Tuesday 9 December 1941

A staff member at the Japanese Consulate in Chicago is startled by a visitor on the morning of 9 December 1941. He is helping to destroy or remove documents, with most confidential papers already having been destroyed. As the United States and the Empire of Japan are now in a state of war, all diplomats are to be returned unharmed to their own countries.

Eastern Front: The Soviet offensive and German withdrawals accelerate on 9 December 1941. South of Moscow, General Heinz Guderian is trying to get his exposed 2nd Panzer Army west from Tula, but supply difficulties are exacerbating the process. Army Group Center has promised to fly in gasoline and diesel oil, but the planes are diverted to Third Panzer Army in the northwest sector around Moscow. In frustration, Guderian calls up Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, commander of Army Group Center, and asks pointedly whether the OKH and OKW commands are being given accurate information about the situation - the clear implication being that von Bock may be painting too rosy a picture of the seriousness of the situation. For the first time, Guderian also hints darkly at a much deeper problem among the men, namely, morale problems. The men, he hints, are wondering if they are being led by fools. These insinuations, of course, are all directed at von Bock.

Japanese soldiers enter the International Settlement at Shanghai, 9 December 1941. Their mission is to intern enemy aliens (CSUN).

Von Bock is becoming anxious, too. South of Guderian's position, Second Army begins extricating itself as well, giving up Yelets. He telephones General Franz Halder, chief of OKH operations, and demands reinforcements. The manpower shortage has become so acute, von Bock complains, that he has had to convert everyone except tank drivers into the infantry. While giving cooks and supply officers rifles may help in the short term, he points out that large sections of the front are held by isolated strongpoints with nothing behind them. The call degenerates into a virtual shouting match, with Halder claiming that the Soviets will soon run out of men themselves, von Bock replying that "By then, the army group will be kaputt!" and Halder lamely responding, "The German soldier does not go kaputt." The call winds up with Halder promising to send "whatever small reserves [that can] be scraped together."

US airfields across the country take precautions to avoid disasters similar to those in Pearl Harbor, where rows of aircraft were easily destroyed because they were tightly packed together. "Planes and other equipment at the Naval Air Station at Quonset Point are dispersed in case of a surprise enemy attack, on December 9, 1941, taking a lesson from the attack on Pearl Harbor." (Naval History and Heritage Command).

The situation around Moscow presents no good options. In his orders to the army commands, von Bock points out that simply withdrawing and making "an excursion into nowhere" will not provide any more safety. He does, however, authorize a retreat of between 60 and 90 miles a new line running from Rzhev to Gzhatsk and through Orel to Kurk. Field Marshal Günther von Kluge, commander of 4th Army which is positioned directly to the west of Moscow, points out to von Bock that even this retreat will only delay Soviet attacks for a few days. In despair, von Bock tells von Kluge:

I am at the point of sending the Fuehrer a personal telegram telling him that I am confronted with decisions here that go far beyond the military.

By this, von Bock may mean a retreat such as Napoleon's army undertook in 1812 which destroyed the French Army.

Aerial view of the hangar area at Kaneohe Bay, Oahu on 9 December 1941. This view is to the southeast, roughly the direction that the attackers would have taken. US Naval Historical Center.

The Soviets, meanwhile, are sending trainloads of fresh soldiers from their reserves straight to the front. The Stavka, however, is not pleased with their performance. The West Front on the high road to Moscow issues a pointed directive on 9 December:

Some of our units are pushing the enemy back frontally instead of going around him and encircling him. Instead of breaking through the enemy's fortifications, they stand before them and complain about problems and heavy losses. These negative modes of operations give the enemy the chance to redeploy to new lines, regroup, and organize resistance anew.

Both sides, thus, are beginning to complain about their soldiers being insufficiently stoic, a reflection of the truly brutal conditions everyone is facing in the snow and frost.

The New York Times on 9 December 1941 attempts to cover events far away with lots of strong rhetoric but very few accurate details of what is going on. Events at Pearl Harbor are still murky and only the loss of one battleship is claimed. Heroic headlines such as "Fleet now is fighting" reflect more wishful thinking and rumors than reality. The US Fleet has not attacked the Japanese main strike force, Kido Butai, at all and does not even know where it is.

Battle of the Pacific: The Japanese begin operating fighters out of airfields at Singora and Patani, Thailand. These are meant to cover the advance down the Malay Peninsula toward Singapore. The RAF attempts a raid on Singora from RAF Butterworth, but Japanese Zeros are waiting and shoot down all of the bombers as they are taking off except for one. That lone bomber, a Bristol Blenheim that is flown by No. 62 squadron leader Arthur Scarf, continues on its mission despite numerous attacks and bombs the target. Squadron Leader Scarf is mortally wounded during the return flight but still manages to crash-land his Blenheim at Alor Star without injury to any of his crewmen. Arthur Scarf dies two hours later. He later is awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, and two of his crewmen also are decorated for the mission. Arthur Scarf's VC is on display at the Royal Air Museum in London.

