September 1 Birthday
On September 1, 1939, 1.5 million German troops crossed the Polish border at dawn. Hitler claimed it was a response to a Polish attack on a German radio station — the Gleiwitz incident, which was staged. Britain and France declared war on September 3. The war would last six years and kill 60 million people. Poland fell in thirty-six days — its army was outmatched by German tanks and aircraft. The Soviet Union invaded from the east on September 17. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union. The "phony war" followed — Britain and France declared war but did nothing for eight months. In 1923, the Great Kantō earthquake struck the Tokyo area at 11:58 AM. The 7.9 magnitude quake and the fires that followed killed over 100,000 people. The fires spread because most cooking was done with charcoal, and the quake struck at lunchtime. Aftershocks continued for days. Vigilante mobs killed thousands of Koreans, whom rumors accused of setting fires and poisoning wells. The earthquake reshaped Tokyo — the city was rebuilt with wider streets and modern construction, though the planning ideals were not fully realized. People born on September 1 fall under the zodiac sign of Virgo. The birthstone is Sapphire and the birth flower is Aster. Historical events on September 1 include 1939: Germany invades Poland, starting World War II, 1923: Great Kantō earthquake devastates Tokyo, killing over 100,000, 1985: RMS Titanic wreck located by Robert Ballard 2.5 miles deep. Famous people born on September 1 include Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875), Rocky Marciano (1923), Barry Gibb (1946).