Posted on 12/12/2010 6:50:35 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
A little something bracing this morning, lol...
http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/myday/displaydoc.cfm?_y=1940&_f=md055759
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt
DECEMBER 12, 1940
NEW YORK, N.Y., Wednesday—We held a meeting yesterday of the committee for the National Achievement Award of the Chi Omega. In the afternoon, I had a small tea for various people who have come to Washington for one reason or another, and whom I had not had an opportunity to see.
In the evening, I attended the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra concert which was, as always, refreshing to the soul. After that, I took the night train to New York City, so that I might have a full day here. My first official appearance will be at the sale for the blind at 11:00 o’clock this morning.
While I am talking about the sale for the blind, I think I might mention an appeal which has come to me from Helen Keller on behalf of the American Rescue Ship Committee. This ship is to bring refugees from Lisbon, Portugal, to various safe ports on this side of the ocean.
More directly in line with her work for the blind is a second appeal from Miss Keller, asking for help for the Institution for the Chinese Blind. They are trying to reoccupy their school in Shanghai, which was closed because their workshop was wrecked by war conditions. If you can send something through Miss Keller, she will be grateful for a contribution to either or both of these interests.
I have just received a notice about the Christmas cards being sold by Parents Magazine. Eighty-five percent of the cost of these cards goes into a fund for needy children, sponsored by the magazine. This fund distributes the money thus raised to charitable organizations throughout the country and renders outstanding service to children in need.
This is a way in which you can buy something almost all of us need and, at the same time, do something for unfortunate little children at this time of the year, when they should be uppermost in our minds. Christmas is the feast for little children, instituted because of the birth of a little child many years ago.
More in sorrow than in anger, someone called to my attention the fact that I had said a great deal about a book called “Happy Days in Czechoslovakia,” but had never mentioned another book called: “Jenik and Marenka” by Zdena Trinka. I hastenedto acquire the book and I hope that many other people will do likewise, for it is delightful reading.
I think children will enjoy it greatly. The illustrations are not quite as attractive or as distinctive as are those done by Mr. Jarka Bures in the other book, but I think you will like the one right at the beginning of a little girl feeding the ducklings. Many of the other illustrations have charm, even though they seem a less vital part of the book than those done by Mr. Bures in the other Czechoslovakian book.
E.R.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/dec40/f12dec40.htm
Desert victory limited
Thursday, December 12, 1940 www.onwar.com
In North Africa... Wavell is not able to follow up his success as vigorously as he would have wished because 4th Indian Division is about to be withdrawn for service in the Sudan.
In Belgrade... A treaty of friendship is signed by Yugoslavian and Hungarian representatives. By this token of good relations with a German client the Yugoslavs hope to improve their own relations with Germany.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/12.htm
December 12th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM:
The George Cross is gazetted for Sub-Lt Peter Victor Danckwerts (1916-84), RNVR, who had only handled mines under instruction when, after just five weeks in the services, he disarmed 16 mines in 48 hours.
Sheffield: The city suffers heavy Luftwaffe raids tonight.
RAF Fighter Command: Operational Instruction No. 56 commands Blenheim fighters of No. 23 Sqn. to begin Operation Intruder attacks against enemy aerodromes at night.
USS Claxton (DD-140), commissioned as HMS Salisbury (I-52), part of the destroyers-for-bases deal. (Ron Babuka)
Destroyer HMS Martin launched.
Submarine HMS Urge commissioned.
Minesweeper HMS Romney commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
EIRE:
Constraints, rules of ‘The Emergency’
The Irish Times
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Joe Joyce
FROM THE ARCHIVES: The first winter of the second World War was notable for minor skirmishes in western Europe and all-out warfare in the east of the continent while people in Ireland were still adjusting to the constraints and practices of “The Emergency” (this is what the Irish government called World War II. Some of the preoccupations of the time were recorded by Quidnunc in the Irishman’s Diary on this day in 1940.
I SUPPOSE that the great majority of my readers by this time have grown accustomed to listen in to the English news from Hamburg and Station DJA, whatever that may be, and to recognise the dulcet tones of His Lordship of Haw Haw, as well as those of his anonymous colleague who, in my humble opinion, speaks far more respectable English, and whose criticisms are likely to be far more damaging than those of the now world-famous announcer.
How many of them, however, have been listening to the infinitely more interesting and better-informed English broadcasts from Sweden, which nightly give an admirable survey of the present situation in Scandinavia, with particular reference to Finland?
Every night, with the exception of Sunday, the Swedes broadcast in English at a quarter to 10.
Their broadcasts can be heard best on the medium wave band at 265 metres (1.13 MHz). They only last about five minutes, but they should not be missed.
Another Boundary Problem
Several citizens of this State (Eire) have been wondering what will happen to them when, and if, they have occasion to visit the six counties (Northern Ireland). I am not suggesting that they have reason to fear imprisonment or anything similarly drastic. Their concern is entirely for the inner man.
What will happen, they ask, when they want a meal at a hotel or restaurant in Belfast? Will they not be entitled to butter, sugar or bacon?
On that point, I think, they can be assured, that is to say, if the Belfast system agrees strictly with the English plan. I gather from the cross-Channel newspapers that anybody who takes a meal in a public resort is entitled to a certain amount of the rationed commodities, even though he has no ration card.
