Central China offensive plan, Results of the central China offensive
The Chinese Muslim General Ma Biao led Hui Muslim, Salar Muslim, and Dongxiang Muslim cavalry to annihilate the Japanese at the Battle of Huaiyang.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan
4th War Area was to capture Shantou and Chaozhou while its main forces mopped up Japanese 21st Army (18th, 38th, and 104th Divisions and the Guards Mixed Brigade), along the Kowloon-Canton Railway making the transfer of reinforcements from Guangdong to the ongoing Battle of South Guangxi difficult. In Guangxi, at Nanning, battered at the Battle of Kunlun Pass, remnants of the Japanese 5th Division and Taiwan Mixed Brigade were to be driven out.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan
Muslim General Bai Chongxi led the Guangxi armies against the Japanese.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
It was when the reverse at the Battle of Kunlun Pass of the Japanese forces in the Battle of South Guangxi became evident that the Chinese launched a major counterattack in Guangdong, part of the countrywide winter general offensive, making the transfer of reinforcements from Guangdong to Guangxi difficult. The goal was the capture of Chao-chow and Swatow and the main force was to clear the Japanese from the Canton-Kowloon Railway. In response the Japanese command halted the planned repatriation  to Japan of the 106th Division in Central China and reassigned it to the 21st Army on December 29. [ 2 ]


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
Upon being reinforced with the 54th Corps and 2nd Provincial Corps the forces of 4th War Area began its part of a general offensive in every War Area in China[1]. 12th Army Group attacked Pajiangkou, Liangkou, Lutien, and Meikang, its 64th Corps against the Japanese forces that had reached Longxian. And the 54th Corps and 2nd Provincial Corps against advanced Japanese positions on the railroad at Yingde. A portion of 35th Army Group attacked south toward Zengcheng and Conghua. Additionally Gen. Hsiang Han-ping's forces attacked Longmen in the west. {This last may be in error, Gen. Hsiang Han-ping's forces were to attack the Swatow area.}


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
After routing the Japanese force coming from Longxian on January 1, the 54th Corps recaptured that town on the 2nd. Guandu fell on the 4th and Qingtang on January 5. The Japanese retreated to Shatien while 54th Corps advanced southwest to Shijiao. On January 3 the 2nd Provisional Corps laid siege to Yingde and took it on the 5th. It then continued to advance to Lianjiangkou while Japanese remnants fled southwest and took Qingcheng on the north bank of the Lien River, linking up with Japanese forces across the river to the south.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
Subsequently, portions of 64th Corps and 2nd Provisional Corps recovered Qingcheng on January 10. Across the river the next day 14th Division of 54th Corps recovered Pajiangkou and to the east Conghua fell to the detachment of 35th Army Group. Yuantan along the Canton Hankow Railway fell the following day. Yinzhan'ao fell on January 16.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
The Main force of 35th Army Group moved along the west bank of the North River near Chiang-hsin, and 54th Corps and a portion of 12th Army Group moved to take up positions at Heng-shih, Liangkou, Lutien and Meikang. 4th War Area reported more than 10,300 enemy killed, 100 rifles and large amount of supplies captured.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, South China offensive plan, Chinese winter offensive in Kwangtung
However, with the restricted frontage, and reinforcements sent from Central China the Japanese were able to shift forces to relieve their forces in South Guangxi.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Conclusion
Although the Chinese army failed to meet most of their prime objectives, they did succeed in one of their main objectives - cutting down the Japanese Army's strength in China. Throughout the campaign, the NRA wiped out more than 20,000 Japanese troops, captured about 400, damaged and sunk 9 transport ships and captured 11 pieces of artillery and more than 2,700 rifles.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Conclusion
After the Mukden Incident, the Japanese Army easily captured north-east China with little difficulty. After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, other than suffering some heavy losses in a few campaigns, the Japanese captured a lot of Chinese territory with relative ease. After two years of war, the Japanese never expected the KMT to have the capacity to launch a major counter-offensive. The Winter Offensive had a large psychological impact on the Japanese Army.


1939–1940 Winter Offensive, Conclusion
This campaign also demonstrated that the KMT was determined to carry on the fight and defeat the Japanese. The British and Americans realised that, as long as the Chinese continued their War of Resistance, the Japanese Army would be basically completely tied down, and have almost no power to help fascist Nazi Germany. As a result, Britain and America started loaning large amounts of money to China. This was certainly a great help to the KMT's determination to continue resisting the Japanese.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France)
The 1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (French: "Médaille commémorative de la guerre 1939–1945") is a commemorative medal of France established on 21 May 1946 to recognize individual participation in the Second World War.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award Statute
The 1939–1945 Commemorative war medal was awarded to all soldiers serving under French authority or under a French government in a state of war against the Axis nations, or present on board a warship or armed merchant vessel under these same authorities and/or governments; to French citizens, whether military or civilian, who fought against the Axis forces or their representatives; to foreign military who served as Frenchmen in formations at war against the Axis forces.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award Statute
A 1949 decree further added the members of the French passive resistance as potential recipients of the 1939–1945 Commemorative war medal.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
The 1939–1945 commemorative war medal is hexagonal and struck from bronze. It is 28mm at its widest and 38mm high excluding the suspension loop. The obverse bears the relief image of a rooster superimposed in front of a Cross of Lorraine, its wings spread out and standing on a broken chain. The reverse bears the relief semi-circular inscription "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" (English: "FRENCH REPUBLIC") over a sprig of laurel leaves and the inscription on three lines "GUERRE" "1939" "1945" (English: "WAR" "1939" "1945").


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
The medal hangs from a ribbon passing through the medal's built-in suspension loop. This silk moiré ribbon is 36mm wide and light blue with 3mm green stripes bordered in 1mm red at its edges, at its centre a vertical series of red "V" letters denoting "Victory".


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
Twelve operational theatre clasps can be worn on the ribbon:


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
The clasp "ITALIE" (English: ITALY) was repealed in 1953 following the establishment of the 1943-1944 Italian campaign medal.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
Seven other clasps bearing the years "1939", "1940", "1941", "1942", "1943", "1944" and "1945" were available when the deed to commemorate took part outside the theatre and/or dates cited above.


1939–1945 Commemorative war medal (France), Award description
Two further clasps were authorised for wear on the 1939–1945 commemorative war medal:


1939–1945 Star
The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to British and Commonwealth forces for service in the Second World War. Two clasps were instituted to be worn on the medal ribbon, Battle of Britain and Bomber Command.


1939–1945 Star, The Second World War Stars
On 8 July 1943, the 1939–43 Star (later named the 1939–1945 Star) and the Africa Star became the first two campaign stars instituted, and by May 1945 a total of eight stars and nine clasps had been established by the United Kingdom to reward campaign service during the Second World War. One more campaign star, the Arctic Star, and one more clasp, the Bomber Command Clasp, were belatedly added on 26 February 2013, more than sixty-seven years after the end of the war.


1939–1945 Star, The Second World War Stars
Including the Arctic Star and the Bomber Command clasp, no-one could be awarded more than six campaign stars, with five of the ten clasps awarded denoting service that would have qualified for a second star. Only one clasp could be worn on any one campaign star. The maximum of six possible stars are the following:


1939–1945 Star, The Second World War Stars
All recipients of campaign stars also received the War Medal.


1939–1945 Star, Institution
The institution of the 1939–43 Star (later named the 1939–1945 Star) was announced on 8 July 1943 and, in August, it was announced that the first uniform ribbon bars would be issued to qualifying personnel later that year. The medals themselves were not intended to be available until after the cessation of hostilities. Some ribbon issues to overseas troops were delayed, but many had been received by the end of 1943 and were worn by recipients throughout the remainder of the war. By March 1944 1,600,000 personnel had received 1939-1943 Star ribbon bars, with further awards made by the end of the war.


