Gentlemen:

I am extremely happy to be back and go on working! I really thank to all of you, Sniper, Erich, Kai and everyone, who continued with this very interesting topic and as always, contributed a lot of wise and interesting information and discusssions. Great pictures, all!

Martin: you should have loved the Mosquito, right? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Kai: EXCELLENT pictures on Paulus! [img]redface.gif[/img]

Now, let's go back to work!!!

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

Right on the money,Friedrich!

I think you´ve noticed that we´ve been busy in the mean time so you´ll have quite alot of commenting to do for a couple of weeks, me thinks...

__________________

Kai--hes come back strong and full of vim & vigor. [img]smile.gif[/img]

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

December 2nd 1939, Finland.

The Nations League is required by Finland to take measures to solve the problems between Finland and the USSR. The League agrees but the USSR refuses and therefore, it is expelled from the league on the 14th.

December 7th 1939, Finland.

Soviet division 163rd approaches the Finnish town of Suomussali, in Eastern Finland but it is stopped by the weather and the fierce opposition of Finnish 9th division, which cuts their supply lines off. Soviet 44th division is sent in help of the 163rd but it is halted by Finnish counterattacks. Later, the two divisions will try, unsuccessfully to withdraw and by the end of the year, they had been annihilated. 27.500 men were lost. And this is one of many Finnish defensive-victories in the ‘Winter War’.

December 16th 1939, Finland.

After reaching the ‘Mannerheim Line’, the Soviet VII Army launches a mass-attack on the Finnish forces, which have no tanks or artillery, so they will use special tactics exploiting their natural advantages. They invented some home-made bombs to destroy tanks and were named after the Soviet Foreign Minister, Viacheslav Molotov.

December 13th 1939, South Atlantic.

The British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, and the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles trap the German ‘pocket-battleship’Admiral Graf Spee near the Coast of Uruguay, in the battle of Silver River. The British ships are severely damaged by the German ship, specially the light cruisers, but it is damaged in exchange. The German battleship escapes and hides in the neutral bay of Montevideo. Capitan Wilhelm Langsdorff think (rightly) that there are more British and French ships waiting for his ship in the near zones, so in the 17th, the Graf Spee is blown up by its crew, who would return to Germany later, thanks to the German Embassy in Uruguay. Captain Langsdorff committed suicide some days later.

December 23rd 1939, Great Britain.

The first Canadian troops reach British soil, 7.500 men.

December 6th 1940, Northern Africa.

Marshall Pietro Badoglio, the Italian commander in chief resigns due to the military disaster in Greece.



December 9th – December 11th, 1940, Egypt.

General sir Archibald Wavell, British commander in chief of North Africa and the Middle East starts the first offensive in the desert. 31.000 British and Commonwealth soldiers under general sir Richard O’Connor, supported by naval artillery and the RAF attacks the Italian fortifications inside Egypt. Sidi Barrani falls on the 10th and 34.000 Italians are captured.



December 29th 1940, USA.

The president Franklyn D. Roosvelt addresses to the nation because of the New Year’s Eve and tells them that the USA must become the ‘arsenal of democracy’.



December 6th 1941, Great Britain.

Great Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary and Romania.

December 7th 1941, Hawaiian Isles, USA.

The Naval and Air military bases in the island of Oahu, Hawaii are attacked unaware by a Japanese force of six aircraft carriers under admiral Chuichi Nagumo. 350 Japanese aeroplanes attack with bombs and torpedoes following the example of the British in the ‘Taranto raid’. The Japanese lose 29 aeroplanes and 5 midget submarines. However, 6 American battleships and other 10 major ships are sunk, 188 aeroplanes are destroyed, along the main military infrastructure of the base. More than 2.000 American men are killed. Japan declares war on the USA and the British Commonwealth. But a miracle has happened, the American three aircraft carriers were not at pearl Harbour and they provoke admiral Nagumo not to launch a third aeroplanes wave to sunk the rest of the ships and destroy the petrol deposits. In the years to come, the change that had already started (the main role of the battleships diminishing) came even faster and changed the concept of sea warfare.



December 8th 1941, Soviet Union.

Adolf Hitler emits directive No. 39 in which stops the advance on Moscow. The winter conditions and a massive Soviet counter-offensive all over the huge front have cracked the German Army. Army Groups North, Centre and South start pulling back.

December 8th 1941, the World.

