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1933   (WEDNESDAY)

NEWFOUNDLAND: The Royal Commission issues a report and recommendations regarding Newfoundland's financial crisis. The commission finds that the dominion's huge debt is due to government incompetence and corruption. The Royal Commission recommends government reform (which includes the creation of a special commission composed of three British and three Newfoundland representatives with the governor as president), the readjustment and lowering of tariffs, and assumption by the British government of Newfoundland finances until the colony again becomes self-supporting. The Newfoundland Parliament accepts the report and approves the recommendations.

 

1937   (MONDAY) 

CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Pro-Nazi Sudeten German deputies resign en masse from the Czech parliament, precipitating a national crisis.

November 29th, 1939 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:
It is reported that the chancellor has received family jewels, gold and gifts from foreigners to help finance the war effort.

RAF Fighter Command: One enemy aircraft attacked off the N.E.Coast, believed destroyed.
One enemy aircraft shot down in the North Sea.
Unknown number of enemy aircraft spotted over S.E.Scotland.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Blackthorn launched.

FRANCE: U.S. freighter SS Nishmaha is detained by French authorities at Marseilles; her cargo (cotton, paraffin and beef casings) is held pending the decision of the Contraband Committee in London.

GERMANY:

Berlin: Hitler has told his military commanders that England is the "leading enemy power" and "animator of the fighting spirit of the enemy." Defeat of England (as he calls Britain) is essential to final victory, he says, and in a secret directive he has ordered his navy and air force to carry the war to British industry, by mining and blocking ports, attacking shipping and bombing factories, oil tanks and food stores.

London, Liverpool and Manchester are identified as the most important ports which, Hitler says handle 95% of foreign trade. He says French ports should not be attacked unless they are used to break what he calls "the siege of England."

OKW issues Führer Directive #9. Instructions for Warfare Against the Economy of the Enemy. 

(i) In the fight against the Western Powers England has shown herself to be the animator of the fighting spirit of the enemy and the leading enemy power. Defeat of England is essential for final victory. Crippling the English economy is the most effective means of achieving this. 

(ii) Should the Army succeed in occupying the coast of the Continent facing England, the task of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine in carrying the war to English industry becomes paramount. Co-operation of the Sabotage [S-] and Fifth Column [K-] organizations will be sought. 

(iii) Tasks of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine in order of importance: Attacks on principal ports, including mining of approaches and destruction of installations; Attacks on merchant shipping and protective warships; Destruction of depots, fuel and cold food storage facilities, grain stores, etc.; Interdiction of military shipments to the French mainland; Destruction of industry with decisive military significance. 

(iv) The critical importance (95% of foreign trade) of the ports of London, Liverpool, and Manchester is noted, as are other ports of special importance for certain types of cargo. The need to monitor shifts in port usage and efforts to channel trade through vulnerable access points are emphasized. 

(v) Preparations should be undertaken as quickly as possible, a Führer order further lifting restrictions imposed by previous directives  should be expected to coincide with the opening of the great offensive. (Marc Roberts)

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: Russia breaks off diplomatic relations with Finland.
While the Soviet news agencies announce news of continuing Finnish provocations, Molotov tells the Finnish Ambassador Yrjö-Koskinen that the Soviet government withdraws its diplomatic representatives from Finland. At the same time the Finnish cabinet has finally reached a decision: Finland offers to withdraw its troops 20-25 kilometres from the border as originally demanded. However, this is obviously too little, too late; since the negotiations ended in early November the Soviet leadership has been preparing for a war.

SPAIN: Madrid: Spain ratifies its friendship treaty with Germany, adding secret clauses allowing Germany to use Spanish ports and promising co-operation on police and propaganda.

GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS Extavia is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities.

U.S.A.: The motion picture Destry Rides Again opens at the Rivoli Theater in New York City. Directed by George Marshall, this western comedy, based on Max Brands novel, stars James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Brian Donlevy, Una Merkel, Mischa Auer and Jack Carson.

The first Grumman (Model G-38) JRF-1 Goose is delivered to the USN.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: While on patrol in the North Sea north of Scotland in support of the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau’s attempt to break out into the Atlantic, German submarine U-35 (Commander Lott) is sunk about 80 nautical miles (149 kilometers) west northwest of Bergen, Norway, in position 60.53N, 02.47E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Kingston (F 64), HMS Icarus (D 03) and HMS Kashmir (F 12); all 43 crewmen survive.

     In the South Atlantic, the German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee takes aboard all the British merchant marine officer of the six ships that the "pocket battleship" has sunk up to that point from the tanker Altmark. The officers are to be taken back to Germany; the crewmen remain imprisoned on board Altmark

U-20 sank SS Ionian in Convoy FN-43.

 

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