1939–1945 Star, Institution
The 1939–1945 Star was awarded for operational service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945, and was the only campaign star that covered the full duration of the Second World War. Two clasps were instituted to be worn on the medal ribbon, along with rosettes to be worn on the ribbon bar of the medal to denote the award of a clasp:


1939–1945 Star, Award criteria, Broad criteria
The 1939–1945 Star was awarded for specified periods of operational service overseas between 3 September 1939 and either 8 May 1945 in Europe or 2 September 1945 in the Far East theatre. The broad criteria were 180 days of service between these dates, with more specific criteria depending on service arm.


1939–1945 Star, Award criteria, Special criteria
The award of a gallantry medal or Mention in Dispatches qualified the recipient for the award of the 1939–1945 Star, regardless of service duration. Personnel whose qualifying service period was terminated prematurely by their death or disability due to service were awarded this Star.


1939–1945 Star, Award criteria, Special criteria
In addition, some special criteria applied when, at certain specified times, just one day's service was required. These latter instances were actions for which a more specific campaign medal was not awarded and the regulations for award made provision for a number of operations in Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Theatre and India and Burma, in which entry into operational service for one day or part thereof qualified personnel for the award of the 1939–1945 Star. Some notable examples are:


1939–1945 Star, Award criteria, Special criteria
In the case of personnel in operational service at the end of active hostilities in Europe on 8 May 1945, the actual operational service requirement period for the award of the Atlantic Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Italy Star and France and Germany Star was reduced to entry into a theatre of operations and the prior six or two months service requirements did not apply. The 1939–1945 Star, however, was not awarded in any of these cases in which actual operational service amounted to less than six or two months.


1939–1945 Star, Description
The set of nine campaign stars was designed by the Royal Mint engravers. The stars all have a ring suspender which passes through an eyelet formed above the uppermost point of the star. They are six–pointed stars, struck in yellow copper zinc alloy to fit into a 44 millimetres diameter circle, with a maximum width of 38 millimetres and 50 millimetres high from the bottom point of the star to the top of the eyelet.


1939–1945 Star, Description
The obverse has a central design of the Royal Cypher "GRI VI", surmounted by a crown. A circlet, the top of which is covered by the crown, surrounds the cypher and is inscribed "THE 1939–1945 STAR".


1939–1945 Star, Description
The British Honours Committee decided that Second World War campaign medals awarded to British forces would be issued unnamed, a policy applied by all but three British Commonwealth countries. The recipient's name was impressed on the reverse of the stars awarded to Indians, South Africans and, after a campaign led by veteran organisations, to Australians. In the case of South Africans and Australians, this consisted of the recipient's force number, initials and surname in block capitals, with awards to Indians also showing the service arm or corps.


1939–1945 Star, Description
Both clasps were struck in bronze and have a frame with an inside edge which resembles the perforated edge of a postage stamp. They are inscribed "BATTLE OF BRITAIN" and "BOMBER COMMAND" respectively and were designed to be sewn onto the medal's ribbon. The rosettes, to be worn on the ribbon bar when medals are not worn, are silver-gilt for the Battle of Britain Clasp and silver for the Bomber Command Clasp.


1939–1945 Star, Description
The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with equal width bands of Navy blue, Army red and Air Force blue, with the dark blue band representing the Naval Forces and the Merchant Navy, the red band the Armies and the light blue band the Air Forces. The equal width bands represent the equal contributions of the three service arms towards victory.


1939–1945 Star, Description
The ribbons for this medal and the Defence Medal as well as those of the other Second World War campaign stars, with the exception of the Arctic Star, were devised by King George VI.


1939–1945 Star, Order of wear
The order of wear of the Second World War campaign stars was determined by their respective campaign start dates and by the campaign's duration. This is the order worn, even when a recipient qualified for them in a different order. The Defence Medal and War Medal are worn after the stars. The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is worn after the Defence Medal and before the War Medal, with other Commonwealth war medals worn after the War Medal.


1939–1945 Star, Order of wear, South Africa
On 6 April 1952 the Union of South Africa instituted its own range of military decorations and medals. These new awards were worn before all earlier British decorations and medals awarded to South Africans, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, which still took precedence before all other awards. Second World War medals awarded to South Africans continued to be worn in the order shown above, with the Africa Service Medal worn after the War Medal.


1939–40 A.S. Ambrosiana-Inter season
The 1939-40 season was Associazione Sportiva Ambrosiana-Inter's 31st in existence and 24th consecutive season in the top flight of Italian football.


1939–40 A.S. Ambrosiana-Inter season, Summary
The club  clinched the title, fifth in its history, and third as Ambrosiana, in Coppa Italia lost against Torino, in Mitropa Cup the squad is defeated by Újpest and its manager Bella Guttmann. Injured on the left foot Meazza stood in bench almost the entire season. The nerazzurri on the top of the table with Tony Cargnelli as manager, defeating Bologna in the final round and enjoyed the title in San Siro, field of rival Milan, due to attendance was bigger than Arena Civica.


1939–40 A.S. Ambrosiana-Inter season, Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1939–40 AHL season
The 1939–40 AHL season was the fourth season of the International-American Hockey League, known in the present day as the American Hockey League. The league consisted of nine teams total. Four teams in the Eastern Division played a 54 game season, while five teams in the Western Division played a 56 game season. The Indianapolis Capitals won the F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy as the Western Division champions, while the Providence Reds won the Calder Cup as league champions.


1939–40 AHL season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;


1939–40 AHL season, Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes


1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season
The 1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season was the Non-Skids' third year in the United States' National Basketball League (NBL), which was also the third year the league existed. Eight teams competed in the NBL, comprising four teams each in the Eastern and Western Divisions. The Non-Skids were one of two teams from Akron, Ohio in the league, the other being the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots.


1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season
The Non-Skids played their home games at Firestone Clubhouse. For the second season in a row, the Non-Skids finished the season with a league best record (19–9) and won the Eastern Division. They then went on to repeat as league champions, once again topping the Western Division's Oshkosh All-Stars, three games to two in a best-of-five series, for the second consecutive season.


1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season
Head coach Paul Sheeks repeated as the league's Coach of the Year Award. Players Soup Cable (First Team) and Jack Ozburn (Second Team) earned All-NBL honors for the second straight season as well.


1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season, Playoffs, Eastern Division Semifinals
(E1) Akron Firestone Non-Skids vs. (E2) Detroit Eagles: Akron wins series 2–1


1939–40 Akron Firestone Non-Skids season, Playoffs, NBL Championship
(E1) Akron Firestone Non-Skids vs. (W1) Oshkosh All-Stars: Akron wins series 3–2


1939–40 Allsvenskan, Overview
The league was contested by 12 teams, with IF Elfsborg winning the championship.


1939–40 Allsvenskan (men's handball)
The 1939–40 Allsvenskan was the sixth season of the top division of Swedish handball. Seven teams competed in the league. Majornas IK won the league, but the title of Swedish Champions was awarded to the winner of Svenska mästerskapet. GoIF Fram were relegated.


1939–40 Allsvenskan (men's handball), Attendance
All teams did not play the same number of home matches since Upsala Studenters IF withdrew during the season.


1939–40 American Soccer League, New England Division, Playoffs, First half playoff
The Swedish-Americans and Lusitano S.C. ended the first half tied for first place. A playoff was held to determine the first half champions.


1939–40 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland
The 1939–40 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland commenced with the departure of the Australian squad by ship from Sydney, Australia on 21 July 1939. The team is remembered as The Second Wallabies, however their tour was prematurely ended by Britain's declaration of war on Nazi Germany just two days after the team arrived in the UK on 2 September 1939. The side played only one match - at Bombay in India during their return journey. The tour was the first full scale trip to the British Isles attempted by the Australian national side since the First Wallaby tour of 1908 and the 1927/8 Waratah Tour (which has retrospectively been accorded national representative status). It was followed by the Third Wallaby Tour of 1947/8.


