13 December 1939

INTERNATIONAL: France, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States sign the Four Power Treaty, pledging to consult one another if any of their Pacific island possessions is threatened.

JAPAN: A new, more militant, cabinet headed by Prime Minister INUKAI Tsuyoshi is installed. It immediately approves additional funding for the war effort in China. INUKAI is assassinated by young naval officers in Tokyo on 15 May 1932. This assassination is a key event in Japanese history, known as the go ichi go jiken (May 15 incident). It marks the end of party political control over government decisions until after World War II.

UNITED STATES: In professional American football, the Green Bay Packers beat the Boston Redskins, 21-6, to capture the National Football League (NFL) championship. It is the last game for Boston. The team becomes the Washington Redskins in 1937.

CHINA: THE RAPE OF NANKING: Nanking, the Chinese capital, has a population of just over one million, including over 100,000 refugees. Today, the city falls to the invading Japanese troops. For the next six weeks the soldiers indulge in an orgy of indiscriminate killing, rape and looting. They shoot at everyone on sight, whether out on the streets or peeking out of windows. The streets are soon littered with corpses, on one street a survivor counts 500 bodies. Girls as young as twelve, and women of all ages are gang raped by 15 to 20 soldiers, crazed by alcohol, who roam the town in search of women. At the Jingling Women's University, students are carted away in trucks to work in Japanese army brothels. Over 1,000 men are rounded up and marched to the banks of the Yangtze River where they are machine-gunned to death. Thousands of captured Chinese soldiers are similarly murdered. In the following six weeks, the Nanking Red Cross units alone, bury around 43,000 bodies. About 20, 000 women and girls have been raped, most are then murdered. Department stores, shops, churches and houses are set on fire while drunken soldiers indulge in wholesale looting and bayoneting of Chinese civilians for sport. It is estimated that up to 150,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers are killed in this, the most infamous atrocity committed by the Japanese army. In charge of the troops during this time was General MATSUI Iwane, Commander in Chief Central China Area Army. As word of the "Rape of Nanking" leaks out, MATSUI is recalled to Japan in 1938 and he retires. He is indicted and tried at the Tokyo War Crimes Trial. MATSUI is found guilty of a war crime unrelated to Nanking and sentenced to death. He is hanged in 1948. After the war, China tries about 800 persons for war crimes including those responsible for the Nanking and Shanghai massacres. The death penalty is given to 149 defendants.

UNITED KINGDOM: Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain said British relations with France were "so close as to pass beyond mere legal obligations, . . . since they are founded on identity of interest."

The Polish PAT News Agency commented on the British Air Ministry's decision to form a Polish air force in England:

RAF Bomber Command: 'Security Patrols' - Hornum - Borkum. 51 Sqn. Three aircraft. One bombed a British submarine but missed. One strayed over Heligoland and heavily engaged by defences. 10 Sqn. Four aircraft. Opposition moderate.

NORTH SEA: British submarine HMS/M Salmon (Lt. Cdr Bickford) (N 65) sights a German task-force comprised of the light cruisers Nurnberg, Leipzig and Koln and the destroyers Hermann Kunne, Friedrich Ihn, Erich Steinbrinck, Richard Beitzen and Bruno Heinemann. The cruisers are a covering force for the destroyers which had laid mines off Newcastle, Northumberland, England. From a great distance, the crew of Salmon manage to torpedo the Nurnberg and Leipzig. Nurnberg is hit in the bow and Leipzig is hit amidships. The damage to Leipzig is so severe that the ship is only used as training ship after she is repaired. The accompanying destroyers hunt the submarine for five hours but she escapes.

London: Telegram from Churchill to Wavell:
1. ...Congratulations on your victory....
2. ... pursuit will hold first place in your thoughts. ...No doubt you have considered taking some harbour in Italian territory to which the Fleet van bring all your stuff and give you a new jumping off point.
3. I am much inclined to Egypt declaring war on Italy at the moment when we have made her safe. Now is the appointed time.
4. As soon as you have come to a full stop along the African coast we can take a new view of our prospects and several attractive choices will be open.

VICHY FRANCE:
Laval is dismissed from office and arrested; Pierre Etienne Flandin becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs and the post of vice-premier is abolished. The National Assembly is to be abolished and replaced by a new puppet consultative assembly.

GERMANY:
Berlin: Hitler has today ordered a build-up of forces in southern Romania in order to take on Operation Marita, the occupation of Thessalonika and, if necessary, the entire mainland of Greece.
24 divisions - including the 16th Panzer Division - will be earmarked for this enterprise. They will move through Bulgaria on the arrival of favourable weather. Hitler has told his generals: "We can rely on Bulgarian support." It seems that he is alarmed by Mussolini's failure to complete his conquest of Albania and fears that Britain will establish an air base in the Balkans to attack Italy and the Romanian oilfields.
The build-up is being carefully planned to take place under Hitler's usual cloak of deception. The arrival of the invasion force in Romania will be explained away as "reinforcements for the military mission."
Nothing is said about Russia in these orders, but when Marita takes place the Soviet generals cannot fail to notice that its effect will be to safeguard Germany's southern flank in the event of a war with Russia.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA:
Units of the Mediterranean Fleet including the small ship Inshore Squadron and the Australian Destroyer Flotilla play an important part in supporting and supplying the land campaign. Cruiser HMS Coventry (D 43) is torpedoed by Italian submarine R. Smg. 'Neghelli', but she carries on.

