Chronology of World War II
Tuesday, December 1, 1942
In the United States... Gasoline rationing is introduced throughout the country.
In the Mediterranean... Axis supply problems continue to Africa continue. Four Italian convoys are threatened by a British squadron of three cruisers and two destroyers. Three of the convoys are recalled. The fourth loses four freighters and one of the escorts ships. Two more of the escort ships are damaged. The British lose one destroyer in the action to air attack.
Wednesday, December 2, 1942
In New Guinea... The Australians capture a portion of the Japanese defenses at Gona. A Japanese convoy carrying reinforcements is diverted by air attacks, but manages to land its troops along the coast to the west. General Eichelberger, sent by General MacArthur to investigate the lack of progress at Buna, decides to relieve General Harding of command of the US forces there.
In the United States... The first manmade self-sustaining chain reaction is achieved in the atomic pile at Chicago University.
Thursday, December 3, 1942
In Tunisia.. Djedeida and Tebourba are captured by troops from the German 10th Panzer Division after a series of attacks.
In the Solomon Islands... Admiral Tanaka leads 10 destroyers in a supply operation to bring food to the desperate Japanese soldiers on Guadalcanal. To avoid air attacks, the cargo is dropped not landed. Only about 300 of the 1500 containers reach the Japanese forces.
Friday, December 4, 1942
Over Italy... The US 9th Air Force bombs the harbor at Naples causing damage and sinking two cruisers. First American raid on the mainland of Italy.
In Washington...US President Roosevelt receives a petition from 244 Congressman in support of the establishment of a Jewish Homeland in Palestine.
Saturday, December 5, 1942
In New Guinea... Japanese forces repel a strong US attack on their defensive positions at Buna.
Sunday, December 6, 1942
In Tunisia... Allied forces near Medjez el Bab are pushed back by renewed German attacks.
In New Guinea... US forces managed to reach the beach on the east side of Buna after heavy fighting. The Australian attack at Gona has little success. Japanese reinforcement fighting along the coast from the west make some headway.
Monday, December 7, 1942
On the Eastern Front... Soviet attacks to gain bridgehead over the River Chir threaten the airbases being used to supply General Paulus' Army trapped in front of Stalingrad. The German 11th Panzer Division stops the Soviet advance but suffers considerable losses.
In New Guinea... The Japanese counterattacks threaten the American positions. The Americans ultimately hold.
In the Solomon Islands... American PT Boats force a Japanese supply convoy to turn back before landing their supplies on Guadalcanal. The convoy is escorted by 7 destroyers led by Captain Sato.
Tuesday, December 8, 1942
In New Guinea... In yet another bloody engagement, the Japanese positions at Gona are attacked by the Australian 21st Brigade.
In Tunisia... German forces, led by General Gause capture Bizerta capture 4 French destroyers, 9 submarines and 3 other warships.
From London... The British Parliament lowers to age for conscription by six months to 18.
Wednesday, December 9, 1942
In the Solomon Islands... On Guadalcanal, General Patch's 14th Corps relieves the exhausted Marines. The Marines leave for Australia.
Thursday, December 10, 1942
In Tunisia... The German troops continue to attack Medjez el Bab, the Allies barely hold them off.
On the Eastern Front... A small German counterattack in the Rzhev area achieves little.
Friday, December 11, 1942
In the Solomon Islands... Japanese Admiral Tanaka's "Tokyo Express" again attempts the delivery of supplies to the Japanese forces on Guadalcanal. The cargo is dropped over board and only 1/4 of it reaches the troops on shore. Machine gun fire from US PT boats sinks much of it. One of the Japanese destroyers is sunk by the defenders as well.
In North Africa... The British 8th Army begins to advance after a halt for resupply and reorganization.
Saturday, December 12, 1942
On the Eastern Front... Operation Winter Storm. German Field Marshal Manstein begins his attack to relieve the forces in the Stalingrad pocket in the south near Kotelnikovo. His forces are comprised of 13 divisions including 3 panzer units. The Soviet 51st Army is defending the area. Farther north the German forces have fought to within 25 miles of the trapped 6th Army, they will get no closer. Once the attack begins, the Soviets quickly move the 2nd Guards Army to take up positions on the Myshova River, however it takes several days for them to arrive and the 51st holds off the German attack alone.
In Tunisia... Four ships are sunk in the Algiers Harbor by Italian midget submarines. Heavy fighting continues near Medjez el Bab.