1939–40 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Touring party
The side was captained by Vay Wilson. The Manager was Dr W. F. Matthews and the Secretary was Mr J. Noseda.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season
During the 1939–40 season, Birmingham Football Club played three Second Division matches before the Football League season was abandoned because of the Second World War. The team had been relegated in 1938–39 after 18 consecutive seasons in the top tier. Regionally based competitions were organised so that football could continue while unnecessary travel was minimised. Birmingham played in the Midland Regional League, finishing fourth of eight teams, and in the Football League War Cup, in which they lost to eventual winners West Ham United in the quarter final.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Background
After 18 consecutive seasons in the First Division, Birmingham were relegated at the end of the 1938–39 Football League campaign. Manager George Liddell resigned, and returned to his former career as a schoolteacher. First-team coach Jack Bestall also left the club. No successors were appointed. Trainer Billy Gibson's duties were extended to include coaching, and Jack Foster, formerly chief scout at Portsmouth, was appointed to the corresponding role at Birmingham. The directors stated that they were "prepared to accept Mr Foster's advice in all matters relating to players", but confirmed that they would act promptly if it became necessary to appoint a manager.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Background
During the previous season, 1500 new tip-up seats had been installed and the terracing in front of the grandstand completely renovated. Over the close season, the pitch was replanted and reseeded.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Background
Player departures included goalkeeper Frank Clack and half-backs Wally Halsall, Bob Meacock and Dai Richards.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Football League Second Division
Birmingham began the 1939–40 Football League season in the Second Division, but the onset of the Second World War caused the League to be abandoned after three rounds of Second Division matches had been played. They fielded the same eleven for all three matches: Harry Hibbs, Cyril Trigg, Billy Hughes, James Bye, Arthur Turner, Ray Shaw, Jackie Brown, Don Dearson, Ted Duckhouse, Fred Harris and Tom Farrage. Farrage was killed in action in September 1944, serving as a private in the 10th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment during Operation Market Garden. With two wins and a draw, they stood second in the table, behind Luton Town on goal average.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Midland Regional League
When war was declared in September 1939, the government banned public gatherings until safety implications could be assessed. Most football grounds reopened soon afterwards, even those in built-up or strategically significant areas, but Birmingham's Chief Constable ordered the continued closure of St Andrew's because of its proximity to likely air-raid targets such as the BSA munitions factories. Consequently, Birmingham were forced to play all their away fixtures first, and when this became impossible, to play home fixtures on a neutral ground – the Windmill Ground at Leamington hosted two "home" matches.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Midland Regional League
The matter was first raised in Parliament in November 1939, but the Home Secretary was unwilling to intervene in what he perceived as a local issue outside his jurisdiction. By March 1940, when St Andrew's had for some time been the only football ground in England still closed, the Chief Constable bowed to public pressure, and a crowd of 13,241 witnessed Birmingham's first home game in more than six months, against Walsall in the Midland Regional League.


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Appearances and goals
For a description of the playing formation, see formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid).


1939–40 Birmingham F.C. season, Appearances and goals
Players marked with an asterisk * were guests, not registered Birmingham players.


1939–40 Blackpool F.C. season
The 1939–40 season was Blackpool F.C. 's first season in special wartime football during World War II. Upon the abandonment of League football in September 1939 (after three games, at which point Blackpool were top of Division One with a 100% record), they competed in the North-West Regional League, finishing third.


1939–40 Blackpool F.C. season
Jock Dodds was the club's top scorer for the second consecutive season, with 38 goals in all competitions. These do not count in official statistics, however.


1939–40 Bohemian-Moravian Hockey League season
The 1939-40 Bohemian-Moravian Hockey League season was the first season of the Bohemian-Moravian Hockey League. The Bohemian Championship had been contested the previous year. Four teams participated in the league, and LTC Prag won the championship.


1939–40 Boston Bruins season
The 1939–40 Boston Bruins season was the Boston Bruins' 16th season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Bruins finished first over-all, but could not repeat as Stanley Cup champions, losing in the playoff semi-final to the New York Rangers.


1939–40 Boston Bruins season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalty Minutes, Pts = Points       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.


1939–40 Boston Bruins season, Playoffs
The Boston Bruins lost the Semi-Finals to the New York Rangers 4–2


1939–40 Bradford City A.F.C. season
The 1939–40 Bradford City A.F.C. season was the 33rd in the club's history.


1939–40 Bradford City A.F.C. season
The Football League season was abandoned after 3 games due to the outbreak of World War II. At that time the club was in 21st position in the Third Division North; those records were expunged.


1939–40 Bradford City A.F.C. season
The club then played in several friendlies and in regional competitions. The club finished 6th in the Regional League North-East Division, out of 11 clubs, and reached the preliminary round of the Football League War Cup North.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season
During the 1939–40 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League, playing three matches before competitive football was suspended due to the outbreak of the Second World War. The club played in three unofficial wartime competitions for the remainder of the season – groups B and C of the Football League South and the Football League War Cup.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
After narrowly avoiding relegation towards the end of the 1938–39 season, Brentford manager Harry Curtis allowed full back Joe Wilson and half backs Sam Briddon and Tally Sneddon to transfer away from the club. Curtis signed young Sunderland inside forward Percy Saunders and brought in former Manchester United wing half Tom Mansley as his new captain. The season opened with a heavy 5–1 Football League Jubilee Fund defeat to neighbours Chelsea on 19 August 1939.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
Brentford began the regular season with a win, a draw and a defeat before competitive football was suspended following Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 3 September 1939. Percy Saunders, who had scored on his debut on the opening day, would become the only pre-war Brentford player to die on active service during the war, when his ship was torpedoed in the Indian Ocean in March 1942.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
The cessation of competitive football was worrying for Brentford, with £12,000 having been spent on new players during the off-season (equivalent to £749,500 in 2021) and there was little prospect of recouping it through the turnstiles. 23 of Brentford's 30-man squad were called to arms, into the War Police Reserve or into the munitions industry. Within two weeks of the declaration of war, the Football League agreed that football could continue, in order to keep clubs in business and to raise funds.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
Brentford entered Group B of the new Football League South in October 1939 and the squad was augmented by three guest players who had previously played for the club – Scottish international half back Duncan McKenzie, fellow Scottish half back Archie Scott and inside forward Bert Stephens. 30-year old centre forward Jack Holliday (previously prolific in the Third and Second Divisions between 1932 and 1935) experienced a renaissance, scoring 14 goals in 16 appearances, though Brentford could finish no better than 5th.


1939–40 Brentford F.C. season, Season summary
A further 18-match campaign followed in Group C in the first six months of 1940, with 13 players guesting, including two former international Brentford players – Scotland's David McCulloch and the United States' Jim Brown. The Bees finished 4th in the 10-team group and exited the Football League War Cup in the first round.


1939–40 British Ice Hockey season
The 1939–40 British Ice Hockey season featured the English National League and Scottish National League.


1939–40 British Ice Hockey season, Scottish National League, Scottish Ice Hockey League Championship
The winners of the Points Competition (Perth) and the Regular Season (Fife) met to decide the League Championship.


1939–40 British Ice Hockey season, Scottish Cup, Results
Second roundTwo losers from the first round played in this series to decide the fourth team in the semifinals.


1939–40 British Ice Hockey season, Scottish Cup, Results
Final replayAs the teams were even on goals, the final series was replayed.


1939–40 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team represented the University of Buffalo during the 1939–40 NCAA college men's basketball season. The head coach was Art Powell, coaching his twenty-fourth season with the Bulls.


1939–40 Bulgarian National Football Division
The championship of the Bulgarian National Football Division in the 1939–40 season was contested by 10 teams, and ZhSK Sofia won the championship.


1939–40 Campionat de Catalunya
The 1939–40 Campionat de Catalunya season was the 40th and last since its establishment and was played between 24 September and 19 November 1939.


