Air Operations, CBI

• 13 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 28 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a bridge at Myittha.

• 11 Japanese bombers, escorted by 30 fighters, attack the airfield at Hengyang. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and P-38s down 5 Ki-48 'Lily' bombers and 11 of the fighters between 1020 and 1100 hours, but 2 P-40s are lost with 1 of the pilots.
• 9 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Hankow.

Air Operations, East Indies

Several 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack targets on Ceram.

Air Operations, Europe

• Bad weather halts all operations by the 15th Air Force and most scheduled by the 12th Air Force. XII Air Support Command B-25s are able to attack the landing ground, road, and rail line at Terracina.
• A-36s and P-40s bombe Itri and attack motor vehicles.

Air Operations, Marshalls

25 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands attack Emidj Island in the Jaluit Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Fighter Command P-40s dive-bomb the Bogadjim road.
• 49th Fighter Group P-40s down a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over Alexishafen and 2 G4M 'Betty' bombers over Gusap between 1030 and 1045 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• More than 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Poporang and the Kahili area.
• 8 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a supply dump at Bonis. 6 B-25s attack the Arigua Plantation on Bougainville. AirSols SBDs and fighters attack Japanese Army ground forces at Kieta and other locations on Bougainville.

Battle of the Atlantic

The German submarine U-172 is sunk in a combined operation of aircraft (VC-19) from the US escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) and the destroyers Badger (DD-126), Dupont (DD-152), Clemson (DD-186) and Ingraham (DD-694) in the mid-Atlantic area.

Diplomatic Relations

Dr Edvard Beneš visits Moscow to sign a Czech-Soviet treaty of alliance providing for post-war cooperation and mutual assistance for the duration of the war.

Dr Beneš, the Czech government-in-exile president in London, signs the Czech-Soviet Friendship Treaty in Moscow. Beneš believes that under Moscow's protection the Slavs will be safe from German aggression (something the Western Allies have hitherto been unable or unwilling to guarantee). In addition, under this 'new Slavism' Beneš hopes to transform Czechoslovakia into a homogeneous Slav national state (which will mean expelling Czechoslovakia's non-Slav nationalities). This can only be carried out with the full support of the USSR.

Germany, Command

Rommel is appointed C-in-C of 'Fortress Europe'.

Italy

The 36th Div of II Corps prepares for the final attack on the German positions on Monte Lungo near its former position on Monte Maggiore and occupies San Giacomo hill, between Monte Lungo and Monge Maggiore. Units of VI Corps are also getting ready for a general attack planned for December 15.

Mediterranean

The British destroyer Tynedale, escorting Convoy KMS-34, is sunk by U-593 northwest of Bougie, Algeria with the loss of 74 of her crew. Survivors are rescued by the British corvette Hyderabad and the rescue tug Hengist. While searching for the German submarine, the British destroyer Holcombe is also sunk by U-593. The destroyer goes down about 5 minutes northeas to of Bougie. 84 of the crew are lost; there are 80 survivors.

Pacific

The US submarine Tuna (SS-203) sinks the Japanese naval transport Tosei Maru (5484t) north of Halmahera, Dutch East Indies.

Images from December 12, 1943

British Soldiers in Rock Foxholes

US Soldier Removing German Mine

Loading a Mule in Italy

Mortar Crew on the Trail, Venafro, Italy

Australian Mortars Bombard Japanese

US and Brazilian Joint Commission

British Mortar Crew Shelling Germans

Kocevje Village in Southern Slovenia