Sunday, December 13, 1942
In North Africa... Libya, The British 8th Army captures Mersa Brega. Rommel begins to withdraw from the El Agheila position.
Over Tunisia... US air forces stage heavy raids on Bizerta and Tunis.
Monday, December 14, 1942
On the Eastern Front... Manstein's relieving attack toward Stalingrad is still making good progress. The Luftwaffe manages to drop 180 tons of supplies to the trapped army, the largest single amount to be dropped on any day until the army's surrender.
In North Africa... Libya, The German position at the El Agheila line is attacked by 7th Armored Division. The New Zealanders attempt an outflanking maneuver.
In New Guinea... Japanese reinforcement land about 30 miles west of Gona and begin marching toward the Australian flank. In Buna, the American's take the village, but the Japanese still hold the well fortified Government Station.
On Madagascar... British Foreign Minister Anthony Eden and Free French Leader de Gaulle agree that the administration of the captured French colony should be done by the Free French. General Gentilhomme is appointed High Commissioner.
Tuesday, December 15, 1942
In the Solomon Islands... Admiral Tanaka's supply flotilla begins missions to aid the building of an airfield on New Georgia to support the Japanese positions on Guadalcanal.
Wednesday, December 16, 1942
On the Eastern Front... Soviet begin Operation Saturn, the next phase in the their winter offensive, even though the German drive toward Stalingrad is advancing albeit slowly. The Soviet attack focuses on the Italian 8th Army on the middle of the Don River. The Italian force is almost immediately overrun. There are also Soviet attacks along the Chir River, against Army Detachment Hollidt. The continued attack towards Stalingrad by the Germans is going well, but the concern is now that the Soviet breakthrough will lead to a wider encirclement.
In North Africa... In response to the progress of the New Zealanders to the rear of the Axis forces at El Agheila, in Libya, they split into small groups to withdraw.
In the Solomon Islands... Admiral Tanaka's supply run is attacked again, US dive bombers sink the destroyer Kagero off Guadalcanal. On land, US troops move on Mount Austen.
In Burma... In the Arakan Valley, the British have assembled two brigades to attack the Japanese between Maungda and Buthidaung. The Japanese withdraw before the attack to a more defensible position between Guedauk and Kondan.
Thursday, December 17, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Volga freezes enabling the Soviets to easily send supplies to the 62nd Army at Stalingrad. German General Hoth's attacks toward the city still making progress. His leading tank units have now reached the Aksai River.
In North Africa... Rommel leaves a rearguard to cove his main forces while they consolidate at Buerat.
In Tunisia... Heavy US air attacks continue on Tunis and Gabes and other German air bases.
Friday, December 18, 1942
In New Guinea... Cape Endiadere is taken by the Allies. Australian troops have newly arrived tank support against the Japanese positions.
In North Africa... There is an brisk engagement at Nofilia.
Saturday, December 19, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Soviets take Kontemirovka. The Italian 8th Army is almost completely decimated. Manstein orders General Paulus to attempt to breakout of the encirclement. General Schmidt, his chief of staff, an ardent Nazi convinces General Paulus, not to disobey Hitler's orders. General Hoth's attack towards Stalingrad slows near the Myshkova River.
In the Solomon Islands... On Guadalcanal, US forces on Mount Austen meet heavy resistance.
Sunday, December 20, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Soviets have reached nearly to Millerovo, 60 miles north east of Voroshilovgrad. The Rostov-Voronezh railway is retaken and pressure is being brought to bear on Army Detachment Hollidt, the northern wing of Manstein's force. Manstein asks Zeitzler at OKH to arrange for a breakout by Paulus. Zietzler gives little help. Paulus pleads that he is now so short of fuel that cannot attempt the breakout.
Monday, December 21, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Red Army makes a deep advance with the troops of General Golikov's Voronezh Front. Manstein appeals to Hitler to order Paulus to breakout, but Hitler refuses citing Paulus report of a fuel shortage.
In Burma... British troop advancing toward Akyab capture Alethangyaw.
Tuesday, December 22, 1942
In Burma... General Lloyd, commanding British 14th Indian Division, orders his 47th Indian Brigade to advance down both sides of the Mayu Peninsula while 123rd Brigade is sent to Rathedaung.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet advances continue rapidly. They retake several towns including Morozovsk, Nikolkoe and Fydorovka.
In Tunisia... The British 5th Corps of 1st Army begin an attack just north of Medjez el Bab. There is fierce fighting around Longstop Hill.