That does not solve my own personal problem.
Normally, when I visit the North, I stay with friends. My friends certainly will not be entitled to claim an extra ration of butter and bacon for me. Certainly, too, I shall not accept a portion of their very scanty ration. What am I to do? I like butter and bacon.
Will I be permitted to take a small quantity of each in my suit-case when I cross the Border?
Will the customs man believe that the contraband is for my own personal use? I can only hope so.
Evacuation
An Irish girl who has been teaching in England has told me some interesting things about the evacuation scheme over there.
It has been clear recently that the scheme has not been working with the expected smoothness.
The children who had been evacuated from the crowded cities to less thickly populated area have been “seeping” back again
The scheme, apparently, has suffered from opposition on all sides. Parents, lonely for their children, have snatched at every opportunity to bring them home. Many school teachers have accepted the scheme grudgingly, and sneer at it openly. The children’s “hosts” have resented their presence, while many families in the “reception areas” have been hard set to fee and shelter their little guests at 8s. a head.
In addition, many people think that, because there have been no air raids yet, there never will be any – which seems to be a dangerous assumption. I hope, however, that it will be justified. (Jack McKillop)
YUGOSLAVIA:
Belgrade:
In order to improve relations with Germany, Yugoslavia signs a friendship pact with Hungary.
NORTH AFRICA:
Final accounting of last three days of battle shows that Western Desert Force has captured 38,300 Italian and Libyan prisoners, 237 guns and 73 light and medium tanks, and over 1,000 other vehicles. O’Connor’s total casualties were 624 killed, wounded and missing.
No. 3 RAAF’s Gloster Gauntlets are retired on grounds of antiquity and lack of spare parts.
CANADA:
Minesweeper HMCS Chignecto launched North Vancouver, British Columbia.
HMCS Loos reacquired by RCN. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.:
Washington: Lord Lothian (Philip Kerr), Britain’s ambassador to the US, dies.
Washington: In a report drawn up by army officers they report that all is not well with the draft and the equipment of the conscripts.
The army lacks not only arms and ammunition for such a force, but housing facilities and all items of equipment down to shoe strings. The army lacks barracks and tent camps to house the men. It lacks uniforms, shoes and other items of clothing. Strikes are holding up the progress of the defence program.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-96 sank SS Macedonier and SS Stureholm in Convoy HX-92. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 469 December 12, 1940
Operation Compass. British 7th Armored Brigade moves through the desert to outflank Sollum and cut the road to Bardia, across the border in Libya. Sollum is strategically important, having a small bay and jetty which will allow Royal Navy to bring supplies to O’Connor’s forces. Italian prisoners of war start arriving by truck back at the British headquarters at Mersa Matruh and 650 are evacuated to Alexandria by destroyers HMS Janus and Juno. Aircraft from British aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious attack Italian forward supply base at Bardia, Libya, bombing barges in the harbour.
12 miles South of the tiny Scottish island of St.Kilda, Outer Hebrides, U-96 continues its attack on convoy HX-92 overnight. U-96 sinks Swedish MV Stureholm at 1.56 AM (4 lifeboats launch but all 32 hands are lost) and Belgian SS Macedonier at 4.31 hours (4 dead, 2 lifeboats are spotted by an aircraft leading to 37 survivors picked up by Icelandic ship Súlan).
Actually, commenting on the pictures in childrens' books is that rare topic in which Eleanor is not out of her depth.
I have had the web site where the "My Day" essays are stored since you tipped me to it way back when. But somehow I haven't been inspired to post them along with the other daily stuff from the war. I must be a sexist.
Well, at least Hillary still channeling her. Maybe...
Yes, it's a bit soon to be criticizing Admiral King for stuff he hasn't done yet, but then again, that's the criticism:
he never did get anti-submarine operations going on the East & Gulf Coasts until after Hitler's U-boats sank more US shipping than the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor.
Does King have a problem, or did he do the best anyone could?
I'm surprised to learn that King left himself open to this kind of criticism. I pictured him as a tough, hard-driving taskmaster intolerant of less than full effort on the part of staff and other subordinates.
As of 12/12/40 his hands are tied as far as actual convoying or sub-hunting with live ammo. But he can see that, should the U.S. enter the war suddenly, those will be the first and highest priorities. I would think that he would have begun intensive planning and training for that eventuality. Indeed, his predecessor, Adm. Ellis, should have prepared the way for this effort. Does the Commander, Atlantic Patrol Force report to Stark? What is his legacy on this? To say that "he never did get anti-submarine operations going on the East & Gulf Coasts until after Hitler's U-boats sank more US shipping than the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor," is to suggest that they didn't begin the effort in earnest until Germany declared war. That would seem like a bad case of asleep at the switch to me.
Apologies, I’m trying get caught up on my reading this morning.
I think he did make some critical mistake as far as ASW in the early stages in the war, but I also think there was some issues in trying to decide what should go where. Remember this is America’s first attempt at a two ocean fleet and by the time American shipping is getting hammered the American Navy will have already been burned once.
You're right, that could never happen -- not in 1941, not the US Navy.
I must be mistaken...
;-)
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