1939–40 Campionat de Catalunya, Overview before the season
Six teams joined the Division One league, including two that would play the 1939–40 La Liga and four from the 1939–40 Segunda División.


1939–40 Carlisle United F.C. season
For the 1939–40 season, Carlisle United F.C. competed in the Third Division North before the declaration of the Second World War suspended the Football League after two matches.


1939–40 Celtic F.C. season
During the 1939–40 Scottish football season, Celtic competed in the Scottish First Division.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season
The 1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season was the team's 14th season in the NHL, and they were coming off a disastrous 1938–39 season, in which the Hawks were the only team in the 7 team league to not qualify for the playoffs.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season
Paul Thompson, who finished the previous season as a player-coach with the Hawks, would retire from playing and become the full-time head coach of the team, and Chicago responded, as they improved by 20 points, finishing above .500 for the first time since 1935–36, and having their highest point total since 1934–35, as they would have a 23–19–6 record for 52 points, good for 4th place in the NHL standings.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season
Rookie Doug Bentley would lead the team with 12 goals, while Cully Dahlstrom would have team highs in assists (19) and points (30). Joe Cooper led all defensemen with 11 points and had a team high 59 penalty minutes, while fellow blueliner Earl Seibert had another productive season, earning 10 points, despite missing some time due to injuries.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season
In goal, Mike Karakas would begin the season as the starter, however, after 17 games, he was loaned to the Montreal Canadiens for the remainder of the year after posting a 7–9–1 record and a 3.31 GAA. Paul Goodman would then be named the Hawks starting goalie, and he would respond with a 16–10–5 record, and a team high 1.94 GAA.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season
Chicago would return to the playoffs after a 1-year absence, as they would face the 3rd place team, the Toronto Maple Leafs in a best of 3 series in the 1st round. The Leafs would win the first game of the series by a score of 3–2 in OT at Maple Leaf Gardens, and Toronto would then eliminate Chicago by a 2–1 score in the 2nd game at Chicago Stadium to eliminate the Black Hawks.


1939–40 Chicago Black Hawks season, Season standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalty Minutes, Pts = Points       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.


1939–40 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team represented the University of Cincinnati during the 1939–40 NCAA men's basketball season. The head coach was Clark Ballard, coaching his first season with the Bearcats. The team finished with an overall record of 8–9.


1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season
The 1939–40 season was Colchester United's third season in their history and their third in the Southern League. Alongside competing in the Southern League, the club were also due to participate in the Southern League Mid-Week Section, FA Cup and Southern League Cup. They were also due to play the Southern League Cup matches remaining from the previous season during the campaign, but only played the outstanding semi-final fixture against Norwich City Reserves. The season was to end prematurely, with competitive football abandoned with the outbreak of World War II. Colchester United played regular season fixtures until 2 September 1939, with the 0–0 draw at Layer Road with Ipswich Town Reserves the final competitive fixture to be played by the club for almost six years.


1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season, Season overview
War loomed over Europe during the beginning of the 1939–40 campaign. After kicking the season off with a win against Plymouth Argyle Reserves on 26 August 1939, Colchester played Norwich City Reserves in the first-leg of the delayed Southern League Cup semi-final, beating their opponents 5–1. After only three Southern League games, World War II was declared, and as with predecessors Colchester Town during World War I, the club closed down, denying the club a chance to earn League football after gaining considerable momentum over the previous two seasons.


1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season, Season overview
Colchester United continued to play friendlies against local opposition until December 1939, when the Army Fire Fighting Corp took over Layer Road for drill practice. The ground itself did continued to host matches during hostilities, as a number of high-profile military encounters took place at the stadium. The influx of military personnel through Colchester Garrison ensured that Layer Road played host to a number of star players through the war years.


1939–40 Colchester United F.C. season, Squad statistics, Player debuts
Players making their first-team Colchester United debut in a fully competitive match.


1939–40 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented University of Connecticut in the 1939–40 collegiate men's basketball season. The Huskies completed the season with a 9–7 overall record. The Huskies were members of the New England Conference, where they ended the season with a 6–2 record. The Huskies played their home games at Hawley Armory in Storrs, Connecticut, and were led by fourth-year head coach Don White.


1939–40 Copa México
The Copa México 1939–40 was the 24th staging of this Mexican football cup competition that existed from 1907 to 1997.


1939–40 Copa México
The competition started on March 28, 1940, and concluded on April 28, 1940, with the final held at the Parque Asturias in México City, in which Asturias lifted the trophy for seventh time after a 1-0 victory over Necaxa.


1939–40 Coppa Italia
The 1939–40 Coppa Italia was the 7th Coppa Italia, the major Italian domestic cup. The competition was won by Fiorentina.


1939–40 Coppa Italia, First round
6 clubs are added (Valpolcevera, Pistoiese, Juventus Siderno, Manfredonia, Cagliari, GIL Terranova).


1939–40 Coppa Italia, Third round
16 Serie B clubs are added (Hellas Verona, Vigevano, Atalanta, Brescia, Pro Vercelli, Sanremese, Alessandria, Lucchese, Livorno, Catania, Siena, Pisa, Anconitana-Bianchi, Molinella, Juventina Palermo, Fanfulla).


1939–40 Coppa Italia, Round of 32
16 Serie A clubs are added (Novara, Milano, Fiorentina, Triestina, Lazio, Roma, Juventus, Ambrosiana-Inter, Torino, Modena, Venezia, Napoli, Genova 1893, Bari, Bologna, Liguria).


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season
The 1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season was the 32nd season of play for the program. The teams was coached by Nick Bawlf in his 18th season.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
The Big Red received good news at the start of the season. Not only would the team begin the year with several games at two tournaments but, unlike the previous season, the team received financial support from the organizing committee to balance out the cost of participating. The only bad news at the time was the (typical) warm winter that prevented the team from getting any on-ice practice. The lack of ice time led directly to two rather embarrassing losses at Playland. While the first to Colgate wasn't pretty, the game against Boston College was a debacle; BC blew out Cornell 24–1. It was by far the worst loss in the history of the program and did not portend well for the rest of their season.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
The team headed to Lake Placid less than a week later and showed a dramatic improvement in such a short time. Their quarterfinal match against Hamilton provided the team with its first win on the season. While they lost the semifinal to MIT, Cornell recovered in the consolation game for a 3rd-place finish. The result of the tournament showed, if nothing else, that Cornell wasn't nearly as bad as the BC game may have indicated, they just hadn't gotten their skating legs.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
As if to further illustrate that point, Cornell had a rematch with Colgate a week after the Lake Placid Invitational. While they still lost to the Red Raiders, the score was a much more respectable 1–3. Cornell continued to improve as the season went on, ending the week with their third win against St. Lawrence. Warm weather forced the game to be shortened to 50 minutes but the Big Red were able to produced five goals in that span.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
The next game for Cornell was originally scheduled for the 27th of January, however, the game had to be postponed because it would have taken place during the exam period for Syracuse University. The Orange game was eventually played, occurring after both schools had finished with their semester exams, and ended up giving Cornell their 4th win of the season. With several games remaining on their schedule, the Big Red were one away from posting the second most wins in program history and the most since winning the intercollegiate championship in 1911.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
The team wanted to get ready for their next match against Army, however, weather again became a problem and melted the ice on Beebe Lake to the point where the team couldn't get in any training time. They fought hard against the Cadets, forcing the game into overtime, but ultimately fell 3–4.


1939–40 Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey season, Season
Cornell's next match was supposed to be a third meeting with Colgate. Unfortunately, the ice on Beebe Lake was still too soft and the game was called off. The lack of practice time caught up to Cornell in their penultimate match when Hamilton knocked the team down and prevented Cornell from a chance at a winning season. Cornell was able to end its season on a high note, shutting out Syracuse in the rematch at the end of February. Despite finishing with a losing record, the Big Red would not win as many games in a season for over 20 years.


