28 December 1939

GERMANY: The German military's highest ranking critic of the Nazis, General Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord, Chief of Army High Command, resigns in protest of Hitler's policies. The resignation takes effect on 31 January 1934.

FRANCE: In an attempt to counteract radical political movements, the French government dissolves "political leagues." In response, most of these political factions reemerge as political parties.

ROMANIA: The Liberal government unexpectedly fell on 21 December in national elections, and Prime Minister, George Tartatarescu resigned on 26 December. In a surprise move today, King Carol appoints Octavian Goga prime minister. He leads the National Christian Party, which receives only ten percent of the votes in the national election. Premier Goga represents a coalition of reactionary parties, which include the Christian League and a wing of the Peasant's Party. The new prime minister immediately enacts a series of anti-Semitic laws, including prohibitions against Jews owning land, depriving Jews naturalized after 1920 of their citizenship, and barring Jews from professions. Simultaneously, Premier Goga works to establish a dictatorship by sending his party's troops into localities across the kingdom.

UNITED KINGDOM: HMS Barham (battleship) (04) is damaged about 64 nautical miles west-northwest off the Hebrides in 58°47N/08°05W (Grid AM 3540) by U-30 (Lt Cdr Lemp). The damage is minor.
U-30 encountered "HMS Barham" whilst en route to Liverpool to lay mines. U-30 fired four torpedoes at Barham, and scored one hit. The Admiralty acknowledged that Barham was slightly damaged by a torpedo whilst 50 miles off the Butt of Lewis. (Hebrides) (Alex Gordon)

At 0400, ASW trawler HMS Barbara Robertson was shelled and sunk by U-30 about 35 miles North-West of Butt of Lewis.

At 0932, SS Hanne struck a mine laid on 20 December by U-22, broke in two and sank one mile east of Blyth.

The British government begins rationing meat.

Steam trawler Resercho sunk six miles off Flamborough Head by U-15.

Destroyer HMS Eglington launched.

Escort carrier HMS Biter laid down.

FRANCE: The first Indian troops arrive to join the British Expeditionary Force, in France.

GERMANY: German industrialist Fritz Thyssen had become a member of the Nazi Party in 1930 and was instrumental in getting Adolf Hitler named as Chancellor. Thyssen was also an ideological supporter, since he backed repression against trade unions and left-wing parties. However, he was in strong disagreement with the religious persecutions of Jews. Following the Kristallnacht, Thyssen resigned from all his political offices and fled to Switzerland. Hitler confiscated all his property and demanded his capture. Today, he protests to Hitler stating, "I have not sacrificed my millions for Bolshevism but against it."

Raider 'Atlantis', sails from Bremen to Kiel after completing "final adjustments" to her disguise and loading naval stores and ammunition.

TURKEY: More details are coming in of the havoc caused by yesterdays earthquake in eastern and northern Anatolia, the western province of Turkey. It is feared that up to 20,000 may have died, with many thousands more now homeless in the bitter winter weather. There were seven violent shock between 2am and 5am yesterday. The regions of Tokat and the Black Sea tobacco-growing centres of Samsun and Ordu are amongst the worst affected. An emergency relief operation is under way.