News of the Week in Review
Naval Battle Lifts Tempo of the War – 9-11
Rumania is Beset By Many Worries – 12-14
* There was a pre-war plan for a chunnel?
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/dec39/f17dec39.htm
Graf Spee scuttled in Plate Esturary
Sunday, December 17, 1939 www.onwar.com
In Argentina... Since December 13th, the British Admiralty has been sending ships speeding to Montevideo. Only the heavy cruiser, Cumberland, has arrived so far to support the HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles, already on station at the mouth of the river. Local British diplomats try to have the Graf Spee held for a few more days until stronger forces arrive and at the same time continue to give the impression that heavy units, including the battle cruiser, Renown, are already in position. Langsdorff decides to scuttle his ship outside the port with an audience of thousands lining the waterfront.
In the Winter War... The main Soviet attacks begin against the Mannerheim Line around Summa. The same pattern is repeated for the first three days. The advancing tanks penetrate into the Finnish positions during each day. The infantry are held off and the tanks mostly destroyed during the nights by the Finnish troops who then emerge from their defenses. The Finns claim that two Soviet divisions have been smashed, with 36,000 prisoners taken and a further 20,000 surrounded.
In Britain... The first Canadian troops arrive in Liverpool. A heavily protected convoy has brought over 7,500 men of the 1st Canadian Division. The force, under the command of Canadian Major-General McNaughton, arrived in 5 liners. Officers slept in suites and men in first class cabins.
On the Western Front... An increase in German reconnaissance flights is reported.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/17.htm
December 17th, 1939
UNITED KINGDOM: The admiralty announces that 61 men of HMS Exeter’s crew died during the Battle of the River Plate.
The first Canadian troops to reach Britain, 7,400 men of the First Division, landed at Liverpool. Three months ago Canada was a country with a permanent army of 4,500 men, five mortars and 16 tanks. The Canadians are under the command of Major-General McNaughton and they arrived in five liners. Officers slept in suites and men in first class cabins.
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan agreement is signed today by the governments of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with flight schools to initially be in Canada under the supervision of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Avro Anson is the first training type to be chosen.
RAF Fighter Command: Two enemy aircraft attacked off the east coast. A small British motor vessel was sunk; damage and casualties in fishing trawlers. Aircraft driven off.
RAF Bomber Command: ‘Security Patrols’ - Hornum - Borkum. 10 Sqn. Six aircraft. Flares dropped over Borkum. Searchlights very active, but Flak light. Two enemy aircraft seen but did not attack.
FRANCE: Western Front: An increase in German reconnaissance flights is reported.
GERMANY: The German Propaganda Minister, Dr. Josef Göbbels, describes the arrival of Australian destroyers at Malta as a “consignment of junk” and Australia’s “Scrap Iron Flotilla.” (Jack McKillop)
FINLAND: The army claims that it has smashed two Russian divisions, taken 36,000 men prisoner and has a further 20,000 surrounded.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine SC-406 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
PARAGUAY: Montevideo: As Allied Hunting Groups converge on the River Plate, Capt. Langsdorff takes the Graf Spee out into the estuary. Unable to complete repairs of the Graf Spee within the allotted time, unable to dash across the harbour to Argentina, under strict orders by OKM not to go into internment in Uruguay, and wishing to avoid being taken by the British ships waiting and arriving in the region, Kpt.z.S. Langsdorff ordered his ship outside the harbour of Montevideo and to prepare to be scuttled.
Only HMS Cumberland has actually arrived by this time, but British propaganda on the BBC gave the impression that the most powerful ships in the fleet, including an aircraft carrier, were bearing down on the Plate. Langsdorff had asked for instructions and Hitler himself had said that he had only two, scuttle or fight it out on the open sea. Just before the three mile limit the ship stopped and the crew took to the lifeboats and transferred to the German merchant ship Tacoma, and later to various Argentine tugs - all of which were soon after interned by Uruguayan authorities. The crew was under orders not to be interned in Uruguay, so with the permission of the Uruguayan authorities, they were transferred to Argentina, which was not under British influence and pressure as was Uruguay, and they spent the rest of the war there. Minutes later, just after sunset, came a series of shattering explosions and flames as the Graf Spee is blown up by a series of charges. The ship settled on the river bed, her upper decks above the water and still burning. (Navynews)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-59 sank SS Bogö and Jaegersborg. (Dave Shirlaw)
Excellent article that reviews Rumania’s strategic dilemma. Rumania didn’t really have a choice after the fall of France and Soviet seizure of Bessarabia. Her own internal volatile ethnic mix wasn’t helpful, either. The Rumanians and Hungarians hated each other, and could not be put in adjacent sectors when they were Germany’s “allies” on the eastern front.
Later in the class we will get to read about the “Vienna Award,” Ribbentrop’s last piece of grand diplomacy.