Axis Diplomacy

Albania declares war on the US.

Battle of the Atlantic

• (11/24/41?) The British cruiser Dunedin is sunk by a U-boat, U-124, between west Africa and Brazil. 4 officers and 63 sailors are picked up by a US merchant ship. 26 officers and 392 men are lost.
• U-131 is sunk by the British destroyers Exmoor, Blankney and Stanley, the British sloop Stork, the British corvette Pentstemon and a Martlet aircraft from the British escort carrier Audacity, escorting Convoy HG-76, west of Madeira. The entire 47-man crew of the submarine are taken prisoner.

Eastern Front

In contrast to the continuing Soviet attacks on all other fronts, in the Crimea German attacks by LIV Corps begin against the fortress city of Sevastopol. The attacks will continue for about 2 weeks and force the defending garrison back to final defense lines about 8 km north of he city.

An official spokesman in Berlin admits the Germans have been surprised by the qualities of the Russian soldier. The Russian soldier will endure severe hardships and disregards loss of life.

Meretskov's Volkhov Front is officially activated. The new front consists of the 4th, 52nd, 59th and 2nd Shock Armies, the latter having only recently been raised around the core of the 26th Army. To the left of the Volkhov Front is Kurochkin's Northwest Front, deployed between Lake Ilmen and Ostashkov with the 11th Army, 34th Army, 3rd Shock Army and 4th Shock Army, the latter having been formed around the old 27th Army.

The German 11th Army resumes its assault upon Sevastopol, with supporting heavy artillery and air strikes. Although the Germans make minor gains, XXX and LIV Corps are soon bogged down in the face of Red Army firepower.

Manstein begins a new attack in the Crimea, aiming to destroy the Soviet forces isolated in Sevastopol. At 0800 hours an overwhelming artillery barrage, supported by air strikes, strike the Soviet positions. German infantry move closely behind the rolling artillery barrage, hitting the Soviet defenses hard. On the northern perimeter, the XXX Corps is pinned down in the Belbek Valley and suffers heavy casualties, while to the south the LIV Corps makes minor gains before also being halted by sustained machine-gun and artillery fire.

Germany, Policy

Hitler issues his 'Halt Order'. All German troops on the Eastern Front 'are to force to put up a fanatical resistance in their lines', even if out-flanked and cut off by the Russians. Such resistance will give time for the transport of reinforcements from Germany and the west.

Malaya

The British pull back from their main defensive position at Gurun. They will now retreat south of the Perak River fighting delaying actions on the way.

Mediterranean

• Sailing on the 16th Adm Iachino leads a force of 4 battleships, 5 cruisers and 21 destroyers whose duty it is to escort a supply convoy. The British Force K from Malta joins with Rear Adm Philip Vian's Force B from Alexandria. During the night the covering forces of the 2 convoys meet in an action known as the 1st Battle of Sirte, but the fighting is indecisive because most attention is paid to protecting the convoys.
• The Italian tanker Lina (2175t) is sunk by British bombing northwest of Tripoli.

Pacific

• The American steamer Corregidor (1881t) sinks on a mine laid by Japanese submarine I-124 in Manila Bay on the 8th. About 500 passengers and crew are lost on the ship.
• The Japanese submarine I-75 sinks the American steamer Manini (3253t) 108 miles south of Hawaii with the loss of 2 crewmen. Survivors are picked up about 10 days later by the American destroyers Allen and Patterson.

United States, Command

Adm Chester W. Nimitz is appointed to command the US Pacific Fleet relieving Adm Kimmel. It will be a few days until Nimitz can arrive in Hawaii, and Vice-Adm William S. Pye takes temporary command until he does so. Lt-Gen Delos C. Emmons becomes commanding general of the Hawaiian Department. These changes do not help with the attempts to relieve Wake which are under way.