News for this May 25th in 1942 was hopeful and cautious. Reports from Moscow told of the Russian Army regaining Kharkov after fierce fighting and that advances were being made along the Eastern Front.
From Australia it was reported Allied Bombers struck at Japanese airfields in Rabaul, New Guinea with the loss of one U.S. bomber and extensive damage to Japanese planes stuck on the ground. Also from Australia came news of a substitute being devised for gasoline by way of burning coal. Sounded messy, but according to reports, it worked in a pinch.
From London came news of RAF Bombers heading off to Cologne for a significant raid on that German city. There was also news of the Labour Party holding a conference that weekend, discussing stepped up Government aid in the war effort.
From Stockholm came reports that the Finnish Front was wavering, even though it had gotten back all the territory it had lost to Russia in the 1939 war. News that some 20,000 Finnish refugee Children were heading to Sweden amid reports of widespread starvation.
On Capitol Hill - reports of attempts to come up with a solution to the gasoline shortage by way of substitutes. It seemed the Australian coal-burning solution was being considered. Also being discussed was the possibility of extending the draft to include 18 and 19-year olds. And some circles were claiming the Allies would achieve Air Superiority in the war sometime in 1943. Some even went as far to say victory could be achieved by then. Although some were skeptical, saying 1944 was a more realistic estimate.
In any event, the war dragged on as reported by NBC News Of The World for May 25, 1942.
