http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/jan42/f07jan42.htm
Chinese victory over Japanese
Wednesday, January 7, 1942 www.onwar.com
In China... The Japanese admit defeat by Nationalist Chinese forces in the battle of Changsha.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces attack to the north and south of Mozhaisk. Meshchovsk, on the southern flank of the advance is captured.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/07.htm
January 7th, 1942
FRANCE: Paris: A French policeman, posted in front of a Wehrmacht garage is shot dead.
GERMANY: Hitler opines on his new enemy, the USA:
I don’t see much future for the Americans. In my view, it’s a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social inequalities. Those were what caused the downfall of Rome, and yet Rome was a solid edifice that stood for something. Moreover, the Romans were inspired by great ideas. Nothing of the sort in England today. As for the Americans, that kind of thing is nonexistent. That’s why, in spite of everything, I like an Englishman a thousand times better than an American. (207)
U-532 is laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
YUGOSLAVIA: German troops launch their second anti-partisan offensive, driving Marshall Tito’s forces 50 miles (80 kilometres) south. Despite the retreat and heavy losses, Tito’s men fight on. (Jack McKillop)
MEDITERRANEAN: U-97 has to abort a patrol because a crewmember is seriously ill. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: Shipping loss: MS “TSch-405 “Vzrivatel”” - by field artillery, close to Eupatoria (later raised) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
Soviet forces attack to the north and south of Mozhaisk. On the southern flank of the advance, Meshchovsk is captured. (Jack McKillop)
LIBYA: 13 Corps, British Eighth Army, patrols to Agedabia and finds that the enemy has withdrawn. A convoy arrives safely at Benghazi but because of rough seas, this port is not put into full operation. (Jack McKillop)
MALAYA: The Japanese, in a strong tank-infantry assault beginning before dawn, break through the Slim River positions of Indian 11th Division and drive rapidly 19 miles (30,6 kilometres) toward Kuala Lumpur, reaching positions 2 miles (3,2 kilometres) south of Slim village. The Indian 3 Corps withdraws the Slim River line southward to Tanjong Malim, between the village of Slim and the road junction at Kuala Kubu. This action temporarily leaves Indian 11th Division ineffective as a fighting force. (Jack McKillop)
General Archibald Lord Wavell, who has been named Commander in Chief Australian-British-Dutch-American (ABDA) Command, South West Pacific, arrives at Singapore to find out why the British are losing. He gets an earful. Brigadier Ivan Simson, the chief engineer, shows Wavell Singapore Island’s north side, which is undefended. No defence works are being built, or even planned. Wavell, furious, asks Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya, why this is so; Percival replies that defenses would be bad for morale. Wavell says that the impact would be greater when retreating troops begin crossing the causeway from the mainland and orders Percival to build defenses. Percival doesn’t. (Jack McKillop)
BORNEO: The Japanese in Sarawak reach the frontier of Dutch West Borneo. (Jack McKillop)
CHINA: In Changsha Province, Chinese and Japanese troops fight a fairly pointless battle which neither side wins. (Jack McKillop)
PACIFIC: The submarine U.S.S. Pollack (SS-180), on her first patrol, fires two torpedoes in a daylight periscope attack in position 34-27N 139-59E. One hits and sinks the XAC Unkai Maru #1 (2225T ) south of Mikomoto Island. (Chris Sauder)
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: A Japanese air raid on Rabaul on New Britain Island, destroys a Hudson and 2 Wirraways and damages 2 other Hudson, all of No. 24 Squadron RAAF. (Jack McKillop)
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The siege of Bataan begins as U .S. and Filipino forces complete their withdrawal from the Layac Line. The North Luzon Force becomes the I Philippine Corps, containing about 22,500 men of 1st, 31st, 71st, and 91st Divisions, all Philippine Army (PA), 26th Cavalry Philippine Scouts (PS), miscellaneous troops, and supporting weapons. The Bataan defence Force is renamed II Philippine Corps and consists of about 25,000 men of the 11st, 21st, 41st, and 51st Divisions (all PA), 57th Infantry (PS) of the Philippine Division, and supporting weapons. The defence of Bataan as far south as the Mariveles Mountains is divided about equally between the two corps, I Corps being responsible for the western half and II Corps for the eastern half. The Service Command Area is located at the southern tip below the Mariveles Mountains and is the responsibility of Brigadier General A. C. McBride; in this area are the 2d Division Philippine Constabulary, organized on this date, provisional infantry units formed from air forces personnel, and a provisional battalion of Navy and Marine personnel. Defenses on Bataan are organized in depth: the main line of resistance (MLR) extends from Mauban on the west to Mabatang on the east, a distance of 20 miles (32 kilometres); the outpost line (OPL) is disposed before the MLR; and the rear line of defence is being formed to be manned by the U.S. Army Forces, Far East (USAFFE) reserve, i.e., the Philippine Div, less the 57th Infantry; a tank group; a self-propelled mount group. (Jack McKillop)
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Battleford arrives at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Trawler HMS LISCOMB is laid down at Kingston, Ontario.
“Sam Rayburn turned 60 years old on this date”
I vaguely recall hearing the news when Speaker Sam died in Nov 1961. It was big news here in Texas.