Baltic Sea

The German steamer Egeran (1143t) sinks on a mine off Memel.

Diplomatic Relations

The Japanese proposals of November 20 are rejected because they 'contain some features which, in the opinion of this Government, conflict with the fundamental principles which form a part of the general settlement under consideration and to which each Government declared that it is committed.' The US does suggest 'that further effort be made to resolve our divergencies of view in regard to the practical application of the fundamental principles . . .'

Roosevelt and Hull decide to present a stiff 10-point note of final terms to the Japanese. It demands that the Japanese leave China and Indochina, recognize the Chinese Nationalist Government and withdraw from the alliance with the Axis.. The Americans promise in return to negotiate new trade and raw materials agreement.

Eastern Front

The Germans capture Klin 85 km northwest of Moscow.

The 7th Panzer Div is now at the Moscow-Volga Canal. Fierce battles rage at Istra as the 2nd SS Motorized Division Das Reich and the 10th Panzer Division attack the 78th Rifle Division in the town. The 10th Panzer is operating with just 7 tanks. The 17th Panzer Division pushes toward Kashira amid running battles with the II Cavalry Corps. In recognition of its efforts, the II Cavalry Corps is renamed the I Guards Cavalry Corps. The LIII Corps reaches the Don and encircles a Siberian division against the river near Donskoye. The isolated force continues to fight on, the LIII Corps' weakness preventing the destruction of the pocket.

France, Politics

Free France proclaims the independence of Lebanon.

North Africa

Toward the end of the day Rommel realizes that the British armor is quietly regrouping in the Sidi Rezegh area and that the New Zealand infantry are continuing to move toward Tobruk. He therefore begins to move his tank forces back in that direction.

Gen Cunningham is relieved of command of 8th Army. Auchinleck's Chief of Staff, Gen Neil Ritchie, takes over, but Auchinleck himself will take a closer interest in the tactical control of the battle.[MORE]

A British Crusader tank passes a burning German Pzkw Mk IV tank during Operation CRUSADER

British Crusader Tank Passing a Burning German Tank

Pacific

The Japanese Pearl Harbor Attack Force under the command of Vice-Adm Chuichi Nagumo leaves its bases in northern Japan (Tankan Bay in the Kurile Islands) to move to the northern Pacific in order to approach Pearl Harbor from an unexpected direction. The force consists of 6 carriers, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Akagi, Shokaku, Kogi and Soryu, 2 battleships, Hiei and Kirishima, 2 cruisers, Tone and Chikuma, 11 destroyers (Tanikaze, Urakaze, Isokaze, Hamakaze,Kasumi, Arare, Kagero, Shiranuhi, Akigumo), Ushio, Akebono), 28 submarines and 423 aircraft all observing radio silence.

Japanese Carrier Strike Force

On this day in 1941, Adm. Chuichi Nagumo leads the Japanese First Air Fleet, an aircraft carrier strike force, toward Pearl Harbor, with the understanding that should “negotiations with the United States reach a successful conclusion, the task force will immediately put about and return to the homeland.” Negotiations had been ongoing for months. Japan wanted an end to U.S. economic sanctions. The Americans wanted Japan out of China and Southeast Asia-and to repudiate the Tripartite “Axis” Pact with Germany and Italy as conditions to be met before those sanctions could be lifted. Neither side was budging. President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull were anticipating a Japanese strike as retaliation—they just didn’t know where. The Philippines, Wake Island, Midway—all were possibilities. American intelligence reports had sighted the Japanese fleet movement out from Formosa (Taiwan), apparently headed for Indochina. As a result of this “bad faith” action, President Roosevelt ordered that a conciliatory gesture of resuming monthly oil supplies for Japanese civilian needs canceled. Hull also rejected Tokyo’s “Plan B,” a temporary relaxation of the crisis, and of sanctions, but without any concessions on Japan’s part. Prime Minister Tojo considered this an ultimatum, and more or less gave up on diplomatic channels as the means of resolving the impasse. Nagumo had no experience with naval aviation, having never commanded a fleet of aircraft carriers in his life. This role was a reward for a lifetime of faithful service. Nagumo, while a man of action, did not like taking unnecessary risks—which he considered an attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor to be. But Chief of Staff Rear Adm. Isoruku Yamamoto thought differently; while also opposing war with the United States, he believed the only hope for a Japanese victory was a swift surprise attack, via carrier warfare, against the U.S. fleet. And as far as the Roosevelt War Department was concerned, if war was inevitable, it desired “that Japan commit the first overt act.”