Battle of the Atlantic

The US Navy oiler Salinas is torpedoed by U-106 700 miles east of Newfoundland but makes it to port with no casualties.

Diplomatic Relations

Roosevelt offers the Soviet Union a one billion dollar interest-free loan for the purchase of lend-lease equipment. Repayment will begin five years after the end of the war and be complete in ten years.

Eastern Front

The German offensive in the Moscow sector comes to a halt until the winter weather sets in fully, giving permanently hard ground and restoring some mobility to the German tank forces.

Women Digging Trenches

In the south the siege of the fortress of Sevastopol begins with the onslaught by the German 11th Army and Rumanian forces on the outer defense line. These attacks will go on for about 3 weeks. The Russian Black Sea Fleet and 21,000 Marines repel many of the attacks, but the Germans capture Balaclava Hills. (see December 17.) The siege itself will last eight months. Moscow radio admits that the town of Tula is in danger.

Following his failure to rush Tula, Guderian skirts east of the town, moving upon Dedilovo. He plans to let the supporting infantry clear Tula.

52-K Gun of 6th Battery of 732nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Russian Marines Under Shell Fire

Manstein pushes deep into the Crimea as the Ishun defenses collapse. Soviet forces are in total disarray, many soldiers surrendering to the approaching German units and more fleeing to the rear, creating a rout on the roads leading south to Sevastopol.

As the situation at the front deteriorates, the Stavka activates the 56th Independent Army of the North Caucasus Front. The intention is to protect the approaches to Rostov and the road into the Caucasus.

Training Exercise in Egypt