December

1939 During their brief period of comradeship, Hitler sends Joseph Stalin a telegram wishing him a happy sixtieth birthday. 1940 The RAF attacks Berlin, inflicting only minor damage. The Admiralty decides to transfer another Battleship, HMS Malaya to Force H from the Mediterranean fleet. Again this was to be accomplished by escorting a convoy to […]

1939 The Russians cease their attacks at Summa, leaving Finnish forces in control of the whole Mannerheim defensive line, except the Oinala Bulge. Captain Langsdorff of Admiral Graf Spee commits suicide. “Let’s Help Finland” event held at Madison Square Garden, New York City. 1940 The Luftwaffe continues its attacks against British cities, this time hitting Liverpool.

1939 The Russians lose 20 tanks out of 100 as they continue to attack at Summa. Inside US territorial waters off Florida, British light cruiser Orion fires at German freighter Arauca, violating Pan-American Neutrality Zone; Arauca puts in to port at Port Everglades, FL. 1940 Mussolini requests German assistance for his hard-pressed troops in Cyrenaica, asking for a Panzer Division,

1939 First Canadian troop convoy, TC-1, arrives at Liverpool. Lavrenti Beria, head of the NKVD, orders the start of large-scale deportation of Poles to the USSR. The Finnish 40th Infantry Regiment of the Lapland Group, forces the Russian 273rd Infantry Regiment of the 9th Army to retreat at Pelkosenniemi. The RAF launch another daylight raid

1938 Italy declares the 1935 pact with France invalid, because ratifications had not been exchanged. France denies the argument. 1939 Unable to complete the repairs to the Admiral Graf Spee within 24 hours, the time limit stipulated by international law for foreign warships in neutral ports to leave and under strict orders by OKM not to

1939 Finnish ski troops fight Soviets with first use of homemade “Molotov Cocktails.” 1940 134 RAF bombers attack Mannheim in revenge for German attacks against British cities. This is the RAF’s largest attack on a single target thus far in the war. 115 German civilian’s were killed or injured and 1,266 made homeless. It is also

1938 Washington sends its fourth note to Berlin demanding amnesty for Jews. 1939 A fifth British division arrives in France. The Uruguayan government gives the Admiral of the Graf Spee 36 hours to leave harbour. The Russians launch heavy attacks against Finnish forces at Taipale. 1940 The coffin of Napoleon II is moved from Vienna

1937 The Japanese change the name of Peiping to Peking. They also begin what will be known as the Rape of Nanking, during which they massacre an estimated quarter of a million Chinese. 1939 Because of its brutal aggression against Finland, the Soviet Union is expelled from the League of Nations. 1940 Australian troops relieve

1937 The Japanese army occupies Nanking, China. 1939 In the south Atlantic, the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, fights an action against three British cruisers, HMS Achilles, HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter, which results in serious damage to both sides. HMS Exeter is rendered a blazing hulk and the Graf Spee withdraws to the neutral

1937 The Japanese fire on British and U.S. ships on the Yangtze River in China, sinking the American ship Panay. The Japanese apologize to the United States and pay reparations; the British refuse to accept any Japanese apology. 1939 Finnish have some success against Russian troops at Tolvajrvi, inflicting heavy casualties. Two German cruisers which