November 17th, 1941 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Minesweeper HMS
Stornoway commissioned.
General der Flieger (USAAF Lieutenant General, RAF Air Marshal) Ernst Udet the head of the Luftwaffe's Technical Department, commits suicide. Udet had been accused by Generalfeldmarschall (USAAF General of the Army, RAF Marshal of the Air Force) Erhard Milch, Luftwaffe Air Inspector General, of bringing about the Luftwaffe's shortcomings as demonstrated during the Battle of Britain, and under fire from Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Commander of the Luftwaffe, himself. Udet, who had become critical of the Nazi regime, 'chose' to commit suicide and is given a hero's funeral.
GERMANY: U-660 is launched.
FINLAND: In northern Finland, Maj. Gen. Hjalmar Siilasvuo, CO of the III Corps, orders his corps to halt all offensive operations. Siilasvuo's corps is subordinated to the German 20th Mountain Army, and had been involved in succesful offensive operations, advancing towards Louhi. However, political considerations came to play.
Despite Siilasvuo's formal subordination to Germans, he always verifies his orders with Mannerheim. Lately the Western Allies had put lot of pressure on Finland not to cut the Murmansk railway. Capturing Louhi would achieve just that. On 6 Nov Mannerheim confidentially told Siilasvuo that it is better Louhi is not captured. Siilasvuo naturally could not let the Germans know the true reasons for calling the advance to halt, thus the decision is justified by stiffening Soviet resistance.
U.S.S.R.: The advance of the German 1st Panzer Group continues near Rostov. Soviet General Semen Timoshenko, commander of the Southwestern Theater, begins a counterattack on the flank of the German column.
Soviet attacks by massed T-34 tanks strike the German 112th Infantry Division. The Germans break in panic, losing most of a regiment, the first time this has occurred in World War II.
Units of 11.Armee (von Manstein) capture the eastern Crimean port of Kerch.
EGYPT: German intercept stations report complete radio silence from the British. (Jay Stone)
Early on during their 3rd patrol, U-331 dropped off 8 commandos on the Egyptian coast east of Ras Gibeisa. Their mission was to blow up a railway near the coast, but they did not succeed.
LIBYA: The most famous of the commando raid of the "Layforce" in North Africa occurs today. The objective is to behead the Afrikakorps on the eve of the decisive Operation CRUSADER offensive. A commando, landing on the Libyan coast, has to rally the "Rommel's House" in Beda Littoria and kill him. Although the British reach the house and attack it, General Erwin Rommel is not there. The intelligence was false and it was not his headquarter. The losses were heavy on both side and only two men could go back in Egypt ... on foot.
CHINA: The Nationalist leader, Chiang Kai-Shek, calls for the western democracies to take action against Japan.
JAPAN: Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo said an amicable conclusion of Japan's negotiations with the United States was by no means impossible. . . if the Government of the United States are, on the one hand, as genuinely solicitous for world peace as are the Imperial Government, and on the other understand Japan's natural requirements and her position in East Asia and consider the situation as it exists there in the light of realities," but Japan would face any threat to its empire or compromise of its prestige with firm resolve. ". . . there is naturally a limit to our conciliatory attitude." (Dave Shirlaw & Jack McKillop)
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Joseph Grew warns the United States of the inability of the Embassy to warn of Japanese attack stating, "I take into account the probability of the Japanese exploiting every possible tactical advantage, such as surprise and initiative."
CANADA:
Corvette HMCS Midland commissioned.
U.S.A.: Ambassador Kurusu told President Roosevelt Germany had not requested Japan to fight. Sections 2, 3, and 6 of the Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed by Public Law 294. Ambassador Grew warned the United States of the inability of the Embassy to warn of Japanese attack.
Congress amends Neutrality Act to allow US merchant ships to be armed. Navy's Bureau of Navigation directs Navy personnel with Armed Guard training to be assigned for further training before going to Armed Guard Centers for assignment to merchant ships.
Minesweepers USS Speed, Steady, Strive and Sustain laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: USN destroyers USS Benson (DD-421) and Edison (DD-439), screening convoy ON-34 (U.K. to North America), depth charge submarine contacts.
USN Task Unit 4.1.5 intercepts and joins convoy HX-160 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to U.K.). Although none of the destroyers in the task unit will be damaged by enemy action, all, USS Mayo (DD-422), Babbitt (DD-128), Leary (DD-158), Schenck (DD-159), and Nicholson (DD-442), will suffer storm damage of varying degrees between today and 28 November.