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Neville Chamberlain
This is a sad day for all of us, and to none is it sadder than to me. Everything that I have worked for, everything that I have believed in during my public life, has crashed into ruins. There is only one thing left for me to do: That is, to devote what strength and powers I have to forwarding the victory of the cause for which we have to sacrifice so much... I trust I may live to see the day when Hitlerism has been destroyed and a liberated Europe has been re-established. -
Germand StuG III
The Sturmgeschutz III was cheaper and quicker to manufacture than a tank and by 1943 the assault gun battalions were being employed as substitute armour, although the limited gun traverse was a serious disadvantage when on the offensive. -
Free French Forces
German forces begin the occupation of those parts of France controlled by the Vichy government. In a letter to Marshal Petain, Hitler declares that the purpose of this move is "to protect France" against the allies. 6th Army launches its last major attack to capture Stalingrad and succeeds in reaching the Volga near the Red October factory on a frontage of 600 yards. The 13th Panzer-Division of 3rd Panzer Corps begins to disengage its units halted before Ordshonikidse to avoid being cut off by t -
The British 8th Army retakes Sollum and Bardia
The British 8th Army retakes Sollum and Bardia, while Panzer Army Afrika continues its withdrawal toward Tripoli. -
The Eighth Army captures Tobruk
The Eighth Army captures Tobruk and Montgomery says: ‘We have completely smashed the German and Italian armies’. First sea battle off Guadalcanal in the Pacific begins in confusion. -
Japanese battleship Kirishma
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Japanese stronghold in Northern Papua
US and Australian forces join up for the assault on the last Japanese stronghold in Northern Papua, the Buna-Gona bridgehead. -
U.S. & German Forces
British paratroops engage German troops in Tunisia, while the first clashes occur between the newly landed U.S. and German forces. -
Laval
Laval is given absolute power by Vichy in Africa. -
Destroy
British troops engage a German tank column only 30 miles from Tunis. Two RAF Horsa gliders carrying 34 British Royal Engineer Commandos, crashes in Norway en route to their mission of destroying the German ‘heavy water’ plant at Telemark. The survivors are captured by the Germans, questioned, tortured and shot, although they were all in uniform. The Red Army opens its winter offensive with a pincer movement round Stalingrad with the aim of encircling and destroying the German forces fighting in -
Army's
The Eighth Army reaches Benghazi. Northeast and southwest of Stalingrad, the attacking Soviet armies are making rapid progress in the direction of Kalach on the Don, the chosen meeting point of the two pincers. The 6th and 4th Panzer Army's hurriedly dispatch mobile units to bolster the unprepared and crumbling Romanian defenses west and south of the Don. Hitler relinquishes his command of Army Group A to Kleist. -
The Sitution
The situation for the 6th Army is deteriorating fast, not least owing to the fact that Army HQ is being relocated which leads to serious disruptions in communications with the troops in and outside the city. -
Tank Corps
The Soviet 4th Mechanised Corps from the south and the 4th Tank Corps from the north, join hands at Kalach on the Don, thus establishing the complete encirclement of the 300,000 men of 6th and 4th Panzer Army's. The Russians report gains of up to 50 mites south of Stalingrad. -
Retreat
Retreating before the British 8th Army (Montgomery), Panzer Army Afrika reaches El Agheila. The Russians claim 24,000 prisoners have been taken since the start of their counter offensive -
The Set Up
Laval sets up Phalange Africaine, to fight allies in Africa.