USA, UK, Australia, Holland, New Zealand, free France and many South American countries declare war on Japan. China declares war on Axis Powers.

December 8th 1941, Egypt and Libya.

General Erwin Rommel finally decides to withdraw his weakened troops from the unsuccessful siege of Tobrouk. He withdraws to Gazala on the 11th and then, the 16th to El Agheila. The Royal Navy had evacuated 34.000 soldiers, 7.000 wounded and 7.000 POWs from Tobrouk, 34.000 tons of supplies were delivered and 27 ships were lost.

December 8th 1941, Philippines Isles.

Japanese air attacks destroy over a hundred American planes in Clark Field, while a small force lands in Luzon to build and air-field. General Douglas McArthur, who commanded some 130.000 Philippine and American troops pretended to use those aeroplanes to attack the invading Japanese force, because his troops were unable to avoid the landings. On the 10th, Luzon is invaded and Guam island falls quickly. And on the 24th, after two invasion attempts, the island of Wake falls.



December 8th, 1941, Hong Kong.

La 38th Japanese division attacks the British garrison at Hong Kong, of 12.000 men. The British refuse to surrender and they are strongly attack in every possible way, there are even amphibious assaults. The garrison capitulates on Christmas day.

December 8th 1941, Malaysia, Thailand.

100.000 Japanese troops of divisions 5th and 18th under general Tomoyuki Yamashita start landing in the Northeast coast of Malaysia and Thailand after some air initial attacks. The Japanese units head rapidly to the south at both sides of the Malayan peninsula. The British troops are concentrated in the South because they expected an attack on Singapore. The Japanese Air Force very soon destroys nearly all the British aircraft there. The British resist to withdraw to neutral Thailand, but they do on the 10th. The well trained and experienced Japanese advance further south.



December 10th 1941, Far East.

The British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the cruiser HMSRepulse, (veterans of the fight against the Bismarck) are sunk by some 90 Japanese aeroplanes, harassing the total heavy naval enemy forces with the loss of 730 lives.

December 11th 1941, Italy, Germany, Romania and USA.

Italy and Germany declare war on the USA and the USA declares war on them too. Romania declares war on USA on the 12th.

December 13th 1941, Mediterranean Sea.

Three British cruisers and a Dutch one sink the Italian cruisers Alberico da Barbiano and Alberto di Giussano which carried fuel to North Africa, and 900 Italians perish. A British submarine also damages severely the battleship Vittorio Venetto, heading to Libya.

December 14th 1941, North Atlantic.

A British convoy of 32 ships departs from Gibraltar to Great Britain. The convoy includes the aircraft carrier HMS Audacity, the first carrier to be used as anti-submarine escort. In the way, 12 U-boats attack the convoy. The Germans lose 5 of them, but the British lose 2 merchant ships, 1 destroyer and the HMS Audacity.

December 16th 1941, Borneo.

Japanese 19th division invades the island. British and Dutch forces defend the island but finally withdraw, not without setting the oil fields on fire.


Admiral Chester Nimitz replaces admiral Husband Kimmel as commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet.





December 18th – December 19th 1941, Mediterranean Sea.

Force ‘K’ of the Royal Navy falls in a mine-field in front of Tripoli. The cruiser HMS Neptune and the destroyer Kandahar are sunk, and other two cruisers are damaged. Two Italian torpedo men get into the port of Alexandria and sink the two battleships HMS Queen Elizabeth (the largest vessel in the Mediterranean) and the HMS Valiant.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

The purge of officers reach its climax. Adolf Hitler replaces many commanders in the Eastern Front thinking that the fail of ‘Barbarossa’ is their fault. Field marshal Walther von Brauchitsch, the commander in chief of the Army resigns because of a heart attack he suffered in early December due to the pressure in the front. Hitler himself replaces him. Field marshals Wilhelm von Leeb, commander in chief of Army Group North, Fedor von Bock, commander in chief of Army Group Centre and Gerd von Runstedt, commander in chief of Army Group South are sacked, along many other commander like colonel general Heinz Guderian, commander of the 2nd Panzer Group. Hitler orders to hold ground. Some months later, after many lives lost, Hitler agreed to withdraw to the defensive lines that the field marshals Leeb, Bock and Runstedt had suggested from the very beginning.











December 19th 1941, USA.

The law of selective recruitment makes all men, aged 18-64 to log in and all men aged 20-44 to be considered for recruiting.