"Aerial view of the hangar area of the U.S. Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii on 9 December 1941, two days after the Japanese air attack destroyed nearly all of the station's patrol planes. Note the wrecked hangar in the center. There are at least six Consolidated PBY "Catalina" flying boats on the ramp and around the hangars. In the right foreground is a pile of PBY´s wrecked during the attack." The devastation is so bad in Hawaii and information so scant that US Army Air Force aerial reconnaissance is necessary just to find out what happened. Normally, you would do this only after you attack someone else's base. Some planes are intact because they were on patrol. National Archives.

Battle of the Mediterranean: The Axis forces continue to retreat from the Tobruk area. The Italian Bologna Division which holds a key strongpoint on the southern end of the Tobruk perimeter is sent some trucks which enable most of the men to escape west in the early morning hours. Their departure confirms the full relief of Tobruk as a result of Operation Crusader. Both sides have suffered heavy losses, but the British have regained the initiative in North Africa. General Rommel is setting up a new line anchored on Gazala while the British begin reorienting troops and commands for a continued advance to the west.

The 9 December 1941 Manchester Guardian publishes a helpful map for readers who are unfamiliar with all the strange places from the Pacific Ocean that are suddenly in the news. The map shows distances from Pearl Harbor to the Panama Canal, San Fransisco, and elsewhere. The newspaper's lead opens with, "Japan could not have invented a plan of attack better calculated to unify the United States and turn it overnight into a determined fighting nation. "

Special Operations: The British send No. 6 Commando and No. 12 Commando, along with attached Norwegian troops, on a special mission against the town of Florø on the island of Florelandet in Norway (the country's westernmost town). However, the mission, Operation Kitbag, turns into a major embarrassment. First, some soldiers prime their grenades improperly, causing an explosion that kills six men aboard HMS Prince Charles. Then, the ship's commander cannot even find the proper fjord (between the Botnafjorden and Solheimsfjorden). The ship turns around and returns to port, the mission canceled. This illustrates the difficulties of such operations and the need for better preparation.

In its 9 December 1941 edition, the NY Times notes with approval that "President's Power Greatly Enlarged."

American Homefront: The nation is still stunned by the attack on Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt gives a fireside chat that publicizes the declaration of war against the Empire of Japan. Ordinary men flock to enlistment centers, including future Hall of Famer Cleveland Indians pitching ace Robert "Bob" Feller. Feller becomes the first American professional athlete to enlist. He demands to go into combat despite an exemption due to his father's ill health and ultimately is assigned to the USS Alabama. Among the battles that Feller participates in are the Battle of Tarawa and the Battle of the Philippines Sea. Bob Feller later resumes his pitching career with great success and passes away on 15 December 2010.

With little information flowing about the newly declared war, newspapers across the country print rumors instead. The 9 December 1941 Albany, New York Times Union, for instance, trumpets a supposed Japanese air raid on San Francisco that never happened. However, to be fair, they are just reprinting and in some cases expanding upon inaccurate stories from elsewhere that nobody is in a position to refute except the US government - and it doesn't have a clear view of the picture yet, either. So, inaccurate rumors compound upon rumors.

Future History: Lloyd Vernet Bridges III is born in Los Angeles, California. He is nicknamed "Beau" by his parents, the famous actors Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Bridges, after the son of character Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With The Wind" (1939). Beau Bridges follows in the footsteps of his parents and becomes an actor, getting his first film role in "Force of Evil" (1948), and goes on to a very successful film career of his own. As of 2019, Beau Bridges remains a force in the entertainment industry.

Blackouts and curfews are imposed all along the US west coast. Here, a newsroom in San Francisco operates in the dark (in more ways than one) during the blackout on 9 December 1941.

December 1941

December 1, 1941: Hitler Fires von Rundstedt
December 2, 1941: Climb Mount Niitaka
December 3, 1941: Hints of Trouble in the Pacific
December 4, 1941: Soviets Plan Counteroffensive
December 5, 1941: Soviets Counterattack at Kalinin
December 6, 1941: Soviet Counterattack at Moscow Broadens
December 7, 1941: Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor
December 8, 1941: US Enters World War II
December 9, 1941: German Retreat At Moscow
December 10, 1941: HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse Sunk
December 11, 1941: Hitler Declares War on US
December 12, 1941: Japanese in Burma
December 13, 1941: Battle of Cape Bon
December 14, 1941: Hitler Forbids Withdrawals
December 15, 1941: The Liepaja Massacre
December 16, 1941: Japan Invades Borneo
December 17, 1941: US Military Shakeup
December 18, 1941: Hitler Lays Down the Law
December 19, 1941: Brauchitsch Goes Home
December 20, 1941: Flying Tigers in Action
December 21, 1941: The Bogdanovka Massacre
December 22, 1941: Major Japanese Landings North of Manila
December 23, 1941: Wake Island Falls to Japan
December 24, 1941: Atrocities in Hong Kong
December 25, 1941: Japan Takes Hong Kong
December 26, 1941: Soviets Land in the Crimea
December 27, 1941: Commandos Raid Norway
December 28, 1941: Operation Anthropoid Begins
December 29, 1941: Soviet Landings at Feodosia
December 30, 1941: Race for Bataan
December 31, 1941: Nimitz in Charge

2020

Saturday 22 November 1941

A German tank destroyer in the center of Rostov, 22 November 1941 (AP Photo).