EGYPT:
During dog-fighting over western Egypt, No. 3 RAAF lose five Gladiator aircraft for one Italian while 274 Sqn. (RAF) lose two Hurricane Mk Is for one CR42 and 33 Sqn. (RAF) shoot down three CR42s and two S79s on one interception.

Cairo: Middle East Command announces:
Operations in the direction of Sollum are proceeding as planned and we are winning rapid victories. British motorised troops have encircled and disarmed sizeable Italian units in the Buqbuq area.

LIBYA: RAF bombers also attack Italian bases at Derna and Bardia.

CANADA: Naval college HMCS Royal Roads commissioned Esquimalt, British Columbia.

UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyer HMCS Restigouche enroute to join convoy ON-44 suffered storm damage; requiring extensive repairs at Greenock.

FRANCE: An explosion in Brest killed one crewman on U-201; Maschinenobergefreiter Josef Zander.

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: The Germans have admitted that they have been defeated before Moscow, but they are blaming it on the weather rather than the Red Army. "The army", said Berlin tonight, "does not expect to capture Moscow this year. Major campaigning must be suspended until the spring. Then Moscow can be taken ..." "Officers and men trying to take cover freeze to the ground," said a spokesman. "Fighting under these conditions is practically impossible. We have no reason to expose our troops to the terrible rigours of the Russian winter."

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Battle of Cape Bon. In a brilliant night action the Italian 4th Cruiser Division, Contrammiraglio Admiral Antonio Toscano, Commander, is attacked by the British 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Commander G. H. Stokes, Commander. Two Italian Barbiano-class light cruisers, Alberico Da Barbiano and Alberto Di Giussano are sunk. The allied force is composed of destroyers HMS Sikh, Maori, Legion and HNLMS Isaac Sweers. The Italian torpedo boat Cigno, Capitano di Corvetta Riccardi, CO, which had been a last-minute substitute for the cruiser Bande Nere when that cruiser had mechanical problems, escaped. The Italians also begin a major convoy to Benghazi using their main fleet, with battleships, as escort. Two of the transports are sunk today by a British submarine.

NORTH AFRICA: British forces close the Gazala position despite heavy losses to German counterattacks.

BURMA: The Japanese occupy the Victoria Point airfield after evacuation by the British. This airfield is in the far south on the Kra Isthmus.

Mingaldon Air Base, Rangoon: The 3rd Squadron American Volunteer Group- Chinese Nationalist Air Force, ground echelon, arrive. Mingaladon barracks had the smell of curry, urine, and mildew. Our 18 P-40s came in on the 13th. AVG40s and RAF Buffalos ( mostly New Zealand pilots) scrambled on an alert but no contacts. (Chuck Baisden)

THAILAND: Bangkok: In a move causing deep concern to neighbouring Burma and Malaya, the Thai government will tomorrow sign a formal treaty legitimizing the Japanese invasion on 8 December. In return for free passage for its troops, Japan has "promised to respect Thailand's integrity". Japanese troops now occupy Singora and Patani, near the Malayan border and Siemrap, on the Indochinese frontier.

HONG KONG: The British forces stationed on the mainland withdraw. Japanese troops reach the Kowloon waterfront across the harbor from Hong Kong Island. The British Governor rejects a Japanese demand for the surrender of Hong Kong. The defense of the island is organized into a West Brigade, commanded by Canadian Brigadier J.K. Lawson, and including The Winnipeg Grenadiers; and an East Brigade, under British Brigadier C. Wallis, including The Royal Rifles of Canada. British Major General Christopher Maltby, General Officer Commanding Hong Kong, deploys both Canadian units to defend the southern beaches against a seaborne attack, as heavy Japanese artillery fire and air raids begin.

Britain's Crown Colony is in a full state of siege following the evacuation today of the last British, Canadian and Indian troops from the mainland across the harbour to Hong Kong Island after five days of fighting. The decision to evacuate came after the Japanese 38th Division broke through the last mainland line of defence, the reinforced redoubt known as the Gindrinkers' Line. Hong Kong lost its limited air force in the first few hours of the conflict and has been hit by incessant air bombardment since.

BURMA: The British have to evacuate their airfield at Victoria Point and the Japanese follow and move in. This airfield is in the far south of the Burma on the Kra Isthmus.

MALAYA: Five days after their first surprise landings Japanese forces now control northern Malaya's two key airfields, following the capture today of Alor Star on Malaya's northwest coast. The town was taken by Japanese troops advancing across the Thai isthmus from Singora, in south-east Thailand, the site of major landings five days ago.

Japan's commander, General Yamashita, now has overwhelming air and sea superiority following the sinking of four of the six ships in the British Far East Fleet, including the battle-cruiser HMS Repulse and the battleship HMS Prince of Wales with the loss of 840 lives three days ago. With four times as many aircraft Yamashita's 25th Army is well positioned to strike south to take Singapore, Britain's naval base for the Far East, inside the 100-day target set by Tokyo.

However, British strategists believe that Yamashita cannot stage a full attack on Malaya until he has consolidated his forces in Thailand in order to attack Burma. Yamashita is not expected to push south from the airfield captured at Kota Bharu, on the north-east coast, because of dense jungle.

BORNEO: A small Miri detachment (Indian company and engineers), having destroyed the oil fields and installations in British East Sarawak and West Brunei to deny them to the Japanese, sails for Kuching, capital of Sarawak, where the rest of the Indian battalion, with local and administrative attachments, is disposed to defend the airdrome. Dutch planes based on Singkawang assist RAF units on Malaya in searching for Japanese shipping heading southward from Indochina.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Manila: Japanese forces enjoying total air and sea superiority have now gained footholds at several strategic points on the main Philippines island of Luzon. Landings and parachute drops at three locations have placed them within 250 miles of the capital Manila.

