GERMANY: Berchtesgaden: A chastened Mussolini arrived here today to plead with Hitler for military aid. The location is significant - until now, the two dictators have met on "equal terms" on their borders. Count Ciano found the Duce "frowning and nervous" on his special train - clearly worried that Hitler would be insultingly condescending to him after Italy's string of defeats in North Africa, Greece and Albania. Much to his surprise - and obvious relief - Mussolini found Hitler cordial and welcoming. The Fuhrer has already agreed to bolster the Italian army in Libya with anti-tank formations and squadrons of the Luftwaffe, and to send an army corps of two and a half divisions to Albania. The price to the Duce is total subordination to Hitler in all military matters.

ERITREA:  British forces of the 4th and 5th Indian Divisions in East Africa under Major-General William Platt, acting on information obtained by breaking the Italians' coded messages, invade Italian-occupied Eritrea. British Intelligence had been privy to secret Italian communiques from Africa for the past five months; every instruction sent from one Italian military unit to another was analyzed by the Brits. The Italian viceroy in Ethiopia was unwittingly receiving and transmitting every Italian military secret-and weakness. Consequently, British forces were able to organize a strategy to advance on Italian-occupied territory, with Italian troop movements in mind.