Battle of the Atlantic

• In the North Sea the British submarine Salmon torpedoes the German cruisers Leipzig and Nurnberg. Leipzig will only return to service in 1941 but solely as a training ship. Nurnberg will be out of action until May 1940.
• The Belgian steamer Rosa (1146t) hits a mine and sinks off the Tyne Breakwater with the loss of 1 crewman. This is a result of the minefield laid by German destroyers the night of the 12th.
• The British minesweeping trawler William Hallet (202t) sinks on a mine 3-1/2 miles ESE of St Mary's Light with the loss of 8 crewmen. This is a result of the minefield laid by German destroyers the night of the 12th. 1 survivor is picked up by the British trawler Ben Arthur.
• U-38 sinks the British steamer Deptford (4104t) a quarter mile NNW of Honningsvaag. 31 of her crew are lost with 4 survivors being picked up by the Norwegian patrol boat Firda and 1 more by the Norwegian steamer Nordnorge.
• U-57 sinks the Soviet steamer Ashkhabad (1173t) off Cross Sand. This is the former Estonian vessel Mina.

Battle of the River Plate

The British Commodore Harwood has brought his squadron to the River Plate estuary hoping that the Admiral Graf Spee will come hunting there. Harwood has the heavy cruiser Exeter and the light cruisers Ajax and HMNZS Achilles. When Langsdorff does appear in Admiral Graf Spee there is a fierce 2-hour battle. Exeter is very badly damaged suffering 96 casualties and retires to the Falkland Islands. It is to be replaced by the cruiser Cumberland. Ajax also heavily hit and Achilles less so. Admiral Graf Spee has received some damage as well and Langsdorff decides to break off the action. He heads for Montevideo to make quick repairs and have his wounded treated. Ajax and Achilles take station off the port.

British cruisers Exeter and Ajax and New Zealand cruiser Achilles intercept the pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee off Plate Estuary, South America. All ships are damaged: Exeter retires to Falkland Islands and is replaced by cruiser Cumberland. Admiral Graf Spee puts into Montevideo for emergency repairs. Pursuers wait outside Uruguayan territorial waters. Admiral Graf Spee Enters Montevideo after the Battle of the River Plate.

Finland - Winter War

Day 14

On the Isthmus the Russians continue their attacks with artillery and tank support in the Summa-Muolaanjärvi sector. In the Perkjärvi sector the last Finnish forward combat posts are pulled back. The attacks are repulsed on all sectors. At Ilomantsi the attack of Detachment A fails. In northern Finland Maj-Gen K. M. Wallenius assumes command to the Lapland Group.

The Finnish Center for Nordic Aid is established. The purpose of this organization is to help with the evacuation of Finnish children to Sweden.

The U.S. refuses to grant Finland credit in order to purchase military supplies.

Northern Finland: Major-General K.M. Wallenius takes command of the Lapland Group. Photo: SA-KUVA Northern Finland