Sunday 31 December 1939

Twenty-eight Russian planes flew over Jyväskylä and several residential buildings, the railway station and the plywood factory got hit. Air raid shelters were bombed causing 20 civilian deaths along with 25 civilians injured. Altogether 149 buildings were damaged. It was the second raid in two days. 31 December 1939.

Battle of the Atlantic: On 31 December 1939, it is time for some summing up.

For all of 1939, the totals are:

• Allied/Neutral ships lost: 225 ships, 767,358 tons
• U-boats lost: 9

For December 1939:

• 72 Allied ships 190,768 tons
• U-boats lost: 1

U-32 (Kapitänleutnant Paul Büchel) sinks the 959-ton British freighter Luna at 09:47 in the North Sea. The crew survives and is taken to Kopervik, Norway.

British freighter Box Hill hits a mine and sinks.

The German freighter Tacoma complies with the order of the Uruguayan government and moves its anchorage outside of Uruguayan waters.

The British release the US freighter Excalibur from detention at Gibraltar.

Winter War Army Operations: With Suomussalmi cleared, General Siilsavuo has his men scout out the Raate road from the parallel ice road he has had them build on Lake Voukki. They find that Soviet 44th Rifle Division is stationary and now stretches over 39 km back to the Soviet border. Captain Mäkinen of Group Kontula is blocking the road at the western end with just two machine companies, which the Soviets must believe is a far greater force because they have more than enough firepower to level the Finns there, including artillery. The Soviet armor is bunched up in front of this blockade but is immobile.

The commander of the Soviet 44th Rifle Divison, Kombrig Vinogradov, and his commissar Parhomenko both advance to the regimental headquarters (still on Soviet territory) from their position far behind the lines.

Winter War Air Operations: The Soviets once again bomb Viipuri, Helsinki and about ten other Finnish cities.

League of Nations: The British and French inform the League that they will be providing as much assistance to the Finns as they can. Many British volunteers have been sailing to Finland.

British Homefront: Also time for summing up.

For the war months September - December 1939:

• Road Deaths: 4,130
• Military Deaths (all causes): 2,511

The blackout has been murder on the highways. In addition, 15,626 people have registered as conscientious objectors.

In some rare acts of defiance, New Year's celebrants shine torches despite the blackout.

Canada: The second convoy of Canadian troops arrives at a west coast port.

German Homefront: Adolf Hitler gives a New Year's Proclamation, stating the British are "war-mongers and war-declarers" and that Germany's primary war aim is the defeat of "British tyranny.":

"We shall only talk of peace when we have won the war. The Jewish-capitalistic world will not survive the twentieth century."

He also talks about "the existence or non-existence of the German people," which strikes a somewhat equivocal tone that he has maintained since the beginning of the war.

Turkey: The death toll from the earthquake and other trauma keeps rising, this time to 30,000 people.

China: In the Chinese Winter Offensive, the Chinese East Route Force continues routing the Japanese 5th Infantry Division: it captures Kunlunkuan and Tienyin.

The River North Army of the Chinese 5th War Area retreats across the Han River.

The Japanese 21st Army advances to Yingteh against the Chinese 4th War Area.

The Chinese 2d War Area takes possession of Peishe.

Times Square, New Year's Eve 1939. "Gone With The Wind" is still the top film out and will be for some time.

December 14, 1939: Quisling Meets Hitler
December 15, 1939: Chinese Winter Offensive in High Gear
December 16, 1939: Battle of Summa
December 17, 1939: End of Admiral Graf Spee
December 18, 1939: Battle of Heligoland Bight
December 19, 1939: British Disarm Magnetic Mines
December 20, 1939: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
December 21, 1939: Finns Plan More Counterattacks
December 22, 1939: Enter Chuikov
December 23, 1939: Failed Finnish Counterattack
December 24, 1939: Soviets on the Run
December 25, 1939: Fresh Soviet Attacks
December 26, 1939: Vicious Battles at Kelja
December 27, 1939: Grinding Finnish Victories
December 28, 1939: Liberators
December 29, 1939: Finns Tighten the Noose
December 30, 1939: Finnish Booty
December 31, 1939: Planning More Soviet Destruction

January 1940

January 1, 1940: Finns Carve up the Soviets
January 2, 1940: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
January 3, 1940: Soviets Trapped
January 4, 1940: Soviet Breakout Attempts Fail
January 5, 1940: Dicing Up the Soviets
January 6, 1940: Soviet 44th Division Runs
January 7, 1940: Shakeup in Soviet High Command
January 8, 1940: Ratte Road Battle Ends
January 9, 1940: British Submarines in Peril
January 10, 1940: Mechelen Incident
January 11, 1940: Finns Surround More Soviets
January 12, 1940: New Soviet Attacks at Taipale
January 13, 1940: Fall Gelb Postponed
January 14, 1940: Japan's Government Falls
January 15, 1940: Soviets Prepare More Carefully
January 16, 1940: German Atrocities Uncovered
January 17, 1940: Bletchley Park in Action
January 18, 1940: New Hope for Allied Shipping
January 19, 1940: Finnish Attacks at Salla
January 20, 1940: Churchill Urges Cooperation
January 21, 1940: Asam Maru Incident
January 22, 1940: Dissension Within British Government
January 23, 1940: Dissension in South Africa
January 24, 1940: NKVD Blocking Detachments
January 25, 1940: Auschwitz Site Selected
January 26, 1940: Millionaire Bunker Destroyed
January 27, 1940: U-20 Sinks Four Ships
January 28, 1940: Softening Up the Finns
January 29, 1940: Moscow Willing to Talk
January 30, 1940: Hitler Throws Down the Gauntlet
January 31, 1940: Timoshenko Is Ready

2019

Friday 15 December 1939

Women wave farewell to members of the 6th Division AIF aboard troop transport ship Strathallan, December 15, 1939.