December 20th 1941, USA.

Admiral Ernest King becomes chief of naval operations.



December 20th – December 26th 1941, Philippines.

Japanese forces invade Mindanao, the extreme island in the south and Jolo. These isles offer Japan to build air and naval bases. The important invasion of Luzon starts on the 22nd and general McArthur decides not to defend the capital, Manila, to have time to withdraw to the Batan peninsula.

December 22nd 1941, USA.

In Arcadia, Washington, Franklyn D. Roosvelt, the USA president and Winston Churchill, the British prime minister meet to discuss the main affairs of the war. The military priority will be Germany. They agree that an Allied supreme staff will be needed, that American troops will be gathered in Great Britain and that the bombing of Germany should be also, a priority.



December 26th – December 28th 1941, North Atlantic.

Great Britain launches operation ‘Archery’, an attack against the Norwegian island of Lofoten. 260 men destroy a factory of fish oil. On the 27th, another 600 men keep on the attacks. Since now on, Hitler would believe that Great Britain is thinking on invading Norway.

December 6th – December 9th 1942, Tunisia.

Some two German armoured columns try to take back Medjez-el-Bab, 50 kilometres southwest from Tunisia, but they are repelled by Allied tanks, men and planes.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

YES! HE IS BACK!!!!

__________________
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" - Homer Simpson

Friedrich ! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Welcome, welcome back !!

You have been missed, my friend.....I have had to save up all my sarcastic remarks [img]tongue.gif[/img] .....

Ah, yes.. The Mosquito card.... [img]smile.gif[/img]

I did try to find one with a Me110 on it, Friedrich - but I guess it's just not a popular greetings card subject in England, even after all these years.... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 04. February 2003, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: Martin Bull ]

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

December 10th 1942, USA.

General Alexander Patch replaces general Alexander Vandergrift as chief of operations in Guadalcanal. Japan has a force of 20.000 men and the USA has 58.000.



December 11th 1942, France.

10 British commandos go in a canoe in the river Gironde all the way to Bordeaux and damage six ships in an extremely risky attack.

December 19th 1942, Soviet Union.

The IV Armoured Army of colonel general Hermann Hoth and the rest of Army Group ‘Don’ under field marshal Erich von Manstein advances until 48 kilometres from the city of Stalingrad and the trapped VI and parts of the IV Armoured, III and IV Romanian Armies under general Friedrich Paulus. Manstein orders Paulus to break out the pocket and reach Hoth’s forces. Paulus, refuses to act because Hitler’s previous orders and because his Army is no longer a mobile force. For Christmas day, Hoth is back at Rostov because of the Soviet offensives. Despite of the secure loss of the VI Army, Von Manstein could save Army Group ‘A’ in the Caucasus.







December 24th 1942, Vichy France.

The French admiral François Darlan is shot by a French boy who accuses him of having betrayed France.



December 30th – December 31st 1942, Artic Ocean.

In the battle of Barents Sea, the German pocket battleship Lützow and the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper and six destroyers try to destroy the British convoy JW-51B heading to the USSR. The British, outnumbered use better tactics and exploit the Germans’ extreme precaution (Hitler’s order) and lose only one destroyer, the same than the Germans. Hitler is furious. He says that the Kriegsmarine is taking a lot of men and resources and does nothing in exchange. What he doesn’t know is that it is his fault…

December 9th – December 26th 1943, Solomon Isles.

The American advances in Bougainville guarantee that the air field can be opened.

December 20th 1943, New Guinea.

The Allies have now superiority in the island of Huon, but the Japanese resistance remains there.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

December 24th – December 29th 1943, USA.

The commanders for the liberation of Europe are announced:
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander.
Air marshal, sir Arthur Tedder, vice-supreme commander.
General sir Henry Maitland Wilson, supreme Allied commander in the Mediterranean.
Admiral sir Bertram Ramsey, Allied supreme Naval commander.
Air marshal sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, Allied supreme Air commander.
General sir Bernard L. Montgomery, supreme Allied Ground commander.













December 25th 1943, Salomon Isles.

The Allied forces land in New Brittany and start advancing to cut to air base of Rabaul from the West.

December 26th 1943, Artic Ocean.

In the battle of Northern Cape, the German heavy cruiser Scharnhorst is sunk by the British battleship HMS Duke of York in an unsuccessful mission against the British convoys JW-55B and RA-55A. 1.800 men from the Scharnhorst freeze to death in the ice waters.