Eastern Front: The Germans now are in possession of Rostov-on-Don, one of the key objectives set forth for Operation Barbarossa in 1941. This should be cause for celebration at the Fuehrer Headquarters in East Prussia on 22 November 1941. However, behind the scenes, Adolf Hitler is growing increasingly agitated at the army's handling of operations. The success of the entire 1941 campaign depends upon holding Rostov and other key objectives, and there are growing signs that these accomplishments may be in serious jeopardy.

"A Bedford OYD truck loaded with troops going through barbed wire into Libya in the Western Desert, 22 November 1941." The border between Egypt and Libya is denoted by this wire, so "crossing the wire" means entering the combat zone. © IWM (E 6686).

Superficially, the situation on the ground in Russia does appear successful for the Germans. As General Franz Halder, chief of the Oberkommando des Heeres staff (OKH, Army High Command), writes in his war diary:

Rostov is in our hands. All bridges are reported destroyed except one that leads across the island south of the eastern part of the city. The Russians withdrew across the frozen river. On the southern bank [are] new Russian forces (two Cavalry Divisions).

However, the Wehrmacht had to exert a massive effort to reach this gateway to the Caucasus and, as Halder notes, the Red Army is bringing in reinforcements. As Halder further notes:

North of Rostov, First Panzer Army was forced into the defense by the Russian attack with superior forces and will have a hard time seeing it through. The measures instituted are well taken and promise to be successful. However, after First Panzer Army has disposed of the attacker, it probably would be too much to expect it to clear the enemy out of the Donets bend with what is left of its forces.

The bottom line is that, glorious as the capture of Rostov is, the situation is extremely tenuous.

Ship sponsor Miss Hilda Ward, daughter of the ship's namesake Rear Admiral Aaron Ward, christens destroyer USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) during the launch ceremony on 22 November 1941.

In fact, serious doubts are creeping into the rosy picture at the highest levels of the Wehrmacht. Halder indicates some dissatisfaction with the generals at the front cooperating towards the greater good:

Despite all efforts of the Army Group to get Sixth Army moving there are no signs of an attack or initiation of the transfer of the divisions destined for First Panzer Army [which is trying to hold Rostov]. The consequence is that the enemy is withdrawing forces fronting this passive Army to commit them against the First Panzer Army.

Adolf Hitler is taking an increasingly close eye on developments at the front, and Field Marshal Keitel reports that the Fuehrer is "in a state again." As Halder records in his diary, one of the issues is General von Kleist, whose 1st Panzer Army forces hold Rostov.

OKW is worried about Kleist. Fuehrer discusses lateral shifting of forces within the Seventeenth Army in order to help IV Corps get ahead so as to relieve Kleist. Sector boundaries between Kleist, Hoth, and Reichenau must not be allowed to interfere.

The seriousness of the situation is highlighted by the fact that Halder returns to it several times in his diary. Obviously, Kleist's situation is a topic of major discussion throughout the day. OKW Headquarters definitely recognizes the problem, Halder emphasizes:

Kleist's Army is in serious trouble and no one does anything to help him. The Army Group has been ordered to report what steps have been taken (shifting of forces of Seventeenth Army on the baseline to IV Corps, getting on the move Sixth Army and anything else that is available, especially Assault Guns.

Such repeated hand-wringing by Halder is unusual and likely a sign that everyone knows this is the Fuehrer's main concern today. The bottom line is that, glorious as the capture of Rostov is, the vulnerabilities of the Wehrmacht's position and even the possible loss of the strategic initiative are beginning to take center stage.

Royal Navy warships at Hvalfjord, Iceland sometime between 20 to 22 November 1941. The photo is taken aboard Tribal class destroyer HMS Ashanti. "Front to back: HMS ORIBI, HMS OFFA, and in the distance, HMS VICTORIOUS." © IWM (A 6598).

Battle of the Mediterranean: The British offensive in North Africa, Operation Crusader, continues with mixed success. Today is the "Battle of the Omars" due to much of the fighting taking place near Sidi Omar. A British breakout from Tobruk has been stopped by Italian defenders who are showing their mettle. The Italians hold strong points "Tugun" and "Dalby Square" by using a superior position on nearby heights to devastate attacking British tanks and reduce one British company to 33 men of all ranks. The Italian Army shows on 22 November 1941 that, properly armed and positioned, they can be a tremendous asset to the Axis despite all the negative publicity they receive. Coming up from the south, General Scobie's Eighth Army, led by the 2nd York and Lancaster Regiment, does make some progress and takes strong point "Tiger." However, these British forces also continue to be unable to make a clean breakthrough against the Italian and German forces who have the advantage of prepared defensive positions. The two sides are grappling fiercely, "in the clinch," and it remains unclear who will win.

