In Yugoslavia... There is a coup led by air force officers and their Chief of Staff, General Simovic, who becomes the new head of government. The council of Regency and Prince Paul are deposed and the 17-year-old King Peter takes nominal charge of government. British agents have had a hand in bringing the rising about. The change is very popular among the Serbian sections of the population (almost all the leaders of the armed forces are Serbian) but less so with the Croats. In an immediate angry response to the change of government, Hitler issues Directive 25 which order planning for the invasion of Yugoslavia to begin. It is to be mounted as soon as possible and the invasion of Greece is to take place at the same time. Hitler accepts that it may be necessary to defer Barbarossa to allow these new operations to take place.

In Washington... Roosevelt's $7,000,000,000 Appropriations Bill for Lend-Lease passes into law.

In the Mediterranean... British forces set out to do battle with the Italian fleet. Admiral Pridham-Wippell leads four light cruisers and four destroyers from the Piraeus and Admiral Cunningham the main body of three battleships, one carrier and nine destroyers from Alexandria.

In East Africa... The Allied advance clears the Italian road blocks in the Keren position. The Italian force begins to withdraw toward Asmara. The Indian divisions have lost 4000 casualties in the Keren battles and the Italians 3000 dead as well as many wounded.