Air Operations, CBI
23rd Fighter Group P-40s down 2 Ki-27 'Nate' fighters near Canton, China.
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]Air Operations, New Guinea
- In an all-out effort in support of US and Australian army ground offensives, V Bomber Command B-17s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s, and V Fighter Command P-39s, P-40s, and P-400s attack targets in and around Buna and Sanananda.
- During the night, 7 V Bomber Command B-17s mount low-level attacks against a Japanese light cruiser and as many as 5 destroyers encountered in Huon Gulf between Lae and Finschhafen.
| ]Air Operations, North Africa
The RAF raids airfields at Gabes, Bizerta and Tunis.
[ | ]Air Operations, Solomons
4 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack Munda, New Georgia.
[ | ]Air Operations, Tunisia
In the course of two fighter engagements, 14th Fighter Group P-38s down 11 Axis aircraft, including 9 Italian Air Force transports downed between Gabes and Sfax at 1355 hours.
[ | ]Allied Planning
Gen Stilwell is informed by the US War Department that the United States will not be able to supply men and materials, over and above those they are already supplying, for the projected offensive for the recapture of Burma.
[ | ]Eastern Front
Von Manstein arrives at Army Group A Hq. He has been summoned south from Leningrad to restore the situation but the forces allocated to him to create Army Group Don are either practically nonexistent or shut in Stalingrad. The whole of 6th Army and most of 4th Pzr Army are surrounded, and have orders from Hitler to maintain their positions with the help of air supply. Five of seven divs of the 3rd Rumanian Army have surrendered. Almost the only significant German unit available to von Manstein is a division holding the important position at Elista which ought to be maintained as a link with Army Group A in the Caucasus. The other German Army Group commanders and the High Command cooperate with von Manstein's request for reserves only with reluctance and his buildup is, therefore, slow.
It is not at all clear to von Manstein how he should proceed even when his forces are assembled. The Soviets already have over 1,000 antitank guns in positions around Stalingrad and with such opposition a breakout may be impossible. Even if a breakout is possible von Manstein cannot be sure that it is desirable. Since the Soviets would have no need to continue to invest the city they could devote their forces to further wide encirclements, to which the Germans could be especially vulnerable with 6th Army and the relieving force concentrated at the tip of an exposed salient. In this situation the whole of von Manstein's forces and also Army Group A in the Caucasus might well be endangered. In fact this large threat will not materialize for the moment because of the more limited Soviet intentions, but it must remain in von Manstein's thoughts.
Stuka Raid in the Factory District |
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Hitler's orders to hold on to Stalingrad are based on a wild claim by Göering that Stalingrad can be supplied by air. 6th Army would need at least 700 tons of supplies each day and for this 500 planes would be necessary as well as good weather and low losses. There are 300 planes available and their airfields are in poor condition and under threat from the Soviet advance. There is no possibility of Göering keeping his promise although the attempt will be made and almost 500 planes lost before the end of the siege. They will manage to take ou 42,000 wounded men and some important specialists.
The German High Command admits that the Red Army has 'broken into our defensive fron on the Don'. In the central sector, west of Moscow, there are Soviet attacks around Rzhev and Velikiye Luki.
CENTRAL SECTORThe eve of Operation MARS, Zhukov's plan to destroy enemy forces alont the Moscow axis in the Rzhev salient (the German 9th Army). This will be no easy task, as Gen Model's 9th Army has build strong defenses around the salient and fortified all cities and towsn along the salient's edges, especially the key cities of Rzhev, Belyi and Sychevka.
Russian T-34 and German Sd.Kfz. 252 |
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Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring assures Hitler that his aircraft can supply the Stalingrad Pocket. Zeitzler does not believe this boast. Wolfram von Richtofen, commander of the 4th Air Fleet, believes it will be impossible to supply the 6th Army
he has just 298 transport aircraft for the task of landing 350 tons of supplies a day (he needs at least 500 transports.[MORE]
[ | ]New Guinea
The Japanese drive off attacks against Gona by the Australian 25th Bde. Units of the US 32nd Div push on towards Sanananda west of Gona. A co-ordinated attack is launched in the afternoon against the 'Triangle' after a brief preparation by aircraft and mortars, but the Japanese repulse it easily. There is little action in the other areas of the island.
[ | ]North Africa
LIBYARommel has reached El Agheila, All he has left is 35 tanks and the tattered remnants of 2 divisions. Yet Montgomery, now at Agedabia, less that 62 miles away, takes time
more than 3 weeks
to reorganize the 8th Army and resume the offensive. By December 13th, when the decision to attack finally comes, Rommel will already have slipped away brilliantly. Even the 8th Army GHQ admits 'The enemy has escaped with a clever withdrawal.'
TUNISIAThe British 1sh Army is ordered to advance on Tunis, with Tebourba and Mateur as their first objectives. The main body of Combat Command B, US 1st Armored Div, begins the move from Tafaraoui, Algeria, to Tunisia. The 1st Battalion of the 1st Armored Regt arrives at Bédja and is attached to Blade Force.
[ | ]Solomons
The Japanese land special units at Munda in New Georgia, west of Guadalcanal, where they intend to construct airfields. Even though the American navy is patrolling closely the Japanese manage to bring supplies to Guadalcanal by sea. Fast destroyers operating at night drop floating drums tied together with cord, near the coast, and the infantry picks them up in boats or by swimming.
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