1939–40 Cupa României
The 1939–40 Cupa României was the seventh edition of Romania's most prestigious football cup competition.


1939–40 Cupa României
The trophy was won by Rapid București after 4 finals, first three was draws. They defeated Venus București.


1939–40 Cupa României, Format
The competition is an annual knockout tournament with pairings for each round drawn at random.


1939–40 Cupa României, Format
There are no seeds for the draw. The draw also determines which teams will play at home. Each tie is played as a single leg.


1939–40 Cupa României, Format
If a match is drawn after 90 minutes, the game goes in extra time, and if the scored is still tight after 120 minutes, there a replay will be played, usually at the ground of the team who were away for the first game.


1939–40 Cupa României, Format
From the first edition, the teams from Divizia A entered in competition in sixteen finals, rule which remained till today.


1939–40 Cupa României, Format
The format is almost similar with the oldest recognised football tournament in the world FA Cup.


1939–40 Cypriot Cup
The 1939–40 Cypriot Cup was the sixth edition of the Cypriot Cup. A total of 6 clubs entered the competition. It began on 14 January 1940 with the quarterfinals and concluded on 18 February 1940 with the replay final which was held at GSP Stadium. AEL won their 2nd Cypriot Cup trophy after beating Pezoporikos 3–1 in the final.


1939–40 Cypriot Cup, Format
In the 1939–40 Cypriot Cup, participated all the teams of the Cypriot First Division.


1939–40 Cypriot Cup, Format
The competition consisted of three knock-out rounds. In all rounds each tie was played as a single leg and was held at the home ground of the one of the two teams, according to the draw results. Each tie winner was qualifying to the next round. If a match was drawn, extra time was following. If extra time was drawn, there was a replay match.


1939–40 Cypriot Cup, Final
The final abandoned after the first half due to rain. A replay match was played.


1939–40 Cypriot First Division
Statistics of the Cypriot First Division for the 1939–40 season.


1939–40 Cypriot First Division, Overview
It was contested by 6 teams, and APOEL F.C. won the championship.


1939–40 Danish Championship League
Following are the statistics of the Danish Championship League in the 1939–40 season.


1939–40 Danish Championship League, Overview
It was contested by 10 teams, and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub won the championship.


1939–40 Detroit Red Wings season
The 1939–40 Detroit Red Wings season was the 14th season for the Detroit NHL franchise, eighth as the Red Wings.


1939–40 Detroit Red Wings season, Regular season, Final standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PIM = Penalty Minutes, Pts = Points       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.


1939–40 Detroit Red Wings season, Player statistics, Playoffs
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals;      MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals-against average;  SO = Shutouts;


1939–40 Divizia A
The 1939–40 Divizia A was the twenty-eighth season of Divizia A, the top-level football league of Romania.


1939–40 Divizia A, Champion squad
Goalkeepers: Mircea David (20 / 0); Nicolae Iordăchescu (2 / 0). Defenders: Lazăr Sfera (22 / 0); Alexandru Negrescu (21 / 0); Gheorghe Albu (1 / 0). Midfielders: Rudolf Demetrovics (22 / 0); Gusztáv Juhász (22 / 0); Ioan Lupaș (22 / 0). Forwards: Andrei Bărbulescu (4 / 3); Nicolae Ene (8 / 3); Cornel Orza (11 / 7); Silviu Ploeșteanu (21 / 4); Kostas Choumis (8 / 5); Iuliu Bodola (22 / 17); Traian Iordache (21 / 14); Dumitru Cârciog (4 / 2); Petea Vâlcov (11 / 4). (league appearances and goals listed in brackets)


1939–40 Divizia B
The 1939–40 Divizia B was the sixth season of the second tier of the Romanian football league system.


1939–40 Divizia B
The format has been maintained, four series of 10 teams. The winners of the series were supposed to promote in the Divizia A, but the winners of the 3rd and 4th series were not promoted from different reasons. Also 3rd and 4th place from the first series and the sixth place from the second series were promoted to fill the vacant places from Divizia A.


1939–40 Divizia B, Team changes, Other teams
Craiovan Craiova and Rovine Grivița Craiova merged, the new formed team was named FC Craiova.


1939–40 Drexel Dragons men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Drexel Dragons men's basketball team represented Drexel Institute of Technology during the 1939–40 men's basketball season. The Dragons, led by 1st year head coach Lawrence Mains, played their home games at Curtis Hall Gym.


1939–40 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University during the 1939–40 men's college basketball season. The head coach was Eddie Cameron, coaching his 12th season with the Blue Devils. The team finished with an overall record of 19–7.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season
Due to the outbreak of WW2, there was no 'official' senior football competition in Scotland, with the Scottish Football League and the Scottish Cup both suspended for the duration. Therefore the 1939–40 season was the first Scottish football season in which Dumbarton competed in the 'emergency' competitions which were arranged by the clubs themselves.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Scottish Second Division
Four games into the season, Britain was at war with Nazi Germany and all official Scottish football competition was suspended for its duration.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Scottish Western Division
In October 1939, in the absence of official competition, the clubs themselves wanted competitive football to continue in some form and arranged for two regional leagues of 16 teams each to be played, with Dumbarton playing in the Western Division – along with the likes of Celtic, Rangers etc. – teams they had not played since being relegated in 1922. Most of the First Division players were already contracted to play for their league opponents and it was no surprise that in this first season of the 'wartime' league, Dumbarton finished bottom (16th out of 16) with 18 points – 30 behind champions Rangers.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Scottish War Emergency Cup
In place of the Scottish Cup, a Scottish War Emergency Cup was established, to be played for by all the teams competing in the regional leagues. Dumbarton reached the second round before losing to Airdrie.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Dumbartonshire Cup
While the Dumbartonshire Cup competition had been discontinued some years earlier, during the weeks following the suspension of official competition and the start of the regional leagues, Dumbarton played Vale of Leven (a junior football side) for custody of the trophy, and the senior team duly won the day.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Stirlingshire Cup
Following the demise of the Dumbartonshire Association, Dumbarton had been accepted as members of the Stirlingshire Association, and took part for the first time in the Stirlingshire Cup. Dumbarton were knocked out at the semi final stage by Falkirk, although the competition was never completed.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics
Players registrations were effectively cancelled and wages fixed at £2 per week which meant that players were free to sign for clubs local to their war work as 'guest players'.


1939–40 Dumbarton F.C. season, Player statistics, Transfers, Players out
In addition Walter Bulloch, William Cameron, John Craig, Andrew Cumming, Alistair MacKillop, James McAllister, Patrick McArdle, William Monaghan, John Smith and John Yuill all played their last games in Dumbarton 'colours'.


1939–40 Dundee F.C. season
The 1939–40 season was intended to be the forty-fifth season in which Dundee competed at a Scottish national level, and the second season playing in the second tier. After just 4 league games however, the Scottish Football League suspended its competition on 13 September 1939 after the outbreak of World War II. A month later, Dundee would join the Eastern Division of the Scottish War Emergency League for the rest of the season. Dundee would also compete in the Scottish War Emergency Cup in lieu of the suspended Scottish Cup, and were knocked out in the 1st round by Third Lanark over two legs.


1939–40 Dundee United F.C. season
The 1939–40 season was the 31st year of football played by Dundee United, and covers the period from 1 July 1939 to 30 June 1940.


1939–40 Dundee United F.C. season, Match results
Dundee United played a total of 36 unofficial matches during the 1939–40 season.


