Sunday 31 December 1939

31 December 1939 worldwartwo.filminspector.com Soviet bombing

Twenty-eight Russian planes flew over Jyväskylä and several residential buildings, the railway station and the plywood factory got hit. Air raid shelters were bombed causing 20 civilian deaths along with 25 civilians injured. Altogether 149 buildings were damaged. It was the second raid in two days. 31 December 1939.

Battle of the Atlantic: On 31 December 1939, it is time for some summing up.

For all of 1939, the totals are:

Allied/Neutral ships lost: 225 ships, 767,358 tons
U-boats lost: 9

For December 1939:

72 Allied ships 190,768 tons
U-boats lost: 1

U-32 (Kapitänleutnant Paul Büchel) sinks the 959-ton British freighter Luna at 09:47 in the North Sea. The crew survives and is taken to Kopervik, Norway.

British freighter Box Hill hits a mine and sinks.

The German freighter Tacoma complies with the order of the Uruguayan government and moves its anchorage outside of Uruguayan waters.

The British release the US freighter Excalibur from detention at Gibraltar.

Winter War Army Operations: With Suomussalmi cleared, General Siilsavuo has his men scout out the Raate road from the parallel ice road he has had them build on Lake Voukki. They find that Soviet 44th Rifle Division is stationary and now stretches over 39 km back to the Soviet border. Captain Mäkinen of Group Kontula is blocking the road at the western end with just two machine companies, which the Soviets must believe is a far greater force because they have more than enough firepower to level the Finns there, including artillery. The Soviet armor is bunched up in front of this blockade but is immobile.

The commander of the Soviet 44th Rifle Divison, Kombrig Vinogradov, and his commissar Parhomenko both advance to the regimental headquarters (still on Soviet territory) from their position far behind the lines.

Winter War Air Operations: The Soviets once again bomb Viipuri, Helsinki and about ten other Finnish cities.

League of Nations: The British and French inform the League that they will be providing as much assistance to the Finns as they can. Many British volunteers have been sailing to Finland.

British Homefront: Also time for summing up.

For the war months September - December 1939:

Road Deaths: 4,130
Military Deaths (all causes): 2,511

The blackout has been murder on the highways. In addition, 15,626 people have registered as conscientious objectors.

In some rare acts of defiance, New Year's celebrants shine torches despite the blackout.

Canada: The second convoy of Canadian troops arrives at a west coast port.

German Homefront: Adolf Hitler gives a New Year's Proclamation, stating the British are "war-mongers and war-declarers" and that Germany's primary war aim is the defeat of "British tyranny.":

"We shall only talk of peace when we have won the war. The Jewish-capitalistic world will not survive the twentieth century."

He also talks about "the existence or non-existence of the German people," which strikes a somewhat equivocal tone that he has maintained since the beginning of the war.

Turkey: The death toll from the earthquake and other trauma keeps rising, this time to 30,000 people.

China: In the Chinese Winter Offensive, the Chinese East Route Force continues routing the Japanese 5th Infantry Division: it captures Kunlunkuan and Tienyin.

The River North Army of the Chinese 5th War Area retreats across the Han River.

The Japanese 21st Army advances to Yingteh against the Chinese 4th War Area.

The Chinese 2d War Area takes possession of Peishe.