Air Operations, Bismarcks

31 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 9 B-26s attack the Gasmata airfield on New Britain. And in direct support of the impending Arawe landings, in the largest air operation mounted to date in the SWPA, 228 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s mount continuous attacks against Arawe-area targets between 0645 and 1548 hours. Also, Gasmata is attacked by V Bomber Command B-25s and V Fighter Command P-38s and P-39s.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Heho.

• 13 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Shasi while 2 14th Air Force P-40s strafe motor vehicles near Tengchung.

• 6 14 Air Force P-40s attack the Gia Lam airfield at Hanoi and a nearby rail yard.

Air Operations, Marshalls

16 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands attack the Maloelap Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges along the shore of the Huon Peninsula.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Sohano Island. 18 42bd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 8 AirSols fighters attack an occupied village on Buka Passage. AirSols SBDs attack antiaircraft batteries around Chabai while other AirSols fighters attack numerous targets in the Bougainville area.
• Attacking reverse-slope targets unreachable by artillery, 16 Marine Corps TBFs guided by smoke attack a 150-yard-by-50-yard area from 700 feet. Nearly 180 of 192 100-pound bombs dropped by the TBFs are credited with striking the target area, but the bombs fail to dislodge the defenders.
• A VF(N)-75 F4U night-fighter downs an A6M2-N 'Rufe' float seaplane near Cape Torokina at 2350 hours.

Eastern Front

The Russians launch the first phase of their winter offensive, although there has been no break in continuity between the autumn and winter offensives. From the Nevel salient, in the central sector, the Kalinin Front or 1st Baltic Front under Andrei I. Yeremenko advances on Vitebsk. Konev's 2nd Ukraine Front troops take Cherkassy in the south after 5 days of house-to-house fighting. 6,000 Germans are killed. The Russia7ns push on westward toward Smyela.

Continuing the counteroffensive which brought them the recapture of Korosten, the Germans take Radomyshl, east of Zhitomir.

The 1st Baltic Front attacks the 3rd Panzer Army around Nevel again. Gains are limited due to considerable German resistance, the IX Corps fighting hard to prevent any further loss of territory.

Cherkassy falls to Koroteyev's 52nd Army.

Italy

Units of the US 5th Army complete their preparations for the offensive of the 15th. The first troop movements are carried out during the night.

Images from December 14, 1943

General Douglas MacArthur Studies a Relief Map of Cape Gloucester, 14 December 1943

Gen MacArthur Studies a Map

General Montgomery cuts the tape to officially open the Bailey bridge constructed over the Sangro river, 14 December 1943.

Bailey Bridge over the Sangro River Opens

US soldiers pushing jeep out of mud in Italy on 14 December 1943

Pushing a Jeep out of Mud

British soldiers running for safety zone on Monastery Hill in Cassino, Italy on 14 December 1943

British Soldiers on Monastery Hill

Two Scottish soldiers inspect a house in Italy on 14 December 1943

Scottish Soldiers Inspect a House

A Sherman tank of 'B' Squadron, Warwickshire Yeomanry, passing Indian infantry in Frisa, 14 December 1943.

Sherman Tank in Frisa