1939–40 Dundee United F.C. season, Match results, Legend
All results are written with Dundee United's score first. Own goals in italics


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season
The 1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season was the 3rd season of play for the program.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
Before the season even began, Duquesne got unwelcome news when their biggest rival and the only team to defeat them all of last year, Pittsburgh, terminated their hockey program. While their withdrawal would make it easier for the Dukes as far as winning games, the still-young program had bigger concerns. The Loss of Pitt meant that the team would have to travel to Cleveland more often, increasing the cost of running the team, and it would likely damper interest in the sport from locals.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
On top of those problems, what did it say about the league when one of the best teams for the first two seasons (Pitt had made the conference final both years) just quit before the season was to begin? In spite of the troubles, the remaining 6 teams and the rink operators decided to continue with the league and set down the schedule in early December.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
The Dukes got off to a good start, winning their first five games and sitting atop league standings with John Carroll. The program went on its first non-conference road trip in mid-January, playing three non-conference team in a swing through upstate New York. While it wasn't a surprise to lose to Clarkson, getting embarrassed by the tune of 10–0 was not what the Dukes were hoping for. To make matters worse, they team lost the other two games by sizable margins and made it look like the team had been living in a too-comfortable bubble with the Penn-Ohio League. Despite the losses, Duquesne did achieve its main goal by introducing itself to other programs and hoped that they would be able to schedule further games in the future.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
Duquesne sat out the rest of the semester for examinations and came back at the beginning of February. The team met John Carroll for a home-and-home series with league bragging right on the line. The powerhouse Blue Streaks took both games to make it nearly impossible for Duquesne to repeat as regular season champions, but the Dukes could still make the playoffs as long as they took care of business. The Dukes recovered from their losing streak with three consecutive wins and guaranteed themselves a second-place finish despite having two games remaining.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
In the playoff series against John Carroll, Duquesne played the undefeated Blue Streaks about as well as could be expected. They lost a close affair in the first game and then pushed JCU into overtime in the rematch. Unfortunately, Duquesne wasn't able to tie the series and fell 5–6.


1939–40 Duquesne Dukes men's ice hockey season, Season
The loss was the last for the program as both Duquesne and Carnegie Tech suspended their ice hockey teams after the year. The Penn-Ohio League would continue for one more season with 4 schools before dissolving in 1941.


1939–40 English National League season
The 1939–40 English National League season was the fifth season of the English National League, the top level ice hockey league in England. Five teams participated in the league, and the Harringay Greyhounds won the championship.


1939–40 Estonian Football Championship
The 1939–40 Estonian Football Championship was the 19th official top-division football league season in Estonia, organized by the Estonian Football Association. It was the last season before World War II. PK Olümpia Tartu won the title.


1939–40 FA Cup
The 1939–40 FA Cup was an abandoned season of the world's oldest football cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup. The competition began as the 64th season of the competition, but was abandoned after just the first round of qualifying matches, due to the start of World War II.


1939–40 FA Cup, Suspension
The 1939–40 FA Cup began on 2 September 1939, the day after the German invasion of Poland, which began World War II. On 3 September the United Kingdom declared war with Germany and its allies. The FA suspended the FA Cup on 7 September, until further notice; on 21 September it was announced that all organized football was cancelled for the duration of the war, with only friendly and regional competitions permitted. All results to date in the 1939-40 season were declared null and void.


1939–40 FA Cup, Suspension
The Football League War Cup began in October 1939. Organised by the Football League, this was the only national-level competition during the war. Alongside this, the Wartime League or regionalized competitions provided regular football for players and fans during the war.


1939–40 FA Cup, Extra-Preliminary Round
62 ties were scheduled for the 2nd September 1939. The results of several matches are missing, but it's not known if these were simply not played, or if the results went unrecorded as it quickly became apparent that the competition would not be continued.


1939–40 FA Cup, Extra-Preliminary Round
Of the teams involved, this was the only FA Cup appearance for Holiday's Sports, Cheadle, Dagenham Town and Esso. Norwich Electricity Works withdrew before playing a game, in what would have otherwise been their only appearance.


1939–40 FC Barcelona season
The 1939–40 season was the 41st season for FC Barcelona.


1939–40 FC Basel season
The FC Basel 1939–40 season was the forty-seventh season since the club's foundation on 15 November 1893. FC Basel played their home games in the Landhof in the district Wettstein in Kleinbasel. Albert Besse was the club's new chairman. He took over from Emil Junker at the AGM on 15 July 1939.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Overview
After being relegated last season for the first time in the club's history, Basel played this season in the newly reorganized 1.Liga. Due to the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939 the start of the Swiss football championship was postponed until 22 October and the 1. Liga postponed until December. The 1939–40 Nationalliga was played as "Championnat Suisse de Mobilisation" due to the war and the 1. Liga divided into five regional zones. There was to be no promotion and no relegation. Basel were allocated to . Liga group 3 (North-West Switzerland) together with Solothurn, Aarau, Concordia Basel and FC Birsfelden. The group was played in three round-robins.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Overview
Player-manager Fernand Jaccard had left the club after the relegation season to join FC Locarno. The former players Walter Dietrich and Max Galler took over as team co-managers. Basel played a good season, in total including test matches they played 29 games, winning 22, drawing three and suffering four defeats. In total they scored 98 goals conceding 50.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Overview
After winning their four test games in October, Basel started the season well in December winning the first seven matches straight off before suffering their first defeat at the beginning of April. At the end of the group stage Basel had won nine games drawn two and were defeated just once and with 20 points were five points above second placed Aarau. Basel advanced to the play-off stage. In the semi-final they won the round-robin against group four winners SC Brühl St. Gallen and group five winners AC Bellinzona. Basel became 1. Liga champions winning the best of three final against Fribourg. August Ibach was team top league goal scorer with 19 goals, Fritz Schmidlin, Hermann Suter and Werner Wenk each scored five times.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Overview
In the Swiss Cup Basel started with a victory in the 2nd principal round away against lower tier SC Zofingen. In the next round they were again drawn away from home against lower tier SC Schöftland. This was won 4–1. In the next round Basel played in the Landhof against Aarau but were defeated and knocked out of the competition.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Players
The following is the list of the Basel first team squad during the season 1939–40. The list includes players that were in the squad the day the season started on 1 October 1939 but subsequently left the club after that date.


1939–40 FC Basel season, Players
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1939–40 Football League
The abandoned 1939–40 season would have been the 48th season of The Football League. The kick-off in all divisions took place on Saturday 26 August 1939. On Friday 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. On Saturday 2 September 1939, all divisions of the Football League played their third game of the season. These would be the last fixtures before abandonment following the British declaration of war on Germany on Sunday 3 September 1939. Large gatherings of crowds were suspended with the implementation of the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939.


1939–40 Football League
Blackpool were leading the First Division when the season was abandoned.


1939–40 Football League, League tables when season was abandoned
The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at  website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.


1939–40 Galatasaray S.K. season
The 1939–40 season was Galatasaray SK's 36th in existence and the club's 28th consecutive season in the Istanbul Football League.


1939–40 Gauliga
The 1939–40 Gauliga was the seventh season of the Gauliga, the first tier of the football league system in Germany from 1933 to 1945. It was the first season held during the Second World War.


1939–40 Gauliga
The league operated in eighteen regional divisions with the league containing 216 clubs all up, 41 more than the previous season. The majority of Gauligas were regionally sub-divided during the season, with finals or final rounds played to determine the champions. The  league champions entered the 1940 German football championship, won by FC Schalke 04 who defeated Dresdner SC 1–0 in the final. It was Schalke's fifth national championship, with the club winning six championships all up during the Gauliga era.


1939–40 Gauliga
The 1939–40 season saw the sixth edition of the Tschammerpokal, now the DFB-Pokal. The 1940 edition was won by Dresdner SC, defeating 1. FC Nürnberg 2–1 on 1 December 1940.


1939–40 Gauliga
The number of Gauligas, eighteen, remained unchanged compare to the previous season which had seen the addition of the Gauliga Ostmark and Gauliga Sudetenland to the original sixteen.