Werner Mölders, KIA 22 November 1941.

German Military: Oberst (Colonel) Werner Mölders, Inspector of Fighters and, quite possibly, the greatest ace of all time, perishes in an air crash at Breslau while his plane tries to land during a thunderstorm. Mölders is just a passenger in the Heinkel He 11 of Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke" as he flies to attend the funeral of General Ernst Udet in Berlin. The event is a visceral shock that reverberates throughout the Luftwaffe, as Mölders is honestly liked and respected by the rank and file both for his attitude and for having over 100 victories. A state funeral is planned for 28 November 1941. Within hours, Mölders' old unit, Jagdgeschwader 51, is renamed "Mölders" in his honor. Werner Mölders, respected for his pure skill and expertise regardless of politics, will be honored in numerous ways during the post-war years. Some of those honors remain in the 21st Century despite efforts to reverse them, including the naming of the street "Möldersstraße" in Geilenkirchen and Ingolstadt. Colonel Mölders' grave at The Invalidenfriedhof has been restored after being destroyed by the East German government for political reasons.

The USS Aaron Ward just after her launching on 22 November 1941 (US Navy). She sank 7 April 1943 in a shoal near Tinete Point of Nggela Sule, the Solomon Islands during Operation I-Go. Her wreck was rediscovered on 4 September 1994.

November 1941

November 1, 1941: Finns Attack Toward Murmansk Railway
November 2, 1941: Manstein Isolates Sevastopol
November 3, 1941: Japan Prepares to Attack
November 4, 1941: German Advances in the South
November 5, 1941: Last Peace Effort By Japan
November 6, 1941: Stalin Casts Blame in an Unexpected Direction
November 7, 1941: Stalin's Big Parade
November 8, 1941: Germans Take Tikhvin
November 9, 1941: Duisburg Convoy Destruction
November 10, 1941: Manstein Attacks Sevastopol
November 11, 1941: Finland's Double Game Erupts
November 12, 1941: T-34 Tanks Take Charge
November 13, 1941: German Orsha Conference
November 14, 1941: German Supply Network Breaking Down
November 15, 1941: Operation Typhoon Resumes
November 16, 1941: Manstein Captures Kerch
November 17, 1941: Finland Halts Operations
November 18, 1941: British Operation Crusader
November 19, 1941: Sydney vs. Kormoran Duel
November 20, 1941: The US Rejects Final Japanese Demand
November 21, 1941: Germans Take Rostov
November 22, 1941: Kleist in Trouble at Rostov
November 23, 1941: Germans Take Klin, Huge Battle in North Africa
November 24, 1941: Rommel Counterattacks
November 25, 1941: HMS Barham Sunk
November 26, 1941: Japanese Fleet Sails
November 27, 1941: British Relieve Tobruk
November 28, 1941: Rostov Evacuated, German Closest Approach to Moscow
November 29, 1941: Hitler Furious About Retreat
November 30, 1941: Japan Sets the Date for its Attack

2020

Saturday 15 November 1941

A Soviet Red Army bayonet attack on the outskirts of Moscow on 15 November 1941.

Eastern Front: Two days after General Franz Halder at the Orsha Conference directed the Eastern Front generals to continue attacking toward Moscow despite the deteriorating weather conditions, the Wehrmacht resumes Operation Typhoon on 15 November 1941. This offensive is not one that the generals at the front particularly wanted to mount, but they had no say in the matter. The weather is affecting both sides, but the Soviet troops are more accustomed to the climate than the invading Germans, who have never encountered conditions like the fall Rasputitsa and whose equipment is not designed for frigid weather. In addition, the German soldiers do not have adequate winter clothing and many are succumbing to frostbite. The push toward Moscow is taking on a desperate air as the city promises warm accommodations and a defensible perimeter compared to camping out in the surrounding forests and fields. However, at least the ground has frozen which enables the panzers to move again. For better or worse, the hour of decision is at hand.

Civilians digging ditches in Moscow, 15 November 1941.

The Germans continue their attack on Moscow today from three directions: west, northwest, and south. The plan is that General Guderian's Panzer Army 2 will finally conquer and/or bypass Tula and pose a real threat from the south while Field Marshal von Bock's forces continue along the Smolensk and Leningrad highways. The Red Army, for its part, has had time to reinforce all three avenues of attack and is throwing in some spoiling attacks of its own in order to disrupt the Germans' plans.

