Sunday 3 December 1939

Finnish soldiers of the covering group "U" leaves the burning Suvilathi on the Karelian Isthmus on December 2, 1939. The soldiers are well-equipped for winter.

Winter War Naval Actions: The Soviets capture small islands in the Gulf of Finland on 3 December 1939, including Hogland, Seiskari, Lavansaari, and Tytarsaari.

Winter War Army Actions: Finnish troops in the Karelian Isthmus continue slowly giving up ground to the Soviet 7th Army.

Soviet 8th Army north of Lake Ladoga advances past Suojarvi. However, the Finnish resistance there has stiffened and the Finns are now giving up ground grudgingly.

Soviet 9th Army captures Suomussalmi.

The Finns send a small detachment north to defend the Kuhmo area against the Soviet 54th Division of the 9th Army.

Finland Government: The Finnish cabinet makes inquiries through the Swedish government to see if the Soviet government would open negotiations.

Sweden: The Swedish government, which had been complaining about German minefields off its southwest coast recently, plants some mines of its own off its east coast.

Battle of the Atlantic: HMS Renown and aircraft carrier Ark Royal, hunting the Admiral Graf Spee, make port in Cape Town.

Commodore Henry J. Harwood, commanding the British South Atlantic Station, orders his three cruisers to police the River Platte estuary as of 12 December 1939.

The Admiral Graf Spee stops 7,983-ton British freighter Tairoa and sinks it.

U-31 (Kapitänleutnant Johannes Habekost) torpedoes and sinks 2,135-ton Danish freighter Ove Toft. Six perish and 15 survive.

U-56 (Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Zahn) torpedoes and sinks 2,119-ton Swedish freighter Rudolf. Nine crew perish and 14 survive.

British vessel Moortoft lost to unknown causes.

Convoy OA 46 departs from Southend, OB 45 from Liverpool, and OB 46 from Liverpool, while SL 11F departs from Freetown.

Palestine: The High Commissioner refuses to grant amnesty to imprisoned Arabs.

China: The Chinese winter attacks continue, but the Japanese mount a spoiling counterattack against the Chinese 2nd War Area (Shansi and southern Shensi) near Wenhsi and Hsia Hsien to disrupt their plans.

December 3, 1939: Tairoa being shelled by the Admiral Graf Spee.

December 14, 1939: Quisling Meets Hitler
December 15, 1939: Chinese Winter Offensive in High Gear
December 16, 1939: Battle of Summa
December 17, 1939: End of Admiral Graf Spee
December 18, 1939: Battle of Heligoland Bight
December 19, 1939: British Disarm Magnetic Mines
December 20, 1939: Finnish Counterattacks Continue
December 21, 1939: Finns Plan More Counterattacks
December 22, 1939: Enter Chuikov
December 23, 1939: Failed Finnish Counterattack
December 24, 1939: Soviets on the Run
December 25, 1939: Fresh Soviet Attacks
December 26, 1939: Vicious Battles at Kelja
December 27, 1939: Grinding Finnish Victories
December 28, 1939: Liberators
December 29, 1939: Finns Tighten the Noose
December 30, 1939: Finnish Booty
December 31, 1939: Planning More Soviet Destruction

2019