November 2nd, 1941 (SUNDAY)
EUROPE: The RAF flies the last in a long series of sweeps against German shipping.
GERMANY: U-191 laid down.
Chancellor Adolf Hitler, now confident of his victory over the Soviet Union, shares with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, Chief of German Military Intelligence, his plans to 'Germanize' Slav cities and site names.
FINLAND: First evacuation of Soviet troops from Hanko.
U.S.S.R.: German Major General Friedrich Eberhardt, military commander of Kiev, issues an order declaring that 300 hostages will be shot for the next act of sabotage. By the end of the month, the number has been raised to 400.
YUGOSLAVIA: Rival partisan forces - Drazha Mihailovich's Chetniks and Tito's fighters clash at Uzice.
JAPAN: Japanese Foreign Minister TOGO Shigenori sends the following message to the Japanese embassy in Washington, D.C.: "The Government has for a number of days since the forming of the new Cabinet been holding meetings with the Imperial headquarters. We have carefully considered a fundamental policy for improving relations between Japan and America, but we expect to reach a final decision in a meeting on the morning of the 5th and will let you know the result at once. This will be our Government's last effort to improve diplomatic relations. The situation is very grave. When we resume negotiations, the situation makes it urgent that we reach a decision at once. This is at present only for your information. When we take up these negotiations once more, we trust you will handle everything with the greatest of care."
U.S.A.: The US Coastguard is placed under control of the US Navy.
Army Intelligence prepares the following estimate regarding the situation in the Far East:
- 1. After four years of war in China, Japan is militarily over-extended on the mainland of Asia, economically weak, and psychologically aware of the fact that her economic structure is crumbling.
- 2. For obvious reasons both Germany and China would like to embroil the United State in a large scale war with Japan. While Japan is reluctant to go to war with us, her political and economic situations demand action. She has the following alternatives:
- a. Attack Siberia to neutralize the threat on her flank and rear.
- b. Occupy Thailand as a base from which to launch an offensive against Burma or Malaya.
- c. Contain or isolate the Philippine Islands and Hong Kong and seize the Netherlands East Indies.
- d. Launch a direct attack on Singapore.
- e. Make a determined effort to bring the war in China to a close by cutting China's last supply route, the Burma Road.
- f. Bide her time while disposing her forces from north to such in such a way that she will be able to seize the opportunity for successful aggression in whatever direction it presents itself.
- 3. A Japanese attack on Siberia is unlikely as long as Russian resistance in Europe continues, and as long as the Siberian forces are not materially reduced in strength. Action under b above might, and under c or d above would certainly bring Japan into armed conflict with ABD powers-a situation which Japan, at present, wishes to avoid.
- 4. A drive from Indo-China into Yunnan would probably not involve Japan with any Third Power. Although an extremely difficult operation for the Japanese, requiring elaborate preparation on their part, a successful drive into Yunnan and across the Burma Road, even if it did not cause China's early capitulation would nevertheless, be a terrific blow at her chances of holding out. It would not however, have the effect of immediately releasing any considerable Japanese force for use elsewhere, since long-drawn out mopping up operations would probably be necessary.
- 5. Because of the ruggedness of the terrain in southern Yunnan, and the almost complete lack of communications, the Chinese, if determined, could put up a very strong resistance even with the means now at their disposal. Such a defense would further deplete Japan's meager resources and immobilize her remaining reserves. (For a description of the terrain see Tab A.)
- 6. Japan's most probable line of action, therefore, will be to continue her efforts to secure a relaxation of American economic pressure while completing her plans and arranging her forces for an advance in the direction which will be most fruitful of quick results.
Corvette USS Might laid down.Submarine USS Growler launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-208 sank SS Larpool in Convoy ON-27.
USN Task Force 14 (Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt) consisting of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5), the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40), the light cruisers USS Savannah (CL-42) and Philadelphia (CL-41), and nine destroyers reaches the Mid-Ocean Meeting Point (MOMP) and exchanges convoy "Cargo" for CT 5, eight British transports carrying 20,000 British troops earmarked for the Middle East. Convoy CT 5's first destination is Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
USN destroyers USS Dallas (DD-199), Ellis (DD-154), and Eberle (DD-430), screening convoy HX-157 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to U.K.), carry out depth charge attacks on sound contacts off St. John's, Newfoundland.
USN PBM-1 Mariners of Patrol Squadron Seventy Four (VP-74) based at Skerja Fjord, near Reykjavik, Iceland, provide air coverage for convoy ON-30 (U.K. to North America).