Winter War Army Operations: The Finns on 15 December 1939 have been launching attacks on Suomussalmi that the Soviets in the town have been deflecting. Today, after days of waiting, the Finns on the Ratte road are attacked from the east. Units of the Soviet 44th Rifle Division reach Battle Group Kontula, which is barricading the road. Stretched out over the road, the Soviets attempt a company-sized assault which the Finns easily brush off.

The leader of the 163rd Rifle Division in Suomussalmi knows the danger and repeatedly requests permission to withdraw. He is told to await the 44th Rifle Division. Ninth Army (KomKor M.P. Duhanov) fails to coordinate assaults from the village and the relief force. With this failed attempt, the relief attack, in fact, ends for the time being. The 44th Division itself, confined to the road, now presents a tempting target for the Finns.

At Taipale, the Soviet attacks are failing. In the far north, the Finns withdraw from Salmijaervi near the coast and blow up the nickel mines. They can easily travel off-road, the Soviets not so much.

Western Front: British 5th Division of the BEF is formed from three infantry brigades and deployed south of Lille. The British are not shielded by the Maginot Line but are constructing some of their own fortifications. The German and British lines are far apart except at Metz.

Battle of the Atlantic: Captain Langsdorff of the Admiral Graf Spee spends part of the day going to funerals for 36 of his men and ponders what to do with his ship and men. The released British sailors attend the funeral of their own volition and lay wreaths.

Langsdorff is told that he must leave within 72 hours. His men are repairing what battle damage they can, but the ship requires much more time. The British spread rumors by various means, including phony radio transmissions, suggesting that the British forces awaiting the Admiral Graf Spee are larger than they actually are. The British also play games with departures of British merchant ships, sending them out at intervals - the Admiral Graf Spee must give departing ships 24 hours head start, and the British want more time to assemble a fleet outside the Platte River estuary.

Light cruiser HMS Ajax is refueled while the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland minds the store.

U-48 (Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schultze) torpedoes and sinks the Greek freighter, Germaine, south of Ireland. Kpt. Schultze disembarks the ship before sinking it, so all of the crew survives.

US destroyers continue shadowing the German liner Columbus, which is near Key West, Florida. Two of the destroyers head off after the German freighter Arauca, which left Vera Cruz shortly before the Columbus.

The British release US freighter Exmoor from detention at Gibraltar.

German liner Columbus (Ang, Federal Archive).

British Government: Prime Minister Chamberlain visits the BEF in France with General Ismay.

Peace Talks: The Foreign Minister broadcasts an appeal to the Soviet Union to reopen negotiations, saying, "the Finns will never submit to a foreign yoke." The appeal is ignored.

China: The Chinese Winter Offensive shifts into high gear:

• Chinese 1st War Area captures Lowang railway station;
• Chinese 6th War Area (southern Hupei and western Hunan), assisting 9th War Area, unsuccessfully attacks Yuehyang and railroad station at Kaochiao approximately this date, but plays no other role in the winter offensive
• Chinese 8th War Area (Kansu, Ninghsia, Tsinghai, and Suiyuan) commences operations with 35th Army and 81st Army capturing Anpei approximately this date
• 19th Army Group of Chinese 9th War Area attacking Hsintanpu, Tongyang, and Nanliqiao
• Chinese East Hupei guerrilla forces begin nuisance raids

The Japanese throw in some counterattacks where possible:

• Japanese counterattacks against Chinese 2nd War Area
• Japanese counterattack Southern Honan Army of Chinese 5th War Area and recapture Yangliuho
• Japanese counterattack Left Flank Army of Chinese 5th War Area around Chihchengshan, forcing the Chinese to withdraw to Chikutien and Sanchingkuan
• Elements of Japanese 33rd Infantry Division and 40th Infantry Division attack Chinese 9th War Area around Shihmen and Shihpihu

Overall, the Japanese are withstanding the Chinese Winter Offense and throwing in some solid counter-punches.

American Homefront: Nylon yarn begins to be manufactured. "Gone With the Wind" premieres in Atlanta. Eurith D. Rivers, the governor of Georgia, declares December 15 a state holiday.

Atlanta premiere of "Gone With the Wind" on 15 December 1939.

December 14, 1939: Quisling Meets Hitler
December 15, 1939: Chinese Winter Offensive in High Gear
December 16, 1939: Battle of Summa
December 17, 1939: End of Admiral Graf Spee
December 18, 1939: Battle of Heligoland Bight
December 19, 1939: British Disarm Magnetic Mines
December 20, 1939: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
December 21, 1939: Finns Plan More Counterattacks
December 22, 1939: Enter Chuikov
December 23, 1939: Failed Finnish Counterattack
December 24, 1939: Soviets on the Run
December 25, 1939: Fresh Soviet Attacks
December 26, 1939: Vicious Battles at Kelja
December 27, 1939: Grinding Finnish Victories
December 28, 1939: Liberators
December 29, 1939: Finns Tighten the Noose
December 30, 1939: Finnish Booty
December 31, 1939: Planning More Soviet Destruction

2019