Chronology of World War II
Wednesday, December 1, 1943
In Iran... The Teheran Conference ends. Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin and their staffs meet for the first time. The Americans appear to be attempting to distance themselves from the British during the discussions. The decision to invade western Europe in May 1944 is confirmed. Plans for an invasion of southern France are also agreed upon. Stalin promises to join the war against Japan once Germany has been defeated. There are rumors that the American accommodations were bugged by Soviet agents.
Over Occupied Belgium... The first operational use of the American P-51D Mustang is in a fighter sweep. The new variant of the Mustang uses the British Merlin engine.
In Italy... The US 5th Army becomes more active as preparations for a resumption of its offensive proceed. Diversionary attacks in support of the British 8th Army offensive continue.
Thursday, December 2, 1943
In Italy... Elements of the US 5th Army launch an attack on Monte Camino. The British 10th Corps and the newly arrived US 2nd Corps (General Keyes) lead the assault. The US 6th Corps advances to right. In the east, the British 8th Army captures Lanciano and Castelfrentano in its advance. During the night (December 2-3) German bombers raid Bari. An ammunition ship in the harbor is hit and explodes, sinking 18 transports of 70,000 tons and 38,000 tons of supplies.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces attacking, south of Kremenchug, cross the Ingulets River and move toward Znamenka.
In New Guinea... Australian forces capture Huanko on the Huon Peninsula.
Friday, December 3, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces capture Dovsk to the north of Gomel and make other gains around Rogachev. To the south, Soviet forces advance west of Cherkassy.
In Italy... Elements of US 5th Army reach the summit of Monte Camino and capture Monte Maggiore. The British 8th Army takes San Vito. However, around Orsogna, a counterattack by the German 26th Panzer Division forces the New Zealand 2nd Division to retreat.
Saturday, December 4, 1943
In the Pacific... The Japanese escort carrier Chuyo is sunk by the US submarine Sailfish in Japanese home waters.
In the Marshall Islands... Task Force 50 (Admiral Pownall) and a task force commanded by Admiral Montgomery attack Kwajalein with a combined fleet of 6 carriers and nine cruisers. The Japanese lose 6 transports and 2 cruisers are damaged. A claimed 55 Japanese aircraft are shot down for the loss of 5 attacking American planes. The USS Yorktown conducts an air raid on Wotje.
In the Solomon Islands... The US divisions on Bougainville receive further reinforcements and extend their perimeter.
Sunday, December 5, 1943
In Italy... The British 10th Corps continues to battle for possession of the summit of Monte Camino in the ongoing US 5th Army offensive operations.
Monday, December 6, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces advance north of Znamenka and cut the rail line to Smela.
In Italy... The US 5th Army offensive continues. The British 10th Corps captures Monte Camino while the US 2nd Corps attacks Monte la Difensa. To the east, the British 8th Army approaches the Moro River.
Tuesday, December 7, 1943
In London... The Air Marshal Harris, commander in chief of RAF Bomber Command, tells his superiors that he believes he can win the war if he is supported in his continuing attacks on Berlin and other targets so that he can send off 15,000 Lancaster missions in the next few months. (In fact, Harris will be able to send 14,500 missions despite arguments about the effectiveness of the bombing.)
In Italy... The US 5th Army secures the Mignano gap and expands its offensive. The US 2nd and 6th Corps attack Monte Sammucro and San Pietro. There is determined German resistance. To the east, the British 8th Army attacks Orsogna.
Wednesday, December 8, 1943
In the Marshall Islands... Kwajalein is bombarded by an American force consisting of 5 battleships and 12 destroyers commanded by Admiral Lee. One Japanese destroyer is damaged.
In New Guinea... Australian forces capture Wareo and advance toward Wandokai.