Water-cooled machine guns just arrived from the USA under lend-lease are checked at an ordnance depot in England, November 1941 (FDR Presidential Library Photograph Collection. NPx # 65694(15)).

The offensive resumes with some successes but also some disappointments. One of the many problems for the Germans is that they have sustained heavy battle losses just getting into a position to attack Moscow. South of the city, Kampf Gruppe (battlegroup) Eberbach has never really had a break in the fighting and it is now down to 50 "runners" (usable panzers). Because Guderian has concentrated virtually all of his army's panzers into Colonel Eberbach's unit, he has no reserve to reinforce the attack. Eberbach's panzers are close to encircling Tula and controlling the Elets-Moscow highway, but the Red Army has enough forces at hand to prevent this. Today's action brings the Germans no closer to a breakout.

A marriage in Bath, from the 15 November 1941 Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.

On the northwest axis, Ninth Army puts its troops in motion south of Kalinin and, according to General Halder in his war diary, "experiences something new in this war." An infantry corps that is not tasked with a key role advances and finds the Soviet Thirtieth Army not offering any resistance at all. It retreats without firing more than a perfunctory shot or two. Everyone on the German side is elated and, not for the first time nor the last time, thinks that the final collapse of the Red Army may be at hand. Field Marshal von Bock quickly plans to add Panzer Army 3 and Panzer Army 4 to the general offensive on the 16th.

Burial of Swedish cadet Bengt Hans Borje on 15 November 1941.

Much further south in the Crimea, General von Manstein's 11th Army is encountering fanatical resistance in its attempt to capture Sevastopol along the southern coast road. On 15 November, the Soviet 514th Regiment loses 400 men, with other units taking heavy casualties as well. General Petrov, in charge of the defense, comments on the 15th:

The situation at Balaklava has become critical. The enemy has seized Height 212.1, the last before Balaklava. We must recapture the heights, for they are key positions on this axis. Should we succeed, then the entire enemy grouping in the area of Balaklava will fall into a trap. At the same time, we [must] reinforce the defense of the whole southern sector. In addition, we must attack the enemy's flank.

Petrov plans his counterattacks, but they are going to take several days to prepare, and it is unclear if his troops can prevent a breakthrough into the port itself in the south. If they can, though, there is the possibility that operations on both sides will die down during the worst winter months and leave the Soviets in possession of Sevastopol until the spring.

Reich Commissioner for Ostland Hinrich Lohse.

Holocaust: Reich Commissioner for Ostland Hinrich Lohse writes to Alfred Rosenberg, Reich Minister for Eastern Territories, about his recent activities.

I stopped the wild shootings of Jews in Libau because it was done in an irresponsible manner. I must ask if your inquiry from October 31 is to be interpreted to mean that all Jews in the East should be liquidated? Should this occur without regard to age, gender, and economic considerations?...  

The elimination of Jews from the East is of course an urgent mission, but their liquidation must surely be reconciled with the necessities of the war economy.

Rosenberg does indeed "mean that all Jews in the East should be liquidated," as shall become clear soon enough.

The Daily Express of 15 November 1941 notes in its main headline that "Ark Royal Went Down 'Like a Gentleman.'" Aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal sank on 14 November 1941 after being torpedoed in the Mediterranean near Gibraltar by U-81.

In summary, 15 November 1941 is a mixed day for both sides on the Eastern Front. The German attacks gain some ground in some places but not in others. However, the Wehrmacht is not just fighting the Red Army, it also is fighting the weather, and that battle is going poorly and getting worse all the time. There also are portents of sinister things to come in 1942 and beyond.

Il Dramma, 15 November 1941.

November 1941
November 1, 1941: Finns Attack Toward Murmansk Railway
November 2, 1941: Manstein Isolates Sevastopol
November 3, 1941: Japan Prepares to Attack
November 4, 1941: German Advances in the South
November 5, 1941: Last Peace Effort By Japan
November 6, 1941: Stalin Casts Blame in an Unexpected Direction
November 7, 1941: Stalin's Big Parade
November 8, 1941: Germans Take Tikhvin
November 9, 1941: Duisburg Convoy Destruction
November 10, 1941: Manstein Attacks Sevastopol
November 11, 1941: Finland's Double Game Erupts
November 12, 1941: T-34 Tanks Take Charge
November 13, 1941: German Orsha Conference
November 14, 1941: German Supply Network Breaking Down
November 15, 1941: Operation Typhoon Resumes
November 16, 1941: Manstein Captures Kerch
November 17, 1941: Finland Halts Operations
November 18, 1941: British Operation Crusader
November 19, 1941: Sydney vs. Kormoran Duel
November 20, 1941: The US Rejects Final Japanese Demand
November 21, 1941: Germans Take Rostov
November 22, 1941: Kleist in Trouble at Rostov
November 23, 1941: Germans Take Klin, Huge Battle in North Africa
November 24, 1941: Rommel Counterattacks
November 25, 1941: HMS Barham Sunk
November 26, 1941: Japanese Fleet Sails
November 27, 1941: British Relieve Tobruk
November 28, 1941: Rostov Evacuated, German Closest Approach to Moscow
November 29, 1941: Hitler Furious About Retreat
November 30, 1941: Japan Sets the Date for its Attack

2020

Thursday 13 November 1941

"HMS ARK ROYAL after she had been hit, listing heavily to starboard. Fairey Albacore aircraft are seen on the flight deck." Ark Royal was torpedoed by U-81 (Kptlt. Friedrich Guggenberger) near Gibraltar on 13 November 1941. Ark Royal eventually sinks on the morning of 14 November 1941. © IWM (A 6336).