December 4th 1944, Burma.

General sir William Slim, commander of the XIV British Army starts the destruction of the Japanese forces in Burma. The British Corps IV and XXXIII initiate the offensive and head to the air fields of Yeu and Shwebo. The XV Japanese Army of general Shihachi Katamura is very weakened because of the strong struggle at Kohima-Imphal.



December 5th – December 7th 1944, Philippines.

The Allied final offensive starts with an assault by the X Corps in the Northern Valley of Ormonc, with simultaneous attacks by the XIV Corps in the centre and the southwest of Leyte. On the 7th, the 77th division lands in Ormonc without any opposition. The Japanese forces are pushed against Ormonc valley with a heavy fire.

December 5th 1944, Germany.

The feminist German leader, Gertrud Scholtz-Klink calls all the women elder than 18 to join the Armed Forces and defend the fatherland.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

F :

For more Bf 110's to peer at go here :

www.bf110.de

incidently February 8/9 1945 over the Reich at night. Area of Stettin was attacked and only NJG 5 was involved in defence.

Oberstleutnant Brochers claimed 3 Lancasters, Hauptmann Drünkler, Staffelkapitän of 1./NJG 5 claimed 3 at 21.03, 21.08 and 21.12 hours SW of Stettin and South of Stettiner Haff.
Herbert Altner also claimed 3 Lancasters from 8./NJG 5 but his kills are not represented on the official listings.

NJG 3 took on anti mine laying duties with Hauptmann Koch shooting down a Lancaster northeast of Kopenhagen. Fw. Engling of IV./NJG 3 shot down 2 Lancasters at 21.11 and 21.14 hours, and Oberleutant Braum of III./NJG 3 claimed 1 Lancaster.
Ofw. Mangelsdorf of III./NJG 2 also claimed 1 Lancaster as his 15th victory at 22.03 hours.

E

December 8th 1944, Iwo-Jima.

The American Air Force starts a bombarding of 72 days on the island of Iwo-Jima, the heaviest in the Pacific war.

December 15th 1944, Philippines.

American 24th division lands in the island of Mindoro.

December 15th 1944, Burma.

Divisions 19th and 36th meet in Indaw and establish a continuous front in northern Burma.

December 16th 1944, Belgium.

Hitler launches operation ‘Wacht am Rhein’ in a try to divide the VIII American Corps in the Ardennes forest, reach the river Meuse and the port of Antwerp, splitting the Allies in two. The German forces under field marshal Gerd von Runstedt, commander in chief of the Western theatre of operations includes Army Group ‘B’ (200.000 men) of field marshal Walter Model which is formed by the VI SS Armoured Army under SS colonel general Josef Dietrich, V Armoured Army under general Hasso von Manteuffel and the VII Army under general Erich Brandenberger. The American forces are of 80.000 men. The surprise factor is complete and there is a lot of fog which takes away the Allies’ main advantage; air superiority. The Germans start advancing, melting some American units, except for the towns of Saint Vith and Bastogne. On the 17th, groups of the 1st SS Armoured division under SS colonel Joachim Peiper assassinate some 80 American prisoners in Malmédy. The war standards of the Eastern front have been taken to the West. On the 22nd, the Americans at Saint Vith have lost 8.000 men and the withdraw, but at Bastogne, divisions 28th and 10th infantry and 101st airborne hold the situation. That day, the Germans make a last try to reach the Meuse.









December 20th 1944, Greece.

British tanks and other armoured vehicles have melted the siege a RAF air field in Kifissa by the ELAS, the communist faction of the Greek partisans.
December 24th 1944, Belgium.

The first operation of jet propelled bombers takes place. The German Arado bombers Ar-234B leaded by captain Dieter Lukesch attack some Allied factories.

December 26th 1944, Belgium.

American Armies I and III launch counteroffensives against north and south of the German armies. The 4th Armoured division of general Patton’s III Army gets to Bastogne. Marshal Von Runstedt says to Hitler, that as he had said before the battle, the German forces cannot reach the river Meuse, much less Antwerp. The only chance of a victory is that Armoured divisions 5th and 6th reach the Meuse river and get to Aachen, but this means that Bastogne must be taken…



December 30th 1944, Belgium.

At Bastogne, general Patton now has six divisions and starts attacking northeast at the same time that general Von Manteuffel’s V Armoured Army attacks the town.