In Italy... Free French troops begin to come into the Allied line. The first unit is the 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division. Italian troops are also being mobilized. Meanwhile, veteran units are being withdrawn to Britain in preparation for Operation Overlord -- the invasion of western Europe. The US 5th Army continues attacking but little progress is achieved. To the east, the British 8th Army operations continue as well. The Canadian 1st Division begins attacking over the Moro River, a few miles from the east coast.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces continue to isolate Znamenka by cutting a second rail line to the town.
Thursday, December 9, 1943
In Italy... German forces counterattack near Monte Sammucro but the forces of the US 5th Army hold. The Monte Camino perimeter is consolidated.
In the Solomon Islands... On Bougainville, a recently constructed American airfield becomes operational at Cape Torokina.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces capture Mederovo, near Znamenka.
Friday, December 10, 1943
In the Solomon Islands... On Bougainville, the first American aircraft arrive at the Cape Torokina airfield. American divisions are gradually extending their perimeter.
In Washington... The long-running debate on draft regulations ends with Roosevelt signing into law a revised bill which puts those who have been fathers since before Pearl Harbor at the bottom of the list.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces capture Znamenka. Slightly to the north, Konev's front begins a new offensive.
In Italy... The British 8th Army crosses the Moro River in force.
Saturday, December 11, 1943
In Italy... The US 5th Army continues its offensive without decisive gains and its momentum is wearing down.
Sunday, December 12, 1943
In Moscow... Dr Benes, President of the Czechoslovakian government in exile in London, visits to sign a Czech-Soviet treaty of alliance providing for postwar cooperation and mutual assistance for the duration of the war.
In Italy... The US 5th Army attacks continue. The US 36th Division of the 2nd Corps attacks Monte Lungo, near its former positions on Monte Maggiore.
Monday, December 13, 1943
Over Germany... The P-51D Mustang fighter is first used on a bomber escort mission in support of the USAAF 8th Air Force raid on Kiel.
Tuesday, December 14, 1943
On the Eastern Troops... Soviet forces, commanded by Konev, capture Cherkassy in the south. The Soviet Baltic Front (Yeremenko) begins a new offensive south of Nevel.
Wednesday, December 15, 1943
In New Guinea... Australian forces capture Lakona, 15 miles north of Finschafen.
In Italy... The US 5th Army begins new attacks. The 2nd Corps renews its drive toward San Pietro and Monte Lungo. To the right the 6th Corps attacks as well. The 1st Moroccan Division performs well.
In the Bismarck Archipelago... The US 112th Cavalry Regiment (General Cunningham) lands at Arawe, off the island of New Britain. This is a diversionary operation. Task Force 76 (Admiral Barbey) provides naval support for the operation. There is an air attack on the Japanese airfield at Cape Gloucester in support of the operation as well.
Thursday, December 16, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Novoseltsy, southeast of Cherkassy, is captured by Soviet forces.
Friday, December 17, 1943
In Italy... Some German forces withdraw from San Pietro and other positions further north. The US 5th Army capture Monte Sammucro.
Saturday, December 18, 1943
In Italy... The US 5th Army captures Monte Lungo, threatening the German position at San Pietro. German forces launch counterattacks. San Pietro falls to the US 36th Division (part of 2nd Corps, 5th Army). The 6th Corps advances as the German forces withdraw.
Sunday, December 19, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago... The American regiment at Arawe captures the nearby Japanese airstrip and hold against counterattacks.
Monday, December 20, 1943
Over Germany... Allied aircraft drop about 2000 tons of bombs on Frankfurt, Mannheim and other cities in southern Germany. There are also raids on the V-1 ramps in France.
Tuesday, December 21, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces eliminate a small German bridgehead on the east bank of the Dniepr, near Kherson. There is heavy fighting in the north near Zhlobin.
In Italy... The British 8th Army engages in heavy fighting on the approaches to Ortona; the US 5th Army is heavily engaged near Monte Sammucro.
Wednesday, December 22, 1943
In Italy... The British 8th Army enters Ortona but is engaged in street fighting inside the town. Elements of the German 1st Paratroop Division defends the town against the Canadian 2nd Brigade.
