Battle of the Atlantic

• U-13 sinks the Swedish steamer Fram (2491t) off Rosehearty Buoy in Aberdour Bay with the loss of 6 crewmen. 13 survivors are picked up by the British destroyer Khartoum and the British armed patrol trawler Viking Deeps.
• U-59 sinks the British steamer Ellen M. (498t) in the North Sea.

Finland - Winter War

Day 64

Second Battle of Summa begins. At 10:50a.m. The Russian artillery begins shelling the main defensive positions of the Finnish 3rd Div. The Russian 7th Army batters a key sector of the Mannerheim Line near the village of Summa. Shortly after noon the Soviets begin their massive assault. The Russians throw in waves of tanks pulling armored infantry sledges ('Molotov Coffins') and flamethrowers supported by 'creeping' artillery barrages and hundreds of aircraft. The Soviet 7th and 13th Armies have 14 divisions and 6 tank brigades in the advance, with strong reserves. The Finnish 3rd Div, holding the Summa sector, takes much of the weight. During these days there is no attempt at a breakthrough but almost continuous heavy pressure is maintained.

Russian aircraft strafe the area around the Pyhäjärvi railway station. The Taipale sector is hit by 2 bombing attacks, one of 50 aircraft and another of 80. At the same time Haparainen village is bombed by 30 aircraft. Also hit this day are Hamina, Loviisa, Porvoo, Hanko, Karjaa and Tammisaari.

The Taipale sector is bombed by at first 50, and then 80 aircraft. At the same time another 30 aircraft bomb Haparainen village Photo: SA-KUVA Taipale Sector Heavily Bombed

The Red Army begins its offensive in Karelia. The Soviet 13th Army (9 infantry divisions, a tank brigade and 2 tank battalions) attacks between Taipale and Lake Muolaanjarvi, while the 7th Army (12 infantry divisions, 5 tank brigades and 2 tank battalions) assaults the Summa sector. In all, some 600,000 men are committed to the attack. The Finns have 6 divisions in line and a further 3 in reserve. Finnish positions are pounded by 300,000 artillery shells on the first day, with Soviet artillery mustering 440 guns in the Summa sector alone. The Soviets also deploy close air support all along the front. The Red Army attacks for 3 days non-stop, pauses for a day, then resumes the offensive for a further 3 days. Finnis forces are gradually worn down by the onslaught.

Japan, Politics

A record budget is presented to the Japanese Diet. Almost half is to be devoted to military expenditure.