Eastern Front: It is decision time on the Eastern Front on 13 November 1941. Winter is setting in, and the Wehrmacht is still over 100 kilometers from Moscow, its current Operation Typhoon objective. During the summer there did not seem to be any time pressure, but now there is because winter is closing in. The Germany Army retains the initiative, but it is unprepared for winter combat. There is no antifreeze for the vehicles, meaning they must be run virtually continually, putting a strain on men and machines and also letting the Red Army know the Germans' exact positions. The men are getting frostbite in the -22° C weather dark summer uniforms make everyone a target against the snowy backdrop. The time has come to halt operations and dig in to await the spring - or has it? Army Chief of Staff General Franz Halder calls the chiefs of staff of the three army groups to Orsha to tell them what the high command has decided.

Canadian troops arriving at Gourock, 13 November 1941 (© IWM (A 6363)).

The meeting is held at 10:00 in Halder's command train, which is parked at a siding in the town of Orsha, which is located midway between Minks and Smolensk. In attendance are Lieutenants-General Kurt Brennecke (chief of staff of Army Group North), Greiffenberg (Center) and General of the Infantry Georg von Sodenstern (South). Also present but more as observers than participants are the chiefs-of-staff from seven of the ten armies operating in the east (from north to south, the Eighteenth, Sixteenth, Ninth, Fourth, Second Panzer, Sixth and Seventeenth).

"From on board HMS LEGION, the destroyer that took off the survivors, showing some of the last to leave ARK ROYAL." 13 November 1941 (© IWM (A 6315)).

Halder begins the meeting with what is intended to be an inspirational speech that portrays the current situation in the most favorable light. He concedes that a "decision" is no longer "100% attainable" in the limited campaigning time left in 1941. However, since the war to date has reduced  the Red Army's strength "by at least 50%," the Wehrmacht had to remain on the offensive for the time being "to maximize damage to the enemy." It is not the most logical presentation, but it does make some sense - if you believe that the Red Army is on the verge of collapse. That is not the case, however, and the men listening in the railway car know this.

"Survivors on board HMS LEGION leaving the torpedoed ARK ROYAL, which is seen in the background, she is listing 18 degrees to starboard. HMS LAFOREY is approaching the aircraft carrier to led assistance in providing water and power." 13 November 1941 (© IWM (A 6316)).

Colonel Eberhard Kinzel, the head of Foreign Armies East, then gives the OKH's estimates of Red Army strength. After admitting that pre-war estimates that the Red Army had 140 divisions were faulty, Kinzel further admits the Soviets have been able to raise new forces during the conflict faster than expected. Kinzel estimates that now the Red Army has 160 divisions remaining in the European Theater of Operations - a large number, for sure, but any finite number is reassuring given the seemingly endless ability for the Soviets to find additional troops whenever needed. Given the rushed recruitment of new soldiers, Kinzel further assures that the real strength of these 160 remaining Soviet divisions is actually 75 regular divisions. Due to Lend-Lease assistance and further recruitment, though, Kinzel concludes that the Soviets could double those 75 divisions by spring - making their destruction now before that can happen all the more important.

Swedish Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha visits a German hospital train in Krylbo on November 13, 1941, in company with German officers. Sibylla was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and mother of Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf, who reigns as of 2019 (Järnvägsmuseet).

Following Kinzel are two supply officers, chief of the OKH Organization Branch Major-General Walter Buhle and Quartermaster-General Eduard Wagner. Buhle concedes that due to war losses, the army will have to disband fifteen entire divisions "to create reserves." In addition, the size of panzer divisions is to be reduced and no more trucks can be expected to ease supply problems. Wagner adds that ammunition production was lowered during the year in anticipation of a quick victory, and thus shortages will occur during the first half of 1942. After everyone breaks for lunch, Halder asks the army group chiefs of staff what they think should happen. Brennecke and von Sodenstern suggest going immediately into winter quarters, while Greiffenberg - whose army group is the one that would gain the glory of capturing Moscow - is at best lukewarm. Sodenstern makes the memorable and very sour observation that the war was not being fought in France and it was not the month of May - suggesting that the drastically different circumstances could lead to a drastically different outcome. The opinions of the attendees are irrelevant, however, and Halder concludes the meeting by handing out pre-printed copies of the plans for the final stage of Operation Typhoon - which is to begin virtually immediately.