Three detachments of General Homma's Formosa-based 14th Japanese Army, each with 2,000 men are now at Aparri in the north, Vigan in the north-west and Legaspi in the south-east. Japanese marines and Filipino soldiers fought hand-to-hand at Aparri. US authorities in Manila are claiming the situation is "well in hand."

Yet most acknowledge that, now that there is no air cover, it is only a matter of time before the Japanese try to invade Manila in force. Only ten US bombers and a few fighters have survived the Japanese raids on airfields here, while the US Navy yard at Cavite has been destroyed. General Homma, however, has lost only seven of his 490 planes.

52 soldiers of the 48th Material Squadron the US Army Air Corps volunteer to go on an operation that has been dubbed a "suicide mission." These men include Armand Toussaint and Louis G. Kolger.

They are to build a secret airfield in San Jose on Mindoro Island. One in a chain of airfields south to Australia where Allied aircraft can be refuelled and repaired.

"They told us, 'You're not coming back,'" Louis G. Kolger, on of the few surviving members of Toussaint's squadron said during a telephone interview from his home in Cincinnati. Kolger, 86 (in 2004), a staff sergeant at the time, said even after hearing those words, no one balked at going.

"We were all pretty naïve but it was a good bunch of guys and they stepped forward because they had to do it," he said.

In a telephone interview from his home in Baton Rouge, La., one of those men, Kenneth Calvit, said they boarded a steamer and sailed through Manila Bay disguised as Filipino fishermen to trick Japanese pilots. It worked.

They arrived at San Jose, a small village based around a sugar plantation and set up the airfield where B-17 bombers and P-40s could be serviced.

By February 1942, more than half of the squadron had malaria. A month later, about 500 Japanese landed near San Jose, forcing the Americans into secondary camps they had set up in the mountains.

Calvit was sitting in a library they had built on the island when he saw the Japanese troops.

"I jumped out of the window and ran like hell," Calvit said. After burning more than 70,000 gallons worth of fuel and burying tools, the Americans fled into the mountains but continued to relay intelligence about the Japanese to Bataan.

"Witnesses testified Toussaint was tied to a flagpole and beaten by Japanese soldiers with firewood and kicked by hobnail boots for two hours," the article said. "They said he was beaten so badly that one eyeball was bulging when he was ordered to dig his own grave. On the brink of the grave, the witnesses said, Toussaint was blindfolded and bayoneted in the stomach and back until he fell into the grave."

AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister John Curtin sends a message to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt welcoming the opportunity of co-operating with the U.S., and offering the use of Australian facilities. He also seeks U.S. help in securing the French territory of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific east of Queensland.

TERRITORY OF HAWAI'I: The occupation of Niihau Island by Japanese Naval Aviation Pilot First Class NISHIKAICHI Shigenori ends: a party of Hawaiians sets out for Kauai to inform the outside world of events on Niihau; in the meantime, NISHIKAICHI burns his plane (it will not be until July 1942 that the U.S. Navy will be able to obtain an intact "Zeke" fighter to study) and the house in which he believes his confiscated papers are hidden. Later, in confrontation with a local Hawaiian, Benny Kanahele, a scuffle to grab the pilot's pistol ensues. Although Kanahele is shot three times, he picks up Nishikaichi bodily and dashes the pilot's head into a stone wall, killing him; HARADA Yoshio, the Japanese resident of Niihau who had allied himself with the pilot, commits suicide. Kanahele survives his injuries. On the basis of the report by the islanders who have arrived on Kauai after a 15-hour trip, meanwhile, Commander, Kauai Military District (Colonel Edward W. FitzGerald, USA) dispatc hes expedition (squad of soldiers from Company M, 299th Infantry Regiment) in the unarmed U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender USCGC Kukui to proceed from Kauai to Niihau.

Corvette HMCS Lunenburg arrived Halifax from builder Quebec City, Province of Quebec.

Minesweepers HMCS Melville and Medicine Hat arrived Halifax from builders Quebec City, Province of Quebec and Montreal, Province of Quebec respectively.

Corvette HMCS Charlottetown commissioned.

Washington: Shocked by the perfidy of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans are flocking to volunteer for the United States Navy and the Marine Corps, which do not take conscripts. In the meantime the US Army has grown almost tenfold since the Selective Service Act introduced conscription, known here as the "draft", in 1940.

In September 1939 the US Army's strength was only 174,000 men, less than Portugal. The Burke-Wadsworth Act of June 1940 provided for a year of training for 1.4 million men.

Some concern has been expressed about the poor physical condition of conscripts, especially those from the industrial regions and southern states.

Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador and Nicaragua all break off diplomatic relations with Germany. (Mike Yared)

COSTA RICA: USN gunboat USS Erie (PG-50) receives 50 Japanese POWs at Puntarenas, Costa Rica, from Costa Rican government, and sends a prize crew to take charge of the motor vessel MV Albert.

UNITED KINGDOM: Bletchley Park: The U-boat Enigma cipher has been cracked. Shark had baffled the codebreakers from the beginning of this year because of the additional rotor which it uses. Now the Admiralty's submarine tracking room will once more be able to route convoys round the wolfpacks. Sadly, Captain Roger Winn, who runs the submarine tracking room, has collapsed and has been ordered to take sick leave.

