World War II: Six days before <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler" id="mw2Q" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Adolf Hitler">Adolf Hitler</a> issues his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Adolf_Hitler's_directives" id="mw2g" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="List of Adolf Hitler's directives">Directive 16</a> to the combined <i id="mw2w"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wehrmacht" id="mw3A" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht</a></i> armed forces for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sea_Lion" id="mw3Q" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Operation Sea Lion">Operation Sea Lion</a>, the <i id="mw3g"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanalkampf" id="mw3w" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Kanalkampf">Kanalkampf</a></i> shipping attacks against British maritime convoys begin, in the leadup to initiating the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" id="mw4A" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a>.