December 31st 1944, Hungary.

The Hungarian National Provisional Government, established by the Soviets in the city of Drebrecan, declares war on Germany.

January 7th – February 17th 1940, Finland.

Soviet general Simeon Timoshenko assumes command of all the Russian forces at the Carelian Isthmus and starts a training programme to improve the cooperation among all the Soviet forces. After refitting and reequipping, the Soviet forces attack on the 12th all along the Mannerheim Line. On the 17th, the Finnish have retreated entirely and have started peace conversations.



January 10th 1940, Belgium.

Two German intelligence officers have an emergency-landing in Mechelen, Belgium. Both men are captured by Belgian forces and nearly all the special planning and maps they carried are captured also, risking all the German offensive against France for the 17th. This incident and the bad weather will bring much more planning for the offensive.

January 14th 1940, Japan.

Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai forms a new government in Japan after the prime minister Nobuyuki Abe’s cabinet’s demission. However, the military hierarchy, pro-belicist, opposes Yonai’s government.



January 2nd 1941, USA.

President Franklyn D. Roosvelt announces a programme to build 200 merchant vessels, called ‘liberty ships’ to support the Allied convoys in the Atlantic.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

January 3rd – January 15th 1941, Libya.

The Middle East British forces, under general sir Archibald Wavell, rebaptised as XIII Corps, with naval and air support restart their offensive against Cirenaica. In the first Australian action during the war, the Australian 6th division heads the attack to conquest Bardia, just in the frontier on the 15th. 70.000 Italians and lots of materials are captured.

January 7th – January 22nd 1941, Libya.

After the 7th British Armoured Brigade surrounds Tobrouk, the Australian 6th division heads the assault against the Italian defenders of the port, who capitulate on the 22nd. 30.000 Italians are captured, as well as port infrastructure and vital petrol, water and food supplies. General sir Richard O’Connor immediately sends more troops to conquest Bengasi.


Sir Richard O'Connor

January 19th 1941, Eritrea.

The British Forces at Sudan, under general William Platt start the attack against the Axis Forces in Italian East Africa, as a prologue to general Wavell’s campaign.

January 24th 1941, Libya.

The 4th British Armoured Brigade fights the Italian Armoured forces in Mechilli. The Italian forces in Libya are now divided, with units in the interior, around Mechilli and others, in the coast, around Derna. They do not help each other and are surrounded.

January 29th 1941, Italian Somalia.

British forces, based in Kenya, under general sir Alan Cunningham attack the Italian garrison here, as part of general Wavell’s offensive.

January 29th 1941, USA.

There are significative advances in the USA-UK relations, with state-conferences in Washington. It is decided that if the USA get involved in the war, the main objective would be the defeat of Germany, which assumes the codename ABC1. This conversations produce a visit in March to some British bases, potential bases for USA forces.

January 1st 1942, USA.

In Arcadia, Washington, 26 countries sign the declaration of the United Nations, compromising to follow the Atlantic Letter. It is agreed that all the resources of all those nations will be used against the three Axis powers and that no-apart-treaties are to be signed. This puts the cementations for the future UN.

January 2nd – January 9th 1942, Philippines.

American and Philippinian forces under general Douglas McArthur take defensive positions along the Batan peninsula and the island of Corregidor after Manila falls. McArthur realises that the Japanese have air, naval and numerical superiority and he knows that his country will not send reinforcements. On the 9th, the enemy attack begins and McArthur’s 80.000 men will resist deceases, the furious fighting and the lack of supplies…



January 3rd 1942, USA.

After Arcadia conference, sir Archibald Wavell becomes the supreme Allied commander (ABDA), Australian, British, Dutch and American. He has the task of occupying southwest Pacific. The Chinese leader, Tchiang-Kai-Chek becomes Allied supreme commander in China.
January 5th 1942, Soviet Union.

Iósif Stalin orders a counteroffensive against the German invaders, despite general Zhúkov’s, commander in chief of the Western Front warnings that the USSR does not have resources enough for a counteroffensive in four huge fronts (Leningrad, Moscow, the Ukraine and the Crimea). He insists in giving Army Group Centre, in front of Moscow, a fatal blow. However, the offensives make some great advances at the beginning, but the Germans hold their positions using a ‘hedgehog’ tactic.



January 5th – January 12th 1942, Malaysia.