1939–40 Gauliga
In the part of Czechoslovakia incorporated into Germany in March 1939, the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, a separate Czech league continued to exist which was not part of the Gauliga system or the German championship. In Poland the German invasion in September 1939 caused the Polish league to stop play near the end of the 1939 season and, unlike in Bohemia and Moravia, the league would not resume till after the war. Eventually, in 1941, the Gauliga Wartheland, covering the Reichsgau Wartheland, and the Gauliga Generalgouvernement, covering the General Government, were created in the areas annexed by Nazi Germany and in occupied Poland put these leagues were only for ethnic German clubs and not open to Polish teams.


1939–40 Gauliga, Champions
The 1939–40 Gauliga champions qualified for the group stage of the German championship. SK Rapid Wien, SV Waldhof Mannheim, Dresdner SC and FC Schalke 04 won their championship groups and advanced to the semi-finals with the latter two reaching the championship final which Schalke won.


1939–40 Gauliga, Champions
FC Schalke 04 won their seventh consecutive Gauliga title, Fortuna Düsseldorf won their fifth consecutive one, Vorwärts-Rasensport Gleiwitz their third consecutive title while Stuttgarter Kickers, Dresdner SC, CSC 03 Kassel and VfL Osnabrück defended their 1938–39 Gauliga title.


1939–40 Gauliga Bayern
The 1939–40 Gauliga Bayern was the seventh season of the league, one of the 18 Gauligas in Germany at the time. It was the first tier of the football league system in  Bavaria (German:Bayern) from 1933 to 1945.


1939–40 Gauliga Bayern
For 1. FC Nürnberg it was the fifth of seven Gauliga championships the club would win in the era from 1933 to 1944. The club qualified for the 1940 German football championship, where it was knocked out after finishing second in its group, behind group winner SV Waldhof Mannheim, and ahead of Stuttgarter Kickers and Kickers Offenbach.


1939–40 Gauliga Bayern
The sixth edition of the Tschammerpokal, now the DFB-Pokal, saw holders 1. FC Nürnberg defeated 2–1 after extra time in the final by Dresdner SC.


1939–40 Gauliga Bayern, Table
The 1939–40 season saw two new clubs in the league, VfR 07 Schweinfurt and FSV Nürnberg.


1939–40 Gauliga Ostmark
The 1939–40 Gauliga Ostmark was the second season of the Gauliga Ostmark, the first tier of football in German-annexed Austria from 1938 to 1945, officially referred to as Ostmark.


1939–40 Gauliga Ostmark
SK Rapid Wien won the championship and qualified for the 1940 German football championship where it lost 2–1 after extra time in the semi-final to Dresdner SC. Rapid went on to win the third-place play-off against SV Waldhof Mannheim.


1939–40 Gauliga Ostmark
The Gauliga Ostmark and Gauliga Donau-Alpenland titles from 1938 to 1944, excluding the 1944–45 season which was not completed, are recognised as official Austrian football championships by the Austrian Bundesliga.


1939–40 Gauliga Ostmark, Table
The 1939–40 season saw one new club in the league, FC Wien.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University during the 1939–40 NCAA college basketball season. Elmer Ripley coached it in his fourth of ten seasons as head coach; it was also the second season of his second of three stints at the helm. The team played its home games at Tech Gymnasium on the campus of McKinley Technical High School in Washington, D.C. The team finished with a record of 8-10 and had no postseason play.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Season recap
Following the demise of the Eastern Intercollegiate Conference after the end of the previous season, Georgetown returned to an independent status. Beginning this season – its first as an independent since 1931-32 – it would play 38 seasons as an independent before becoming a founding member of the original Big East Conference in the 1979-1980 season.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Season recap
The 1939–40 Hoyas were a young team, with only two seniors on the roster. New to the team was sophomore guard Buddy O'Grady. He averaged 4.9 points per game for the season and became a leader on the court, and would be a star for the Hoyas for three seasons.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Season recap
The team became a part of television broadcasting history on February 28, 1940, when television station W2XBS broadcast a men's basketball doubleheader from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Fordham and Pittsburgh played in the first game, and New York University played Georgetown in the second game. It was the first time in history that college basketball was televised.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Season recap
The 1939–40 Hoyas had a difficult season, finishing with an 8-10 record and no post-season play. Senior forward Al Lujack went on to play professionally for one season with the Washington Capitals of the Basketball Association of America.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Roster
Sophomore guard Buddy O'Grady would later serve as the Hoyas' head coach from 1949 to 1952.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Roster
Sophomore guard Don Martin served as head coach at Boston College from 1953 to 1962.


1939–40 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team, Roster
Senior guard Francis "Reds" Daly was killed in action in the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 22, 1945, during World War II military service.


1939–40 Greek Football Cup
The 1939–40 Greek Football Cup was the 4th edition of the Greek Football Cup. The competition culminated with the Greek Cup Final, held at Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, on 2 June 1940. The match was contested by Panathinaikos and Aris, with Panathinaikos winning by 3–1.


1939–40 Greek Football Cup, Final
The 4th Greek Cup Final was played at the Leoforos Alexandras Stadium.


1939–40 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season
During the 1939–40 season and after the outbreak of World War II which suspended the usual Scottish Football League, Hearts competed in the Emergency League Eastern Division, the Emergency Cup and the East of Scotland Shield.


1939–40 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team represented The College of the Holy Cross during the 1939–40 college men's basketball season. The head coach was Ed Krause, coaching the crusaders in his first season.


1939–40 Hong Kong First Division League
The 1939–40 Hong Kong First Division League season was the 32nd since its establishment.


1939–40 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season
Huddersfield Town's 1939-40 campaign saw Town play in Division 1, before the season was abandoned following the outbreak of World War II. They then played in the North-East League and won the title by 9 points from Newcastle United.


1939–40 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season, Squad who played in the league matches
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


1939–40 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1939–40 NCAA college basketball season. Members of the Pacific Coast Conference, the Vandals were led by fourth-year head coach Forrest Twogood and played their home games on campus at Memorial Gymnasium in Moscow, Idaho.


1939–40 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team
The Vandals were 11–15 overall and 3–13 in conference play.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team represented the University of Illinois.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team, Regular season
Doug Mills entered his fourth year as the head coach of the Fighting Illini with high hopes as well as a player with national prominence. William "Bill" Hapac was the program's first consensus first-team All-American as recognized by the NCAA. During the 1939-40 season, he became the first-ever recipient of the University of Illinois Athlete of the Year award. Hapac set the Big Ten single-game scoring record on February 10, 1940, with 34 points vs. Minnesota, a point total unheard of at that time.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team, Regular season
In addition to his success on the hardwood, Hapac also was a three-year letterwinner for the Illini baseball team. During the season, the Illini won 10 of their 11 home games only losing to conference rival Purdue on the last game of the season. Unfortunately for the Illini they finished with a 4-5 record on the road to finish in a fourth place tie overall in conference action. Mills' team featured 9 returning letterman including team captain William Hapac. The Illini also featured a starting lineup of John Drish at the center position and Harold Shapiro, Joe Frank, and William Hapac at forward and Victor Wukovits and future major league baseball player Walter Evers at the guard spot.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season
The 1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season was the 3rd season of play for the program.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Season
For the team's third season, a man who knew ice hockey was brought in to head the team. Vic Heyliger, a Michigan alum, began making his mark on the team and an exhibition game in December gave a preview of how things were going to shake out for the Illini. The Freshman squad defeated the varsity team 13–5. While this was good news in some respect, as the freshman team provided hope for the team improving as soon as 1940, the varsity squad couldn't use any of those players this season. If they were so thoroughly dominated by their own 1st-year players, how would the varsity team fare in the rest of their season?