The first German wartime naval Enigma machine (M3) was identical to the model used by the German Army and Air Force, but it was issued with additional rotors, VI, VII and VIII, which were reserved for the Kriegsmarine (German Navy). However, the Kriegsmarine also employed codebooks to shorten signals as a precaution against shore high-frequency direction-finding, and some manual ciphers. The most important codebooks were the Kurzsignalheft (short signal book) for reports such as sighting convoys, and the Wetterkurzschlüssel (weather short signal book) for weather reports. Naval Enigma signals used different ciphers, each with its own daily key (rotor order, ring settings, plugboard connections and ground setting). The principal cipher was Heimisch (Heimische Gewässer - known to Bletchley Park as Dolphin) for U-boats and surface ships in Home Waters, including the Atlantic. At least 14 other naval Enigma ciphers were used later in the war. The British codebreakers at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, England, received an Enigma machine and rotors I to V from the Polish Cipher Bureau in August 1939. Marian Rejewski, an outstanding Polish cryptanalyst, had reconstructed the wiring of rotors I to III at the end of 1932 using mathematical techniques, and the wiring of rotors IV and V before the war began. The British recovered rotors VI and VII from the crew of U-33 on 12 February 1940, while rotor VIII was captured in August 1940. The British broke Dolphin cryptanalytically from August 1941 onwards. A massive reverse was encountered on 1 February 1942 when a new Enigma machine (M4) came into service on Triton (codenamed Shark by the British), a special cipher for the Atlantic and Mediterranean U-boats. The combination of M4 and Shark proved devastating. Bletchley Park became blind against Shark for over ten months. Fortunately, M4's fourth rotor (beta) was not interchangeable with rotors I to VIII. Beta increased M4's power b y a factor of 26, but rotors could still only be mixed in 336 (8x7x6) different ways - not 3,024 (9x8x7x6). At one setting of beta, M4 emulated M3, which was M4's undoing. Three members of the British destroyer HMS Petard (G 56) seized the second edition of the Wetterkurzschlüssel from U-559 on 30 October 1942, before it sank near Port Said, Egypt. The U-boats were using M4 in M3 mode when enciphering the short weather reports. On 13 December 1942, Bletchley teleprinted the OIC the positions of over 12 Atlantic U-boats, on dates from 5 to 7 December, as established from Shark weather signals. M4 had been penetrated with the help of the weather broadcasts broken at Bletchley Park. Intelligence from Shark, although sometimes badly delayed, played a critical part in the Battle of the Atlantic, perhaps saving from 500,000 to 750,000 tons of shipping in December 1942 and January 1943 alone.

Jews observe a day of mourning for their European brethren persecuted by the Nazis.

FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE: The premier, Pierre Laval, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Interior, and Minister of Information, holds a press conference and again predicts that Germany will win the war, saying that the only alternative is to be ruled by Jews and Communists." He concludes by announcing: "I must say without any ambiguity that I want Germany's victory."

During the day, RAF Bomber Command dispatches four (A-20) Bostons and four Mosquitos on railway marshalling yard attacks in France and Belgium but only two Mosquitos bomb, one each at Laon and Criel.

During the night of 13/14 December, one each RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons lay mines off Lorient and St. Nazaire on the Bay of Biscay.

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam: It is announced that Anton Mussert, head of the Dutch Nazis, had been appointed Fuhrer for Holland following a visit to German Chancellor Adolf Hitler's headquarters in the Soviet Union. Dr. Arthur von Seyss-Inquart remained the supreme authority. (In the nature of a probationary leader to see if, he can bring the Netherlands people nearer to Naziism. Reluctance to make Mussert a full-fledged Premier is thought to be an indication that the Nazis had learned their lesson in Norway. Mussert is one of the founders of the Dutch Fascist Party and he also founded the all-Dutch volunteer SS unit, the SS-Freiwilligen-Legion Niederlande, in 1941. (Andy Etherington)

GERMANY: Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels records in his journal his contempt for the Italians' treatment of Jews in Italian-occupied territories. "The Italians are extremely lax in their treatment of Jews. They protect Italian Jews both in Tunis and in occupied France and won't permit their being drafted for work or compelled to wear the Star of David." But in the earliest days of fascism, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had denied any truth to the idea of a "pure" race and had counted Jews among his close colleagues-and was even a Zionist! But with Italy's failing fortunes militarily, Mussolini needed to stress the Italians' "superiority" in some sense, and so began to mimic many of the racial and anti-Jewish legislation of the Nazis. Nevertheless, Mussolini never had the stomach-or the conviction-for the extremes of Goebbels, Göring, and Hitler. And certainly the majority of the Italian people never subscribed to the growing anti-Semitic rhetoric of the regime. In fact, the Italians refused to deport Jews from Italy-or from Italian-occupied Croatia or France-to Auschwitz.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Sloop HMS Enchantress (L 56) is acting as escort for convoy KMS-4 Gibraltar/Algiers. About 165 nautical miles (306 kilometers) northeast of Algiers, Algeria, in position 38.58N, 05.07E., she engages the Italian submarine R. Smg. Corallo (Captain Guido Guidi) with her depth charges the Corallo was forced to the surface. Then some reports claim the gun crew tried to bring her deck gun into action against the Enchantress. Next the Enchantress rammed Corallo sinking her with all hands lost.

LIBYA: The British 8th Army captures Mersa Brega as Rommel begins to pull out of the El Agheila positions, leaving rear guards and numerous mines to delay British pursuit.