After the Japanese landings, the British, Australian and Indian forces retreat to the South, to Singapore, because they have not been able to form a substantial defence against the Japanese. The British had underrated, with fatal consequences to the excellently trained and equipped Japanese. The capital, Kuala Lumpur, falls on the 12th.

January 9th – January 21st 1942, Soviet Union.

The Valdai Hills battle starts in Moscow sector. After the 12 days of fighting, the Soviets achieve capturing 9 cities between Smolijensk and lake Ilmen.

January 10th – January 11th 1942, Eastern Dutch Indies.

A Japanese force, under general Tomoyuki Yamashita and admiral Takahashi starts attacking the Eastern Dutch Indies to assure the oil resources of the isles. The Eastern Japanese force lands in Celebes and Amboina before taking Bali, Timor and Eastern Java. The central force lands in Tarakan and pretends to take Borneo. The Western force departs from Indochina to attack Sumatra and Java. The remaining Allied troops, under the ABDA, including local, non-reliable troops try to repel the enemy attack.

January 12th 1942, Yugoslavia.

General Dusan Simovic demits as prime minister and is replaced by professor Yovanovic.

January 12th 1942, Libya.

General Erwin Rommel accepts his officer’s plan to counterattack the Allies that year, because the British naval strength has weakened, allowing German reinforcements to reach North Africa. At the same time, the British 7th Armoured Brigade and two Australian divisions have been transferred to the Far East due to the crisis there.



January 12th – January 31st 1942, Burma.

Two reinforced divisions from the Japanese XV Army, plus air support, head northwest, to Burma, from its neighbour, Thailand. A little group, under Aung Sang, Birmanian nationalist leader supports Japan and supports the rebellions. British, Birmanian and Indian troops, around Moulmein fight unsuccessfully the invaders and withdraw. In the previous month, the Japanese have taken a key air base in the south, in Mergui, that forms part in the air route India-Malaysia. These air fields are used for bombardment missions. Burma has the only viable supply route to support China’s struggle against Japan. The ALLIED CONTROL OF Burma maintains the Indian border secure.

January 13th 1942, London.

The Allies agree to punish the Axis leaders, responsible of war crimes after the war.

January 13th 1942, Atlantic Ocean.

The German U-Boats launch an operation against American shipping in the very Western American Coast. The German U-Boats have a tremendous success, because of the American Navy’s incompetence to take the adequate anti-submarine measures despite the British warnings. The next month, the U-boats will make a chaos in the Caribbean Sea.

January 16th – January 19th 1942, Germany.

Field marshal Walther von Reichenau, commander of Army Group South dies of a heart attack and brain haemorrhage. Field marshal Fedor von Bock replaces him on the 19th. Adolf Hitler sacks field marshal Wilhelm von Leeb as commander of Army Group North and replaces him with colonel general Georg von Küchler. Since December, Hitler has sacked 30 high-rank officers, including three Army Groups commanders, and two of Panzer groups.
Walther von Reichenau


Georg von Küchler

January 16th 1942, USA.

Donald Nelson becomes chief of the new and centralised War Production Council.

January 17th 1942, Libya.

The Axis garrison at Halfaya, under siege since operation ‘Crusader’ falls finally and 5.500 Germans are captured, which were later massacred by the free-French soldiers.

January 17th 1942, Artic Ocean.

The U-Boats make their first attack against an Allied convoy in the Artic Ocean. U-454 sinks the destroyer HMS Matablee and a merchant ship of convoy PQ-8.

January 18th – January 27th 1942, Soviet Union.

Soviet forces of the fronts South and Southwest under marshal Simeon Timoschenko start an attack against the Donets river and then going south, to the Azov Sea and capture units of the German VI and XVII Armies. They cross the Donets on the 24th, but are repelled on the 27th.

January 20th 1942, Pacific Ocean.

Four Japanese carriers start an attack against Rabaul, New Brittany (which is about to become a very important naval base) and two submarines bombard Midway island. Australian and American war ships sink a Japanese submarine in front of Darwin. The Japanese land at Borneo, New Ireland and the Solomon Isles on the 23rd.

January 21st – January 29th 1942, Libya.

General Erwin Rommel starts his second offensive in the desert, going from El Agheila to Aghedabia on the 22nd. The British VIII Army is surprised and Rommel takes advantage of it. The British withdraw. Bengasi falls on the 29th.

January 22nd 1942, Soviet Union.

