Battle of the Atlantic

The British tanker San Calisto hits a mine and sinks 2-1/2 miles NNE of Tongue Light Vessel. This is the result of the German destroyer minelaying operation in the Thames Estuary the night of the November 12th. 6 crewmen are lost and 36 are rescued.

Britain, Home Front

The government extends conscription to include all able bodied men between the ages of 19 and 41.

Finland - Winter War

Day 3

Near Petsamo a Soviet regiment attacks the mine area. The Finnish Pennanen Detachment counterattacks pushing the Russians back (13 dead, 38 wounded). On the Isthmus the Russians reach the Vammelsuu-Kivennapa-Rautu-Taipale line. On the Ladoga Karelia Maj-Gen Juho H. Heiskanen orders his IV Army Corps to retake the area around Suvilahti. The attack runs out of steam by nightfall. The Soviet 8th Army achieves a small success near Suojarvi. The Finns pull back a little in this sector. They also send a small reinforcement to the forces opposing the advance of the Soviet 54th Div of 9th Army near Kuhmo. In other action there are Soviet landings with naval support near Petsamo and other units of 14th Army are attacking overland nearby. The Finnish defenses have not yet been reached in most areas.

T-26 tanks and artillery tractors (Komsomolets) of the 8th Army coming to the line of attack. Soviets Moving Up To Attack

Finland appeals to the League of Nations to mediate in their quarrel with the Soviets. The League meets between Dec 9-11 and agrees to intervene. The Soviets refuse to recognize this offer and are expelled on Dec 14. This is one of the few times that the League has attempted to take a decisive stand. Of course it is now quite useless.

The Ministry of Education urges all schools throughout the country to stop work, as the classrooms are needed to house refugees. Photo: SA-KUVA Schools Closed

Kuusinen's puppet government calls on the Finns to 'overthrow the oppressor' (meaning the legitimate government) and welcome the 'liberators' (the soldiers of the Red Army). Meanwhile Kuusinen signs a treaty with the USSR giving the Russians all they ask for, in exchange for the whole of Soviet Karelia.

The Soviet news agency Tass announces that a 'People's Government of Finland' has been formed (clearly a puppet government), under the presidency of Otto Kuusinen, a member of the Comintern for many years. But neither political and diplomatic developments nor military operations go in favor of the USSR. The Finns put up a desperate, determined and valiant defense. Moving along the narrow paths in the middle of the dense forest on bicycles or skis, they attack the big enemy units in the flank and inflict heavy losses as the Russians, of necessity, proceed along the main roads. The Finns attack the Russian tanks by hurling into their turrets a type of incendiary grenade which becomes world-famous as the 'Molotov cocktail' (basically no more than a bottle full of gasoline with a lighted rag in the mouth).

German Raiders

Commodore Harwood with three British cruisers in the Falklands is alerted to the presence of Graf Spee in the South Atlantic by a radio message from the freighter Doric Star (10,086t). The British steamer is then sunk by the Admiral Graf Spee south of St. Helena.

A motor launch with a boarding party from the German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee is seen approaching the Doric Star. The British Steamer Doric Star

The British steamer Doric Star is struck by a torpedo from the German cruiser Admiral Graf Spee. The British steamer Doric Star

United States, Home Front

LaGuardia Airport opens for business on this date. It soon boasts that it is the first airport to have a florist shop, beauty salon, bank, jewelry shop, and brokerage office. New York's LaGuardia Airport

World Events

The 1940 Olympic Games, which were to have been held in Finland, are cancelled.