Italian armour from the three divisions of 20th Corps now regrouped as Ariete Tactical Group, reinforced by a battle group from the newly arrived Centauro armoured division, are attacked by the British 8th Armoured Brigade, attempting to push around the desert flank. This comes at a particularly bad moment, since a large part of the German armour is temporarily immobilized while awaiting refuelling. The fight begins when a rearguard of three M14 tanks supported by four guns is attacked by 80 Shermans. The Italians hastily fall back, but when the British reach the main Italian defense line, it is they in turn who are surprised, losing numerous vehicles to the Italian guns. After a heavy artillery barrage, the British advance again. The fighting is furious, and often at close quarters. One British tanker describes how an unseen Italian artillery piece held its fire until a Crusader tank from his unit was within 50 yards of the gun position. However, the Italian gunners' first shot was just off, tearing through the storage boxes on the side of the vehicle, after which the Crusader drove at full speed straight over the Italian emplacement, crushing one of the gunners under its treads. Another tank in the same unit was less lucky, taking a direct hit that killed the driver and mangled the commander's arm and leg. Later 12 M14s counter-attacked, but the Shermans knocked out eight in an extended fight. After this the British advance overcame the Italian antitank screen, destroying or capturing a dozen 47mm guns and taking 50 prisoners. But the British, having lost 22 tanks and two armoured cars, with night descending established a defensive lager as per their usual procedure, allowing the Italians to pull back unmolested. (Mike Yaklich)

RAF aircraft and P-40s of the USAAF Ninth Air Force fly strafing and bombing missions against German ground forces which begin withdrawing from El Agheila during the early morning.

V Corps, British First Army, is ordered to be prepared to renew the drive on Tunis. The lull ensues as preparations are made for attack.

Fifteen USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the harbor and docks at Tunis. Over Bizerte, ten B-17s bomb the harbor and docks; they are followed shortly by 19 B-24 Liberators which are detached from the USAAF Eighth Air Force in England, that attack the same targets. Meanwhile, six B-25 Mitchells bomb the harbor area at Sousse while B-26 Marauders blast a bridge north of Sfax; P-38 Lightnings escort both missions. Other P-38s attack several targets including vehicles north of Gabes and a schooner off Cape Dimasse. In other action, P-38 Lightnings, P-40s and USAAF Spitfires fly reconnaissance and patrols over much of Northwest Africa and C-47 Skytrains fly 17 transport missions between various points in Northwest Africa.

NEW GUINEA: In Papua New Guinea, further futile efforts are made to supply the roadblock on the Soputa-Sanananda trail, which is now out of contact with the rest of front. Buna Village is subjected to heavy fire in preparation for an attack on 14 December; after nightfall, the Japanese garrison, now reduced to about 100 men, evacuates the village and swims for Giruwa. Corvettes return to Oro Bay under cover of darkness and finish unloading Australian troops.

In Papua New Guinea, a Japanese convoy of five destroyers, bringing some 800 men (among them Major General ODA Kensaku, General HORII's successor as commander of South Seas Detachment), is detected off Madang while proceeding toward the beachhead and unsuccessfully attacked by Allied planes. USAAF Fifth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators attack as it moves south but fail to deter its progress. Meanwhile A-20 Havocs bomb and strafe the Cape Killerton area while B-17s bomb the Salamaua area.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Guadalcanal, the Army's 3d Battalion, 182d Infantry Regiment and Company C of the 2d Marine Engineer Battalion arrive.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: USAAF Fifth Air Force B-26 Marauders hit Gasmata Airfield on New Britain Island.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: A largely negative reconnaissance is flown by the USAAF Eleventh Air Force over Attu, Agattu, Kiska, Amchitka and the Semichis Islands by two B-24 Liberators and two P-38 Lightnings.

Destroyer escort USS Hammann launched.

Submarine USS Muskallonge launched.

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

U-103 damaged SS Hororata.

U-159 sank SS City of Bombay.

U-176 sank SS Scania.

FRANCE: The USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 155: Five B-17 Flying Fortresses drop 1 million leaflets on Le Mans, Rennes, Tours, Nantes and Chartres at 2138-2155 hours.

During the night of 13/14 December, 25 RAF Bomber Command aircraft drop leaflets over the country.

NETHERLANDS: Nearly 200 USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders attack Schiphol Arfield.

GERMANY: 710 USAAF bombers escorted for the first time by new P-51D Mustang fighters, carry out raids on Bremen and Kiel.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 154 attacking the Bremen and Kiel. Four B-17 Flying Fortresses and a B-24 Liberator are lost. This is the first mission where more than 600 bombers are dispatched. Three hundred fifty three aircraft bomb the Krupp works at Kiel, 175 hit the port area at Bremen and 116 attack Bremen; six other aircraft hit targets of opportunity; these missions are escorted by 31 P-38 Lightnings, 322 P-47s and 41 Ninth Air Force P-51B Mustangs. The P-51s set a record for the distance flown by escort fighters over Europe.

During the night of 13/14 December, RAF Bomber Command dispatches Mosquitos to bomb two targets: In Dusseldorf, eight hit the Rheinmetall armaments factory and four bomb the city while one other bombs the Vereinigte Leichmetal metal works in Bonn.

U.S.S.R.: Heeresgruppe Mitte becomes engaged in a series of heavy defensive battles in the area of Witebsk.

ITALY: USAAF Twelfth Air Force P-40 and A-36 Apache fighter-bombers attack defended points in the Miglionico area; quays, roads, railway yard, and gun emplacements at Terracina; and bridges at Pontecorvo and west of Isolella; town areas and bridges at and near Atina and Acquafondsta are also hit.

