Battle of the Atlantic

• The British steamer Counsellor (5068t) sinks on a mine off Mersey Light Vessel laid by U-32 on the 7th. The entire crew of 78 is rescued by the British destroyer Walpole.
• The German steamer Hannover (5537t) is captured by the British light cruiser Dunedin off Santo Domingo in the Mona Passage. Dunedin tows her to Kingston. She is later renamed Empire Audacity and placed in British service. She will eventually become the HMS Audacity, Britain's first escort carrier.

Finland - Winter War

Day 100

To block the Russian advance, the Finnish defenders attempt to dam the waterways to the northeast of Viipuri and manage finally to flood the area. The Soviets capture part of Viipuri. Their pressure on the Finnish defenses northeast of the city is beginning to wear down the Finnish resistance. The USSR turns down a Finnish request for an immediate armistice. Soviet troops on the Isthmus reach the Finnish support line in Tali. The Finns in Viipurinlahti Bay are forced to evacuate Suonionsaari and Ravansaari Islands. On the mainland the Soviets consolidate their bridgeheads at Niskapohja, Vilaniemi and Häräpääniemi. In Vuosalmi the Russians dig in on the northern bank of the Vuoksi.

The Finnish 2nd and 21st divisions are estimated to be facing six Russian divisions. They are thus outnumbered three to one. Photo: SA-KUVA Finns Outnumbered 3 to 1

In Taipale, the Finns pull back their positions in the Terenttilä sector. In the north the Finns take the eastern Luelahti 'motti' in Kuhmo. General Headquarters orders the evacuation of the Mantsi Islands at the eastern end of Lake Ladoga.

Large quantities of French arms, ammunition and aircraft (175) are now en route to Finland.

The Finnish negotiators in Moscow meet the Soviet negotiating team at 4:00p.m. The Soviet team consists of Molotov, Andrei Zdanov and Gen Vasilevski. The Finns are disappointed in not seeing Stalin present.