A day defined by political turning points, naval clashes, strategic decisions in Tokyo, and major movements across the global battlefield.
1940 – Roosevelt Wins a Third Term & A Convoy Pays a Heavy Price
In the United States, history was made at the ballot box. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented
third term as President, securing 54% of the popular vote and defeating Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie.
With the world sliding deeper into conflict, American voters chose continuity and stability over change, keeping Roosevelt
at the helm during one of the most turbulent periods in modern history.
Meanwhile in the Atlantic, tragedy struck. The armed merchant cruiser HMS Jervis Bay engaged the German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer while escorting Convoy HX-84. Outgunned and hopelessly outmatched, the Jervis Bay stood its ground in a heroic last stand, buying time for the convoy to scatter. The sacrifice cost the ship and most of her crew their lives, but many merchantmen escaped—a testament to courage on a vast and unforgiving ocean.
1941 – Japan Sets the Clock Toward War
In Tokyo, Japanese leaders met in an imperial conference to finalize their war plans. A stark decision was confirmed:
if negotiations failed by early December, Japan would go to war. The deadline was set for December 1941—a date that would soon
become etched in world history.
U.S. Ambassador Joseph C. Grew sent a dire warning back to Washington, reporting that war could break out “very suddenly.”
In less than a month, the attack on Pearl Harbor would prove him right.
1942 – Pursuing Rommel & A Peace in Madagascar
Following the breakthrough at El Alamein, British forces pushed westward, striking hard at Rommel’s rearguard, now nearly
100 miles from the battlefield. The once-mighty Afrika Korps was in retreat, desperately trying to stabilize its collapsing front.
In the Indian Ocean, a different chapter of the war concluded. A peace treaty was signed in Madagascar between the Allies
and the Vichy French, ending months of conflict on the island and securing a key strategic position along vital shipping lanes.
1943 – Carrier Strikes at Rabaul & Diplomatic Theater in Tokyo
One of the most significant carrier operations of the Pacific War unfolded today. U.S. Navy aircraft launched a massive assault on
Rabaul, crippling a major Japanese cruiser force. Six enemy cruisers were so badly damaged that they were forced to withdraw
north to Truk for repairs, diminishing Japanese naval strength in the region.
In Italy, the U.S. Fifth Army continued its northward advance, reaching the banks of the Sangro River as the fighting in the
mountains intensified.
Meanwhile in Tokyo, Axis-aligned Asian leaders gathered for the Greater East Asia Conference—a propaganda-driven summit meant to
display unity among Japan’s puppet states and collaborators. Delegates included representatives from China, Thailand, Burma, India, Manchukuo,
and the Philippines. The Filipino representative urged the assembled leaders to support Japan “materially and spiritually,” highlighting the
extent of Tokyo’s influence across occupied Asia.
1944 – Breaking Canals, Landing in Greece, and Bombing Manila
A major blow was struck against Germany’s transportation network when 174 RAF Lancasters of No. 5 Group breached the
Dortmund–Ems Canal, disrupting one of the Reich’s key supply arteries.
In Greece, British forces landed at Salonika, strengthening Allied control in the region and accelerating the liberation
of the Balkans.
On the Eastern Front, the German 4th Army briefly regained ground by recapturing the town of Goldap in East Prussia—one of
the few local successes in a generally collapsing front.
In the Pacific, American airpower delivered a devastating assault on the harbour at Manila. The U.S. strike destroyed
249 Japanese aircraft, significantly weakening Japan’s ability to defend the Philippines.
Remembering November 5
From political turning points in Washington to naval heroism in the Atlantic, from strategic deadlines in Tokyo to decisive strikes across
Europe and the Pacific, November 5 highlights the interconnected nature of a global war. Each decision and battle on this date shaped the
momentum of a conflict that was still far from over.
Lest we forget.