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Season
The question was answered rather quickly when Illinois welcomed Minnesota for their season-opening series and were promptly shelled by the powerhouse Gophers. Despite the uneven scores, John Gillan performed admirably in net, stopping 92 shots in two games. A week later, Illinois was in Ann Arbor and struggled to score, earning 1 goal in each of their two games against the Wolverines, but they were able to allow far fewer goals to the Maize and Blue.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Season
The team took a few weeks off for examinations and then returned in Early February with a dominating performance over Saint Louis. Despite missing coach Heyliger to illness two players (Stewart and Mettler) to ineligibility, the team won their first game of the season 11–0. Joe Lotzer set a program record with 7 points in the game (3 goals, 4 assists). The good feelings didn't last long, however, as Illinois travelled to meet undefeated Minnesota in Minneapolis the following weekend and were shelled again in both games.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Season
Heyliger returned after the losses to Minnesota and took the team down to St. Louis for the rematch with the Billikens club team. Despite poor ice the team won 3–0 and then travelled north for their first ever meeting with Michigan Tech. Illinois faced the Huskies in four consecutive games, the first two being on the road, and lost all four matches. While the Illini weren't as outclassed as they were against the Gophers, the team still had trouble scoring and could only notch more than 1 goal in their final meeting.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Season
The team ended its season with a home series against Michigan and, after getting shut down in the first game, the team roared back with a tremendous effort. The Illini were finally able to finish their scoring chances and fired three goals into the net while John Gillan shut the door on the Wolverines. The win was not only the first for Illinois against a Big Ten team, but their first against any varsity squad.


1939–40 Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey season, Schedule and results
† Michigan Tech archives list the games as being played in Champaign.‡ Saint Louis' program was a club team at the time.


1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team represented Indiana University. Their head coach was Branch McCracken, who was in his 2nd year. The team played its home games in The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference.


1939–40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team
The Hoosiers finished the regular season with an overall record of 20–3 and a conference record of 9–3, finishing 2nd in the Big Ten Conference to the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue was invited to participate in the 8-team NCAA Tournament, but declined their bid recommending IU play in the tournament in their place. In only the second national tournament, IU won their first NCAA Tournament Championship by defeating Kansas, 60–42, in the final. Indiana was also retroactively recognized as the national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.


1939–40 Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represented Iowa State University during the 1939-40 NCAA College men's basketball season. The Cyclones were coached by Louis Menze, who was in his twelfth season with the Cyclones. They played their home games at the State Gymnasium in Ames, Iowa.


1939–40 Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team
They finished the season 9–9, 2–8 in Big Six play to finish in a tie for fourth place.


1939–40 Irish League
The Irish League in season 1939–40 comprised 14 teams, and Belfast Celtic won the championship.


1939–40 Istanbul Football League
The 1939–40 İstanbul Football League season was the 32nd season of the league. Beşiktaş JK won the league for the 4th time.


1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season
The 1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season was the 3rd season of play for the program.


1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season, Season
After losing Baldwin Wallace and Pittsburgh before the start of the season, the Penn-Ohio League had to adjust swiftly. The Divisional alignment was abandoned and John Carroll' schedule was rearranged so they would face the Cleveland teams three times each and the Pittsburgh teams twice. It didn't much matter to the Blue Streaks players as the team ran through all of their opponents en route to an undefeated season.


1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season, Season
Led by senior co-captains Eddie Arsenault and Fred Rancourt, JCU averaged more than five and a half goals per game, never scoring fewer than three and allowed just over a goal a game during the regular season. The team's closest affair was after a long layoff against Carnegie Tech, a 3–2 win.


1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season, Season
In the league playoffs, Duquesne fought well, scoring against the Blue Streaks as well as any team in the three-year history of the team, but it wasn't good enough. John Carrol swept both games and captured their third consecutive Penn-Ohio League championship. The only bad news for the season was the poor attendance for the team's games.


1939–40 John Carroll Blue Streaks men's ice hockey season, Schedule and results
† Duquesne records have the game being played on February 1 with the score 3–1 for John Carroll.


1939–40 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
The 1939–40 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas during the 1939–40 college men's basketball season. They were coached by Phog Allen. The Jayhawks qualified for the NCAA Tournament, which was played for the first time the previous season, for the first time in school history. They would lose to Indiana in the national championship game.


1939–40 LFF Lyga
The 1939–40 LFF Lyga was the 19th season of the LFF Lyga football competition in Lithuania. It was abandoned.


1939–40 La Liga
The 1939–40 La Liga was the ninth season since its establishment and the first one after the Spanish Civil War, that forced to suspend the competition during three years. The season started on December 3, 1939, and finished on April 28, 1940.


1939–40 La Liga
Despite being relegated in the previous season, Atlético Aviación won its first title ever.


1939–40 La Liga, Format changes
For this season, team qualified in the 10th position would face the second qualified team from Segunda División in a single-game play-off at a neutral venue. The winner would play the next season of La Liga.


1939–40 La Liga, Team locations
Due to the several damages in Estadio Buenavista after the Spanish Civil War, Oviedo did not play this season. However, the Spanish Football Federation assured them a berth in the 1940–41 La Liga.


1939–40 La Liga, Team locations
Athletic Madrid changed its name to Athletic Aviación, after its merge with Aviación Nacional. Despite being relegated to Segunda División, it remained in the league by winning a play-off match against Osasuna for occupying the vacant berth after the resignation of Oviedo. Due to the damages at Estadio Metropolitano de Madrid, they played their games during this season at Estadio Chamartín, and one game at Vallecas.


1939–40 La Liga, Relegation play-off
The play-off match was played at Estadio Chamartín in Chamartín de la Rosa.


1939–40 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team
The 1939–40 La Salle Explorers men's basketball team represented La Salle University during the 1939–40 NCAA men's basketball season. The head coach was Leonard Tanseer, coaching the explorers in his seventh season. The team finished with an overall record of 12–8.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup
The 1939–40 Lancashire Cup was the thirty-second occasion on which the Lancashire Cup completion had been held. Due to the start of the Second World War, the competition was delayed until early 1940. Swinton won the trophy  by beating Widnes on a two legged final by the score of 21-15 aggregate.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup
The first leg was played at Naughton Park, Widnes, and the second led was played at Station Road, Swinton.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup
Swinton won both legs, 5-4 away and 16-11 at home.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup
The attendances were 5,500 at Widnes and  9,000 at Swinton.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
Prior to the declaration of war on 3 September 1939, most clubs had played two or three fixtures (on Saturday 26, Thursday 31 August and Saturday 2 September).


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
During the following week, the Northern Rugby League decided, after publicity from the Government, to suspend the championship. They almost immediately inaugurated two regional (Lancashire and Yorkshire), Wartime Emergency Leagues, with the winner of each league meeting in a play-off final to decide the overall winner.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
The Challenge Cup and both County Cups were suspended. There was to be no Lancashire Cup competition in 1939.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
But later in the season both County Cups were resurrected.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
The Lancashire Cup started on Saturday 2 March 1940 and was played on consecutive weekends.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes
Each and every match was played on a two-legged home and away basis.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes, Background
St Helens Recs had already withdrawn from the league immediately after the end on the 1938-39 season. The club had been struggling to survive for a few years with falling attendances and the economic depression and it was obviously not possible for the town to sustain two top teams.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes, Background
The number of teams entering this year's competition decreased by one with the loss of St Helens Recs to a total of 12.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes, Background
The same fixture format was retained. This season saw no byes but two “blank” or “dummy” fixture in the first round. The second round now had two byes.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Preamble to changes, Background
The whole competition was played on the basis of two legged ties.


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, Round 1 – First Leg
Involved  6 matches (with two “blank” fixture) and 12 clubs


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, Round 1 – Second  Leg
Involved  6 matches (with two “blank” fixture) and 12 clubs. The reverse fixtures of the first leg


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, Round 2 - Quarter Finals –Second Leg
Involved 2 matches (with two) and 6 clubs. The reverse fixtures of the first leg


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, Round 3 – Semi-Finals – Second Legs
Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs. The reverse fixtures of the first leg


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, Final – Second Leg, Teams and scorers
Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, The road to success
ALL ties were played on a two leg (home and away) basis


1939–40 Lancashire Cup, Competition and results, The road to success
The first club named in each tie played the first leg at home