Diplomatic Relations
Germany and Turkey sign a 200-million-mark trade pact, with Germany to supply manufactured goods for Turkish raw materials.
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Eastern Front
The German drive towards Moscow continues. There is heavy fighting at Vyazma (140 miles west of Moscow) and Bryansk (220 miles southwest of Moscow). Guderian's Panzers link up with 2nd Army Near Bryansk. 2 Russian armies are encircled.
Soviet KV-1E and KV-1 |
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Heavy fighting rages in and around both the Vyazma and Bryansk pockets as the Soviet forces launch repeated attacks in an effort to break out. The Stavka orders the 19th and 32nd Armies to make their way to the east toward Sychevka or Gzhatsk. The 20th Army is ordered to push southeast. However, during heavy fighting, Gzhatsk falls to the 10th Panzer Division and the 2nd SS Motorized Division Das Reich.
Inside the Bryansk pociet the 3rd and 50th Armies, fighting close to Dyatkovo, attempt to fight eastward but run into strong German forces. The 13th Army, in action at Trubchevsk and Suzemka, fights its way southeast and manages to break throught the German ring.
Kempf's XLVIII Panzer Corps begins to push toward Kursk and Livny on the extreme southern flank of Army Group Center, while the XXIV Panzer Corps is involved in further costly fighting with Lelyushenko's I Guards Rifle Corps as it pushes nearer to Mtsensk.
With the front line in tatters, the Mozhaisk Line is upgraded to the Moscow Reserve Front, commanded by Gen Artemev. Moscow begins the placement of its limited reseves, placing a rifle division each at Volokolamsk (316th), Maloyaroslavets (312th) and Mozhaisk. The Stavka also begins the formation of a new 5th Army under Lelushenko and a 26th Army under Sokolov at Tula. The latter force is based upon the I Guards Rifle Corps.
[ | ]Panama
In a bloodless coup, President Amulfo Arias is overthrown.
United States, Politics
Roosevelt asks Congress to allow US merchant ships to be armed and to repeal certain sections of the Neutrality Act.
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