French soldiers of the Charlemagne Legion (French soldiers voluntarily fighting for the Wehrmacht) in the central Soviet Union, November 1941 (Momber, Federal Archive Bild 101I-141-1257-16).

The Orsha Conference commits the Wehrmacht to an effort to win the war in 1941 by capturing Moscow. The decision to continue attacking is based on assumptions based on information sources that already have been proven to be faulty. Most importantly, it completely disregards the degraded state of the German military, which is very well known by everyone involved. Attacking into the winter is a dangerous gamble because it exposes the troops to the elements and to counterattack in unfavorable circumstances. The decision is based on the hope that the Red Army is on the verge of collapse, but if that is not the case, continuing Operation Typhoon could have devastating consequences for the German Army.

New York Yankees pitcher Mel Stottlemyre, born on 13 November 1941 in Hazleton, Missouri and grew up in Yakima, Valley Washington. Mel Stottlemyre passed away on 23 January 1941.

Battle of the Mediterranean: U-81 (Friedrich Guggenberger) torpedoes Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal south of Spain. Returning from a ferrying mission to Malta, Ark Royal will sink at 06:19 on 14 November 1941.

November 1941

November 1, 1941: Finns Attack Toward Murmansk Railway
November 2, 1941: Manstein Isolates Sevastopol
November 3, 1941: Japan Prepares to Attack
November 4, 1941: German Advances in the South
November 5, 1941: Last Peace Effort By Japan
November 6, 1941: Stalin Casts Blame in an Unexpected Direction
November 7, 1941: Stalin's Big Parade
November 8, 1941: Germans Take Tikhvin
November 9, 1941: Duisburg Convoy Destruction
November 10, 1941: Manstein Attacks Sevastopol
November 11, 1941: Finland's Double Game Erupts
November 12, 1941: T-34 Tanks Take Charge
November 13, 1941: German Orsha Conference
November 14, 1941: German Supply Network Breaking Down
November 15, 1941: Operation Typhoon Resumes
November 16, 1941: Manstein Captures Kerch
November 17, 1941: Finland Halts Operations
November 18, 1941: British Operation Crusader
November 19, 1941: Sydney vs. Kormoran Duel
November 20, 1941: The US Rejects Final Japanese Demand
November 21, 1941: Germans Take Rostov
November 22, 1941: Kleist in Trouble at Rostov
November 23, 1941: Germans Take Klin, Huge Battle in North Africa
November 24, 1941: Rommel Counterattacks
November 25, 1941: HMS Barham Sunk
November 26, 1941: Japanese Fleet Sails
November 27, 1941: British Relieve Tobruk
November 28, 1941: Rostov Evacuated, German Closest Approach to Moscow
November 29, 1941: Hitler Furious About Retreat
November 30, 1941: Japan Sets the Date for its Attack

2020

Saturday 4 October 1941

Adolf Hitler meets with Chief of the OKW Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the General Staff of the OKH Colonel-General Halder, and Commander-in-Chief of the Army Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch. This is at the headquarters of the Army High Command and the occasion is Brauchitsch's 60th birthday (Federal Archives Picture 183-L20362).

Eastern Front: There are many dark moments during World War II for Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. Among these are the first days of Operation Barbarossa, when he unsuccessfully begs Hitler for peace via a Bulgarian emissary. Perhaps the greatest, however, is in the first two weeks of October. On 4 October 1941, signs begin to emerge that Stalin fears that the war is lost and all that is left is to await the end. Today, we might say that Stalin is "losing his nerve."

20th Panzer Division troops of Army Group North supported by a Panzer 38(t) made in Czechoslovakia enter a pine grove near Leningrad during October 1941. To be more precise, that is Panzerkampfwagen 38 (t) Ausf. S (Sd.Kfz. 140) Nr. 9 (Gebauer, Federal Archive Bild 101I-213-0267-13).

Lieutenant-General Ivan Konev is the commander of Western Front. This force is defending the high road to Moscow that runs through Minsk and Smolensk. Currently, Konev's troops are fighting the Vyazma Defensive Operation and having a very tough time of it, with German pincers threatening a massive encirclement at Vyazma - the last major city before Moscow. Loss of Western Front, whose main component is the Konev's former command 19th Army (General M.F. Lukin) would make a successful defense of Moscow extremely difficult. Konev recalls:

On 4 October I reported to Stalin about the situation in the Western Front and about the enemy penetration of the Reserve Front... and also about the threat of a large enemy grouping reaching our forces' rear area...Stalin listened to me, however, made no decision. Communications were disrupted and further conversation ceased.

To sum up, Stalin is paralyzed and incapable of making decisions. However, in the Soviet state, nobody dares to make any decisions on their own without approval from the Stavka - and Stalin controls the Stavka. It is a very dangerous situation for the Red Army.