GREECE: Due to partisan activity around the town of Kalavryta in southern Greece, a unit of the German army "Kampfgruppe Ebersberger", the 117th Jager Division, surrounds the town this morning. All the inhabitants are herded into the local school. Females and young boys are separated from the men and youths, the latter being marched to a hollow in a nearby hillside. There the soldiers take up positions behind machine-guns. Below, they witness the town being set on fire. Just after 1400 hours, a red flare is fired from the town. This is the signal for the soldiers to start firing on the men and youths who are huddled in the hollow. At 1434 hours, the firing stops and the soldiers march away. Behind them lay the bodies of 696 persons, the entire male population of Kalavryta. There are 13 survivors of the massacre, the town itself is totally destroyed. Only eight houses out of nearly five hundred, are left standing. It is not until late afternoon that the women and young boys are released to face the enormity of the tragedy. Massacres also occur in 24 other villages today.

YUGOSLAVIA: USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb an oil depot, harbor, warehouses, and railway yard at Sibenik and Split.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: During an attack against convoy GUS 24 in the Mediterranean, U-73 was rammed by a destroyer, resulting in the loss of her quadruple machine gun.

U-593 sunk after a 32 hour-chase in the western Mediterranean north of Constantine, in position 37.38N, 05.58E, by depth charges from the US destroyer USS Wainwright and the British escort destroyer HMS Calpe. 51 survivors (No casualties).

INDIA: Twenty Japanese bombers, escorted by 25 fighters, bomb Dinjan Airfield before USAAF Tenth Air Force interceptors make contact however, little damage is done and the U.S. fighters catch the attackers shortly afterward. Twelve Japanese bombers and five fighters are claimed shot down.

CHINA: Twelve USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, with fighter escort, bomb Li-Chou and Kungan while eight others hit Wuchang Airfield. Sixteen P-40s on armed reconnaissance strafe targets of opportunity from Chang-te to Linli to Li-Chou.

NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20 Havocs hit villages along Bogadjim Road while a small flight of P-39 Airacobras strafe barges along the Huon Peninsula.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: Over 100 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators and B-25 Mitchells and several P-40s bomb Gasmata on New Britain Island.

During the night of 13/14 December, Australian Beauforts resume their night harassment attacks against Rabaul.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville Islands, 17 USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb Porton, and their fighter escorts strafe the Tenekow bivouac areas during the return flight. Twenty four B-24 Liberators bomb Bonis while six B-25 Mitchells carry out low-level strikes against concentrations on Numa Numa.

D'ENTRECASTEAUX ISLANDS: Task Force DIRECTOR (USN Task Force 76) sails from Goodenough Island for Buna, Papua New Guinea, en route to Arawe, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago.

MARSHALL ISLANDS: Ten USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators, staging through Baker Island from Canton Island in the Phoenix Islands, bomb Wotje Atoll.

Frigate HMCS Saint John commissioned.

Corvette HMCS Louisburg commissioned.

Corvette HMCS Owen Sound arrived Halifax from builder Collingwood, Ontario.

Frigate HMCS Outremont arrived Halifax from builder Quebec City, Province of Quebec.

U.S.A.: Destroyer escorts USS Finch, Kretchmer, Bronstein and Maloy commissioned.

Destroyer escort USS Gentry laid down.

Submarine USS Kraken laid down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

U-172 sunk in the mid-Atlantic after a 27 hour fight west of the Canary Islands, in position 26.29N, 29.58W, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19) of the American escort carrier USS Bogue and by some 200 depth charges from destroyers USS George E Badger, Clemson, Osmond Ingram and DuPont. 13 dead and 46 survivors.

U-391 sunk in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.45N, 09.38W, by depth charges from a British Liberator Mk. V, aircraft (Sqn 53/B) based at based at Beaulieu, Hampshire. 51 dead (all hands lost).

Destroyer Cavendish commissioned.

Submarine HMS Votary commissioned.

Minesweeper HMS Polaris launched.

NORTH SEA: In the Kattegat, the broad arm of the North Sea between Sweden and Denmark, ten RAF Bomber Command lay mines during the night of 13/14 December.

FRANCE: Nine French Gestapo members were sentenced to death in Paris today. They included Henri Lafont, aged 42, a former car salesman, who was in charge of the infamous Gestapo headquarters in the Rue Lauriston, and his associate, the former police inspector Pierre Bony, who won a reputation as a brilliant detective during the 1934 Stavisky affair. The trial had lasted for 12 days, and the court heard horrifying tales of torture, murder and extortion. There were originally 12 accused, but one died of diabetes during the trial and two were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The U.S. Third Army III Corps accepts the surrender of last of the Metz forts--Jeanne d'Arc. In the XII Corps area, the 35th Infantry Division strengthens its hold across the Blies River; the 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, undergoes German counterattacks in Habkirchen, beginning early in morning, and is forced back toward the river; the 3d Battalion joins in the battle for Habkirchen; a battalion of the 320th Infantry Regiment crosses the Blies River at Bliesbruck and takes Hill 321; a small force from the 137th Infantry Regiment crosses north of Habkirchen but is pinned down.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 44th Infantry Division begins a struggle for Fort Simershof, near Hottviller, which is barring the forward movement. In the VI Corps area, the 14th Armored Division attacks between the 103d and 79th Infantry Divisions, Combat Command A taking Soultz-sous-Forets. The 79th Infantry Division completes the capture of Seltz and overruns Niederroedern.

NETHERLANDS: The British Second Army starts regrouping for an offensive to clear the region between the Maas and the Rhine Rivers. XXX Corps, which will at first be employed, turns over its sector and troops to XII Corps.