Thursday, December 23, 1943
In Italy... The British 8th Army continues its attacks. The Canadian 1st Division seizes control of most of Ortona. Inland, other elements of the 8th Army capture Arielli.
Friday, December 24, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces launch a new offensive to recover recent losses west of Kiev. The 1st Ukrainian Front (Vatutin) penetrates the lines of the German 4th Panzer Army which lacks reserves to counter the attack.
In the Solomon Islands... An American task force of cruisers and destroyers bombards Buka Island and the Japanese base at Buin on Bougainville. These are diversionary attacks from the imminent landing on New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago.
Saturday, December 25, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces south of Nevel continue attacking and the Vitebsk-Polotsk rail line is cut.
In the Bismarck Archipelago... US Task Group 50.2 (Admiral Sherman) raids Kavieng with 86 aircraft. There are 2 carriers and 6 destroyers employed in the operation but they succeed in sinking only 1 Japanese transport ship.
In the Arctic... The German battle cruiser Scharnhorst under the command of Admiral Bey sets sail from northern Norway to attack convoy JW-55B which has been discovered by German air and submarine patrols. Bey is unaware that the British battleship Duke of York is in distant support of the convoy.
Sunday, December 26, 1943
In the Arctic... In the morning the Scharnhorst and her destroyers encounter the 3 cruisers of the covering force for convoy JW-55B. Bey chooses to break off the engagement. At midday the two forces encounter each other again and Bey breaks off the engagement. However, as Scharnhorst retreats the HMS Duke of York, under Admiral Fraser, appears and engages it in a gun dual. The Scharnhorst is reduced to a wreck and sinks. Only 36 of her almost 2000 crew survive. There are now no large German surface ships operational to threaten the Arctic convoys.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces in the area of Kiev capture Radomyshl.
In the Bismarck Archipelago... The US 1st Marine Division lands on New Britain, without incident, after a preliminary bombardment. Task Force 76 (Admiral Barbey) provides naval support along with two other groups of cruisers and destroyers. An American destroyer is sunk by a Japanese air attack.
In Italy... The US 5th Army clears Monte Sammucro and the surrounding hills of German forces.
Monday, December 27, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago... The American divisional beachhead near Cape Gloucester is extended with little resistance from the Japanese. The weather and terrain prove more formidable obstacles. The American regiment on Arawe receives reinforcements.
In the Atlantic... The German blockade runner Alsterufer is sunk in the Bay of Biscay by allied aircraft.
In the United States... Railroad operations are placed under the authority of Secretary Stimson.
Tuesday, December 28, 1943
In the Atlantic... The 11 German destroyers and torpedo boats intended to escort the blockade runner Alsterufer (sunk the previous day) encounter two British cruisers, Enterprise and Glasgow. Three German ships are sunk and the rest break off the engagement.
On the Eastern Front... The 1st Ukrainian Front, attacking west of Kiev, makes good progress. Korostyshev and Kateyvka, near Zhitomir, are recaptured.
In Italy... British 8th Army forces continue operations. The Canadian 1st Division completes the capture of Ortona.
In the Bismarck Archipelago... On New Britain, the US 1st Marine Division begins advancing to attack the Japanese airfield at Cape Gloucester.
Wednesday, December 29, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces retake Korosten and Chernakov, northwest of Kiev, and Skvira to the southwest.
Thursday, December 30, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago... On New Britain, the US marine division captures the Japanese airfield at Cape Gloucester.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces capture Kazatin, near Berdichev, in the advance west of Kiev.
Friday, December 31, 1943
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces recapture Zhitomir. Farther north there is fighting west of Nevel and south of Vitebsk where the road to Orsha is cut. German-held Vitebsk is almost surrounded.
In Italy... Both the US 5th Army and the British 8th Army continue their offensive operation without significant success.
Copyright © 2018 Ralph Zuljan