The Illustrated London News, October 4, 1941.

Stalin has good reason to be scared. German General Erich Hoepner's Panzer Group 4, composed primarily of LVI Panzer Corps (Erich von Manstein) and XLI Panzer Corps (George-Hans Reinhardt) is attacking Vyazma from the south while General Hermann Hoth's Panzer Group 3 is approaching it from the north. Should those two forces meet in the vicinity of Vyazma, the Red Army could lose another massive force (31 Rifle Divisions, 3 Cavalry Divisions, 2 Motorized Divisions, and 3 tank Brigades). Today, Hoepner eliminates Soviet 33rd and 43rd Armies as it captures Kirov and Spa-Demensk, not far to the southwest of Vyazma. Soviet Group (Ivan) Boldin is counterattacking Hoth's panzers, but Hoth, having reached an area southwest of Belyi, decides to head due east to sideslip the Soviet defenders for a deeper encirclement. Hoth also sends VI Army Corps north to take Belyi, which the Soviets contest bitterly.

USS Mississippi (BB-41) and RN destroyers at Hvalfjordur, Iceland on 4 October 1941 (US Navy).

Stalin's refusal to issue orders means that the endangered Soviet troops are not authorized to retreat. Without authorization to retreat, no Soviet commanders will issue such orders lest they suffer the same fate as generals like Pavlov in the early days of the war who were shot for "cowardice." Thus, another situation like Kyiv is developing, where any retreat orders may be issued too late and a giant hole may be blown through the Soviet lines - one that points directly at Moscow.

SB2U Vindicator code 42-S-17 of VS-42 in flight over the carrier USS Ranger CV-4 sometime during October 1941 (US Navy).

As with all other successful German offensives, the Luftwaffe has complete control of the skies. Air support is a critical component of the Blitzkrieg formula, and there are many top German aces clearing the way for the army. Luftwaffe fighter squadron JG 27 has a particularly good day, with the pilots starting early in the morning and flying multiple missions. Oblt. Erbo Graf von Kageneck of 9./JG 27 claims three Soviet planes - a DB-3, an SB-2, and a Pe-2 - and finishes the day with 60 victories. Ofw. Erwin Sallwisch of Stab/JG 27 (the headquarters group) claims four Soviet I-18 planes during the day. Top ace Hannes Trautloft of the same group downs an I-26, while several other JG 27 pilots also claim victories.

"Jews move their household possessions to new quarters following the Small Ghetto Action of October 4, 1941." (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of George Kadish/Zvi Kadushin).

It is a virtual shooting gallery in the skies because these are areas the Red Air Force must defend, and so they are forced to do battle and be shot down. However, there are always more Soviet planes to replace the ones lost, which may be welcomed by victory-hungry Luftwaffe pilots but which is a troubling omen for the future.

Starlet Glynis Johns on the cover of Picture Post magazine, 4 October 1941. She is promoting her 1941 film "49th Parallel," a British propaganda film about German sailors on the run in Canada. Incidentally, Glynis Johns, born in Pretoria, South Africa, is still alive as of 2019, though, apparently, she retired at the very end of the 20th Century. She was in Sandra Bullock's 1995 film "While You Were Sleeping" and in "Superstar" (1999).

October 1941

October 1, 1941: Germans and Finns Advance in USSR
October 2, 1941: Operation Typhoon Broadens
October 3, 1941: Air Battles Near Moscow
October 4, 1941: Stalin Contemplates Defeat
October 5, 1941: Hoth Goes South
October 6, 1941: First Snowfall After Dark
October 7, 1941: Stalin Gets Religion
October 8, 1941: FDR Promises Stalin Aid 
October 9, 1941: FDR Orders Atomic Bomb Research
October 10, 1941: Reichenau's Severity Order
October 11, 1941: Tank Panic in Moscow
October 12, 1941: Spanish Blue Division at the Front
October 13, 1941: Attack on Moscow
October 14, 1941: Germans Take Kalinin
October 15, 1941: Soviets Evacuate Odessa
October 16, 1941: Romanians Occupy Odessa
October 17, 1941: U-568 Torpedoes USS Kearny
October 18, 1941: Tojo Takes Tokyo
October 19, 1941: Germans Take Mozhaysk
October 20, 1941: Germans Attack Toward Tikhvin
October 21, 1941: Rasputitsa Hits Russia
October 22, 1941: Germans Into Moscow's Second Defensive Line
October 23, 1941: The Odessa Massacre
October 24, 1941: Guderian's Desperate Drive North
October 25, 1941: FDR Warns Hitler About Massacres
October 26, 1941: Guderian Drives Toward Tula
October 27, 1941: Manstein Busts Loose
October 28, 1941: Soviet Executions
October 29, 1941: Guderian Reaches Tula
October 30, 1941: Guderian Stopped at Tula
October 31, 1941: USS Reuben James Sunk

2020