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December 10th, 1940 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:
London:
Two Nazi spies, Jose Waldberg and Carl Meier, are the first people to be executed since the start of the war. They were hanged today in Pentonville jail in London.
The pair landed in this country several weeks ago with a radio transmitter, English money and some iron rations. They planned to spend the nights hiding in the woods, and their days collecting information - from the unwary public in trains, pubs and buffets, and by observation of military bases.
An anti-espionage officer reported that, though Waldberg had been motivated by patriotism, his companion, Meier, was only interested in the money.

RAF Bomber Command: 2 Group: Four Blenheims of 105 Sqn., bomb the Focke-Wulf factory at Bremen, one enemy night fighter 'probably' shot down.

Britain loans £10 million to China.

GERMANY: Berlin: Hitler issues a directive for the seizure of French military resources and the future occupation of Vichy France (Operation Attila), and cancels plans to invade Gibraltar via Spain (Operation Felix).

     Chancellor Hitler tells the German arms workers there would be neither military nor economic defeat of Germany stating, "I am not a man who, once he is engaged in a fight, breaks it off to his own, disfavor."

U-125 launched.

EGYPT: The advance of the Western Desert Force commanded by Major General Richard O'Connor, is delayed by a sandstorm. General Archibald Wavell, Commander in Chief Middle East Command, in the meantime withdraws the Indian 4th Division and sends it to the Sudan where he expects an attack. At first light the Coldstream Guards assault the Italian positions at Mersa Matruh, supported by heavy fire from the sea. Fighting continues all day and by 2200 hours local the Coldstream battalion headquarters signals that it was impossible to count the number of prisoners, but that "there were about five acres (2 hectares) of officers and 200 acres (81 hectares) of other ranks."

AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Ballarat launched.


U.S.A.: Washington: Roosevelt announces that the export licence system will be extended to include iron and steel.

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