The city of Leningrad, under siege, evacuates 440.000 civilians in 50 days. Thousands of people die of starvation, deceases and the German bombings.

January 23rd – January 24th, Philippines.

The American and Philippinian forces in Batan start withdrawing to a line, from Bagac, in the east, until Orion, in the West.


January 23rd – January 24th, Far East.

In the battle of the Macasar strait, four American destroyers, Dutch bombers and a submarine attack a Japanese convoy in front of Borneo: Japan loses four supply vessels.

January 25th 1942, Thailand.

The government declares war on Great Britain and the USA.

January 26th 1942, Great Britain.

The first convoy of American troops reaches the British Isles.

January 26th 1942, Far East.

Several Japanese troops-vessels in front of Malaysia are attacked by 68 British aircraft, 13 are lost. That night, the British get their attacks stronger. The destroyer HMS Thanet and the Australian destroyer HMS Vampire are sunk while attacking the Japanese convoy.

January 29th 1942, USA.

Major general Millard Hatmon replaces general Carl Spaatz as commander in chief of the USA Air Force. Spaatz will lead then, the fighter division of the Air Force.


Carl Spaatz

January 30th 1942, Singapore.

British and Commonwealth troops, retreating, cross the strait of Johore, which splits Singapore from the continent and destroy the communication lines. They abandon the rest of the Malayan peninsula. The defences of Singapore are designed to repel a naval attack, the big guns are totally inadequate to attack ground forces, because the British thought that a ground attack through the dense rainforest was impossible. The RAF has lost many planes and now it cannot repel the invasion from the North.

January 1st – January 3rd 1943, Caucasus.

Soviet troops launch an offensive to surround the German forces in the north of the region. Since August 1942 the Germans have tried to conquest this extremely rich zone, unsuccessfully. The Soviet South Front heads to Rostov and Terek and the Germans withdraw on the 3rd.

January 2nd 1943, Papua, New Guinea.

American forces find a fierce Japanese resistance after attacking Buna,, in the eastern coast.

January 3rd – January 9th 1943, Atlantic Ocean.
The U-boats destroy 7 of 9 tankers which carried 100.000 tons of oil in the convoy TM-1, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

January 5th 1943, Tunisia.

The V American Army is formed, under lieutenant general Mark Clark. The Allied force form a line from Serrat Cape in the Mediterranean until Gafsa, in the South. There is any advance in any side until marshal Rommel’s advance in February.

__________________
"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

January 6th 1943, Germany.

Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, supreme commander of the naval forces is replaced in his charge by grand admiral Karl Dönitz, commander of the submarine navy, after the errors of the Barents Sea battle.





January 6th – January 9th 1943, Pacific Ocean.

In the battle of Huon Gulf, the Allies gather planes form southwest Pacific to launch attacks over the Japanese convoys to New Guinea. Three Japanese supply ships are sunk and 80 planes are shot down. The Allied casualties are minimal.

January 9th 1943, China.

The Chinese Muppet-government declares war on USA and the UK.

January 10th 1943, Soviet Union.

A gigantic Soviet offensive inside the Stalingrad pocket starts to annihilate the rests of the German VI Army.

January 10th – January 31st 1943, Guadalcanal.

An American force of 50.000 men launches an offensive to harass the Japanese positions inside the jungle in the West. The 15.000 weakened and starving Japanese fight fiercely and make a tremendous rear-action in Tassafaronga Point. The Japanese have decided to evacuate Guadalcanal.

January 13th 1943, Papua , New Guinea.

The Japanese in New Guinea, finally lose control over Kokoda road, an important route through the mountains of Owen Stanley to Port Moresby, which they pretended to use as an air base. The fight between the Japanese and general McArthur’s Australian and American forces has been happening since 1942.

January 14th – January 23rd 1943, Morocco.

British primer minister, Winston Churchill and USA president Franklyn D. Roosvelt meet in Casablanca, Morocco. The conference underlines the difference in their opinion towards Hitler. The British want to continue with the war in the Mediterranean, before the main attack on Europe, through the English Channel. They propose to invade Sicily and then Italy to get German reserves out from France and the Low Countries, which would precipitate Mussolini’s fall and would provide suitable air fields to bombard the German industries of the South and the Romanian oil fields. The Americans believe that this would only weaken the forces for the invasion of France. They think that the fastest way to defeat Hitler is the invasion of northern France. However, this was not possible in 1943, and under a terrible pressure from Stalin, they agreed in invading Sicily (nothing was mentioned about Italy). Another disagreement is that Roosvelt wants the ‘unconditional surrender’ of the Axis powers, and Churchill thinks that an exception of this should be done in Italy, but it would cause problems with the Greek and Yugoslavian allies.