In the U.S. Ninth Army's XIX Corps, area, the 30th Infantry Division, in limited attacks, clears most of region between Inde and Roer Rivers.

In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 104th Infantry Division reaches the Roer River on a 4-mile (6,4 kilometer) front. The 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, finishes clearing Derichsweiler. This virtually ends the current mission of the corps. The V Corps opens an offensive for the Roer and Urft dams, employing the 78th Infantry Division (untried as yet in combat), 2d Infantry Division, and 99th Infantry Division. The 78th Infantry Division is held up near Kesternich. the 2d Infantry Division is slowed by obstacles and German fire in the center of corps. The 99th Infantry Division attacks in Monschau Forest and gains preliminary objectives.

The U.S. Third Army draws up plans for an air-ground assault on the West Wall. In the XX Corps area, the 90th Infantry Division prepares for an all-out effort to take the rest of Dillingen on 15 December, regrouping and building up supplies. The 95th Infantry Division makes very slight progress in the Saarlautern bridgehead, although elements of the 2d Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, are committed with the 377th Infantry Regiment to guard the bridge.

Two hundred fifty USAAF Ninth Air Force A-20 Havocs, A-26 Invaders, and B-26 Marauders hit a supply dump at Schleiden, plus defended positions in several villages and marshalling yard at Euskirchen. Fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division, fly night bombing missions, attack targets in the Cologne area, and support the XX Corps in the Dillengen-Saarlautern bridgehead area, and the XII Corps in the Habkirchen-Bliesbruck area along the Blies River on France.

NORWAY: During the night of 13/14 December, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 52 Lancasters and seven Mosquitos to attack the German cruiser Koln berthed in Oslo Fjord but, when the bombers reach the fjord, the Koln has been moved to another location. Other ships are bombed by 47 aircraft instead but the results are not observed.

HUNGARY: Forward elements of the Red Army's Second Ukrainian Front thrust to within 6 miles (9,7 kilometers) northeast and 8 miles (13 kilometers) east of Budapest.

ITALY: In the U.S. Fifth Army's British XIII Corps area, the 61st Brigade of the 6th Armoured Division attacks and gets additional elements into Tossignano. The 36th Brigade of the 78th Division begins an attack for Parocchia di Mt. Maggiore, during the night of 13/14 December, but is unable to reach the top and withdraws at dawn.

In the British Eighth Army's Canadian I Corps area, the 1st Division maintains a bridgehead across the Naviglio Canal against severe German counterattacks.

Weather again hampers operations. USAAF Twelfth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack mainly occupied areas and buildings in the battle area south of Bologna, communications throughout the central Po River Valley, and coastal defense and antiaircraft guns south of La Spezia.

ARCTIC OCEAN: U-365 sunk in the Arctic Ocean east of Jan Mayen, in position 70.43N, 08.07E, about 247 nautical miles (457 kilometres) north-northwest of Bodø, Norway, by depth charges from two Swordfish Mk. III aircraft (Sqn 813/L/Q) from the British escort carrier HMS Campania (D 48). 50 dead (all hands lost).

BURMA: In the Northern Combat Area Command, the 114th Regiment, Chinese 38th Division, breaks through the northern defenses of Bhamo and is pushing into the central part. In the Tonk-wa area, the U.S. 475th Infantry Regiment (Long Range Penetration, Special) quickly repels a Japanese attack.

Twelve USAAF Tenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the storage and personnel area at Mongmit and seven P-47 Thunderbolts damage the approach to the Hay-ti road bridge while four support U.S. infantry forces near Tonkwa. Supply areas, personnel, Japanese-held buildings, vehicles, and general targets of opportunity are hit by 60+ fighter-bombers at several places including Hosi, Longkin, Kyauktaing, Tigyaing, Kantha, Man Pwe, and Konnyaung.

Six USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells severely damage the warehouse rea at Hsenwi, Burma.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Twenty four USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-51 Mustangs and P-38 Lightnings hit the town of Bac Ninh and the rail yards at Phu Lang Thuong.

THAILAND: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-51 Mustangs and P-38 Lightnings damage a bridge at Chiengmai.

JAPAN: The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command flies Mission 12: 90 B-29 Superfortresses from the Mariana Islands are dispatched to attack the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya; 71 hit the primary target causing considerable damage as bombing accuracy is improved; nine others hit alternate targets; they claim 4-1-0 Japanese aircraft; four B-29s are lost.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Fifteen USAAF Seventh Air Force Guam Island-based B-24 Liberators bomb Iwo Jima Island. During the night of 13/14 December, six B-24 Liberators make individual harassment raids against Iwo Jima Island from Saipan and Guam Islands.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: As U.S. Seventh Fleet task groups move west through the Mindanao Sea, covered by escort aircraft carrier aircraft of USN Task Unit 77.12.7, which make a few air strikes. This task unit consists of the escort aircraft carriers USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) with Composite Squadron Twenty (VC-20), Manila Bay (CVE-61) with VC-80, Marcus Island (CVE-77) with VC-21, Natoma Bay (CVE-62) with VC-81, Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) with VC-75 and Savo Island (CVE-78) with VC-27. USS Nashville (CL-43) and escorting destroyer USS Haraden (DD-585) receive damage from a kamikaze strike. They are part of the escort for landings tomorrow on Mindoro. Since Nashville is the force flagship, numerous casualties occur among high ranked officers. 138 casualties in total.