Wednesday, December 23, 1942
On the Eastern Front... While Manstein continues to fight to get Paulus to breakout, Hoth has been battling forward. He cannot however breach the defenses at Myshkova River.
Thursday, December 24, 1942
In New Guinea... The Allied forces break the new defensive position of the Japanese near Buna with heavy casualties.
In Burma... Japanese advances in the two areas of the Chin Hills are repelled by Allied troops.
On the Eastern Front... The Soviet drive Hoth back. Despite stubborn resistance, Generalovsky is retaken. In Stalingrad, fresh forces attached to 62nd Army retake the Red October Factory.
In Free French North Africa... Admiral Darlan is shot by Bonnier de la Chapelle who supports both royalist and Gaullist policies.
In Tunisia.. The fighting continues. Longstop Hill is taken once again by British forces.
Friday, December 25, 1942
In New Britain... The Japanese base at Rabaul is attacked by bombers from Guadalcanal.
In North Africa... Libya, The Axis garrison of Sirte withdraws.
In Tunisia... German forces retake Longstop Hill.
In Burma...Patrols from the 123rd Brigade reach Rathedaung and report that the Japanese have evacuated. This is not the case and actually Japanese reinforcements are on the way.
Saturday, December 26, 1942
On the Eastern Front... Manstein's forces are in full retreat south the Don River, the Soviet advance nears Kotelnikovo.
In Free French North Africa... General Giraud is chose as French High Commissioner. Admrial Darlan's assassin is executed.
Sunday, December 27, 1942
In the Occupied Soviet Union... Captured Soviet general, Vlasov, forms the Smolensk committee to organize opponents of Stalin under German auspices. This group will later be known as the Russian Liberation Army.
In the Solomon Island... On Guadalcanal, US attacks on Mount Austen renew. Attacking troops from the 132nd Infantry regiment, suffer heavy loses and make no real gains despite a heavy artillery barrage prior to the attack.
On the Eastern Front... The Soviet continue to advance on the Stalingrad fronts. They are also on the offensive in the Caucasus. In the area around Nalchik, six armies under the command of Maslennikov and Tyulenev are attacking. German General von Kleist is beginning to withdraw fearful of encirclement if the armies of the Stalingrad Front reach Rostov to the north.
In Burma... Part of the 123rd Indian Brigade tries to occupy Rathedaung but is thrown back.
Monday, December 28, 1942
In Washington... US President Roosevelt confirms the policy of non cooperation with the British that his advisors have been recommending. He orders than no information be given to British scientists unless it is in a area in which they are directly working. The British are upset at the decision.
In Vichy France... Marshal Petain announces that the Free French have betrayed French North Africa to the British and the Americans.
Tuesday, December 29, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Soviets recapture Kotelnikovo after heavy fighting and continue to make advances along the front.
In North Africa... The advance elements of the British 8th Army halt before Axis positions at Buerat.
Wednesday, December 30, 1942
On the Eastern Front... The Soviets retake Remontnoe, 40 miles northwest of Elista.
In the Arctic... The Battle of the Barents Sea. German Admiral Kummetz sets sail from bases northern Norway with the pocket battleship Lutzow, the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper and six destroyers to an effort to intercept the Arctic convoy JW-51B. The British convoy escort includes seven destroyers and five other warships under Captain Sherbrooke. There is a covering force of two light cruisers and two destroyers led by Admiral Burnett. The British battleship Anson and an escort, commanded by Admiral Fraser, is also in the area but is forbidden to risk air attack near Norway.
Thursday, December 31, 1942
In the Arctic... The Battle of the Barents Sea. The Admiral Hipper and Lutzow approach the convoy independently. The British convoy escort, under Captain Sherbrooke use smoke screens and the threat of torpedo attack to keep the German vessels at an ineffective distance. One British destroyer is sunk and one is severely damaged. Admiral Burnett's cruisers intervene during the third interception attempt by the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, damaging the ship and sinking a German destroyer. The German force then withdraws. They have been hampered by instructions to not risk serious damage to their ships and have consequently lacked initiative.
On the Eastern Front... Troops of the Soviet 5th Shock Army, driving southwest from Nizhne Chirskaya, push the Germans from Tormosin. Army Detachment Hollidt, covering this frontage, is incapable of halting such attacks.
In Tokyo... The Japanese High Command decides to evacuate Guadalcanal in the Soloman Islands.
In North Africa... A Free French force under General Leclerc advances from Chad into the South Fezzan in Libya. They intend to continue pushing north to link up with the British 8th Army.
Copyright © 2018 Ralph Zuljan