January 15th – January 22nd 1943, Libya.

The British VIII Army attacks the Axis forces of Armoured Army ‘Afrika’ under field marshal Rommel in Bouerat and chases them until Homs and Tarhuna, 150 kilometres from Tripoli. They reach Homs on the 19th and Rommel starts his withdraw to Tunisia, even if he had the order to defend the city. He prefers to save his men and form a defensive line in Mareth.

January 16th – January 17th 1943, Soviet Union.

The LVI Soviet Army starts an attack to capture the city of Krasnador, but they are stopped by German forces between the rivers Dónets and Manych.

January 18th 1943, Poland.

Jewish men start attacking the German troops inside Warsaw’s ghetto.

January 21st 1943, Papua, New Guinea.

After conquering Sanananda, in New Guinea, the Allies prepare an advance in direction northwest to get rid of the Japanese in Salamua and Lae. The Allied naval and air superiority will oblige the enemy to withdraw from the island.

January 29th 1943, Papua, New Guinea.

The Allied troops make the Japanese retreat from Wan to Bulldog track, the second route used by them in their invasion to Port Moresby.

January 30th 1943, Germany.

British bombers make the first air raid against Berlin at day-light.

January 2nd 1944, Free France.

General Jean Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tasigny is appointed commander in chief of the free France’s forces in North Africa.



January 2nd 1944, Papua, New Guinea.

Troops from the USA VI Army land in Saidor, in the northern coast of New Guinea, as part of operation ‘Dexterity’, a slating Japanese rear-forces from their main base at Mandang, 85 kilometres from there. The loss of Saidor, a very important supplies deposit means that 20.000 Japanese troops are trapped between the American and Australian forces. Their only escape-route is through the thick jungle.

January 3rd 1944, Germany.

In a big air raid against Berlin, 27 of 383 Lancasters are lost and over 168 men. The damages on the German capital are insignificant.

January 4th 1944, Europe.

Operation ‘Carpetbagger’ begins: supplies are dropped from the air to resistance groups in Belgium, Holland, France and Italy.

January 5th 1944, Poland.

The exiled Polish government authorises the clandestine Polish movement to cooperate with Red Army.

January 9th 1944, Burma.

The British XV Corps takes the Birmanian city of Maungdaw.

January 10th 1944, Soviet Union.

The III Ukrainian Front of general Rodion Y. Malinovski launches an offensive to capture Apostolovo, but is stopped by the Germans.



January 11th 1944, Italy.

Mussolini’s son-in-law and ex foreign fascist exterior affairs minister, Galeazzo Ciano is executed in Verona because he voted in favour of Mussolini’s destitution in July 1943. Ciano and his wife were told that their children were in danger and they were given a pass to Munich and then to Spain, but they were arrested and presented to the Muppet Italian-fascist government.



January 12th – January 14th 1944, Italy.

At Monte Cassino, the French colonial troops of the French Expeditionary Corps under general Alphonse Juin crosses Rapido river, in V Army’s northern sector, although they fail to capture mount Santa Croce.



January 14th – January 27th 1944, Soviet Union.

The II Shock Soviet Army attack from the Oranienbaum’s bridgehead and the LIX Soviet Army attacks towards Novgorod, to try to break the German siege on the city. In the next day, the XLII Soviet Army attacks Pulkovo hills. On the 19th, the three Armies gather in Krasnoe and two days later, the German troops at Petergof and Streina are destroyed. The Germans try to contain the Red Army’s push, but some 324 guns announce the release of the city, under siege since 1941. A million Russian civilians have died.

January 17th 1944, Italy.

The Allies try to break through the ‘Gustav’ line, with a frontal attack of the British X Corps along the Garellano river, the Aurunci mountains and the Liri Valley, while a landing in Anzio, in the German rear is made. The German general in charge, Heinrich von Vietinghoff-Scheel transfers two Panzer divisions to Anzio.

January 20th 1944, Italy.

As part of the Allied attack on the ‘Gustav line’, the II American Corps try to cross the Rapido river and make some space for the American 1st Armoured division. The German defences are very strong and the Americans suffer great casualties.

January 22nd 1944, Italy.

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