Destroyer USS Haraden entered the Sulu Sea while escorting escort carriers, and were attacked that day by four Japanese aircraft. Haraden assisted in downing three of the raiders, but the fourth dived for the destroyer. Trailing smoke from hits by Haraden's gunners, she crashed into the destroyer's side, putting her forward engine room out of commission and severely damaging her topside. As Haraden lay dead in the water, USS Twiggs came alongside to help and the destroyer was soon underway on her own power. She arrived at San Pedro Bay 14 December 1944 and transferred her casualties 14 killed and 24 wounded. Steaming on toward the United States via Hawaii, she arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington on 14 January 1945 for battle repairs.

From the Action Reports of the USS Allen M. Sumner that supported the landings:

At 1010 13 December formed cruising disposition M-IV. At 1548 USS NASHVILLE hit by suicide bomber; observed dense cloud of black smoke followed by flames in vicinity of number one stack. Went to General Quarters, increased speed and fishtailed. From 1507 to 1900 many bogies reported by ships of the formation. At 1756 sighted Jap plane bearing 125º T., distant six (6) miles with two (2) P-38s on his tail. One P-38 set Jap port wing on fire with machine guns. The Jap then put his plane in a left turn and dive, and dove for a destroyer in the screen in about station number 16. On the way down he dropped his bomb. Machine gun fire caused the plane to miss and crash astern by 200 yards. At 1758 opened fire with main battery on Jap Betty, bearing 260º T., range 5 miles. crossing bow from port to starboard.

Plane turned left and was engaged by CAP which shot him down bearing 340º T., distant about 8 miles. This plane caught fire on crashing. At 1812 a low flying Jap plane was sighted, being engaged by six or eight planes of the CAP which first set him on fire and then splashed him bearing 340º T., distant about 6 miles at 1814. At 1813 another low flying Jap plane was engaged by two (2) planes of the CAP and splashed by them one minute later bearing 349º T., distant about 3 miles. This plane bounced off the water two or three times at altitudes of about 50 feet, then dropped its right wing and crashed. All Japs were twin engine bombers. At 1815 possible periscope reported by USS BARTON. At 1816 headed for periscope at flank speed. Investigation showed object to be ends of poles used by native fishermen. At 1851 fired at Jap plane, no results. At 1935 secured from General quarters. From 1935 13 December to 1630 14 December all quiet except for occasional bogey reports from ships of the formation. (Ron Babuka)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 32d Infantry Division makes limited progress southward; the southern-most elements are isolated from the main body and out of food. A Japanese counterattack, during the night of 13/14 December, penetrates the command post of the 126th Infantry Regiment. The Japanese are driven back before dawn. The 2d Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division, again attempts to take the ridge southeast of Limon but cannot advance. In the XXIV Corps area, the 305th Infantry Regiment, making the main effort of the 77th Infantry Division, is held up in the Cogon area, north of the Antilao River on Highway 2 just north of Ormoc, where the Japanese are strongly entrenched and hold a blockhouse strongpoint. A special Task Force under Colonel Paul L. Freeman, consisting of Companies E and L, is unable to take the blockhouse by storm. The 306th Infantry Regiment assists the 305th with fire. The 307th Infantr y Regiment, on the left flank, drives west along the Ormoc-Linao road and takes Linao. Japanese positions in the Cogon area are shelled during the night of 13/14 December. The 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, starts northeast from Ormoc Bay in an effort to make contact with the 11th Airborne Division moving west.

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators bomb Carolina and Talisay Airfields on Negros Island and B-25 Mitchells bomb San Roque Airfield on Mindanao Island. Other B-25s and B-24s on reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity in the Sulu Archipelago.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-25 Mitchells bomb Haroekoe Drome on Haroekoe Island off Ambon Island; Amahai Airfield on Amahai Island south of Ceram; Old Namlea Airfield on Buru Island; and Liang Airfield on Ambon Island. B-25 Mitchells, P-38 Lightnings, and P-47 Thunderbolts on small raids hit shore positions at Galela Bay on Galela Island, while covering an attempted rescue of a downed pilot by a PT boat, and bomb the Goeroea supply area in the Moluccas Islands.

MARCUS ISLAND: Three USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from Saipan Island, on an armed reconnaissance mission, bomb Marcus Island. The island is located in the North Pacific about 768 nautical miles (1 422 kilometers) west-northwest of Wake Island and is used as a refueling point for Japanese aircraft en route to the Central Pacific.

Tugs HMCS Loganville and Pierreville assigned to Sydney, Nova Scotia and Gaspe, Province of Quebec respectively.

Frigate HMCS Carlplace commissioned.

U.S.A.: Minesweeper USS Fancy commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: During an air attack on U-636, the machine gun exploded, wounding four crewmembers.

GERMANY: Irma Ilse Ida Grese, 21 year old concentration camp guard, after initial training at Ravensbrück, served at Auschwitz and later at Belsen where she was arrested by the British. Condemned to death at the Belsen Trial, held at 30 Lindenstrasse, Luneberg, she is hanged at Hameln Goal today, by the British executioner, Albert Perrepoint. As she stood composed on the gallows, she spoke one last word as the white hood was pulled down over her head, "Schnell (Quick)" she whispered. Once when home on a short leave from Auschwitz, she was beaten and turned out of the house by her father for proudly wearing her SS uniform. A cruel sadist, she was said to have had love affairs with Dr.Josef Mengele and the Belsen camp commandant, Josef Kramer.

SYRIA: Under a Anglo-French agreement with the Syrian government, the British and French governments agree to evacuate their military forces from Syria, and grant Syria and Lebanon independence. The evacuation is completed by 15 April 1946.