EGYPT: British Lieutenant General Alan Cunningham, General Officer Commanding Eighth Army, is relieved of command and replaced by Major General Neil Ritchie.

LEBANON: General Georges-Albert Catroux, French Commander in Chief Levant and High Commissioner of the Levant, announces Free French recognition of Lebanese independence but that the French will continue to exercise authority until the mandate can be properly ended.

JAPAN: Japanese military leaders confer on Formosa to complete plans for the invasion of the Philippines. (Marc Small)  

The Carrier Group of the Pearl Harbor Strike Force (Vice Admiral NAGUMA Chuichi), consisting of six aircraft carriers (HIJMS Akagi, Hirju, Kaga, Shokaku, Sorju and Zuikaku), two battleships (HIJMS Hiei and Kirishima), two heavy cruisers (HIJMS Cikuma and Tone), one light cruiser (HIJMS Abukuma), ten destroyers, three submarines and seven oilers, sails from remote Hittokappu Bay, Etorofu Island, Kurile Islands, its departure shrouded in secrecy. Its mission, should talks between the U.S. and Japan fail to resolve the diplomatic impasse over Far Eastern and Pacific questions, is to attack the U.S. Pacific Fleet wherever it is found in Hawaiian waters.

     The Foreign Office sends a message to the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C. containing the following statement: "When you reach a settlement in accordance with our new proposal, it is essential that you secure guarantees for the acquisition of goods in connection with clauses 2 and 3 of that proposal. Of these goods, the acquisition of petroleum is one of the most pressing and urgent requirements of the Empire. Therefore, in accordance with the course of negotiations, prior to the signing of an understanding, and at as early a date as possible, I would like to have you make our wishes known insofar as petroleum imports are concerned along the following lines: 4 million tons per year from the United States. (This figure is the average amount of imports during the years 1938, '39, and '40 from the United States. The breakdown according to type, aviation gasoline included, corresponds to the actual figures covering imports before the freezing legislation went into effect.) That is to say, roughly 333,000 tons per month. In addition, on the basis of past negotiations and roughly in the agreed amounts, we hope to import from the Netherlands Indies 1 million tons per year.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: 34^th Pursuit moves from Nichols to Del Carmen. (Marc Small)

CANADA:

Cordell Hull replies to Japanese proposal Plan B with an American counter-proposal.

In a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, Japanese Ambassador NOMURA Kichisaburo and Special Envoy KURUSU Saburo in Washington, Hull offers a plan of a broad but simple settlement covering the entire Pacific area as a counter proposal to Japan. The U.S. plan calls for the Japanese evacuation of French Indo-China and China, recognition of the territorial integrity of these states, extend official recognition to the Nationalist Chinese government, and conclude a multi-lateral non-aggression pact. Once the Japanese acted on these points, the U.S. would begin negotiations to establish a liberal trade policy between the two nations. Special Envoy KURUSU said this was tantamount to the end of negotiations. "When they reported our answer to their Government it would be likely to throw up its hands."

     Ambassador NOMURA sends a message to Tokyo with the following entry: "Judging from the progress of present Japanese-American relations, with which you are well acquainted through successive telegrams, the American proposal on the 26th showed a great disparity between the demands of both parties. Unfortunately, there are no hopes of acceptance of our demands within the time limit you set." Special Envoy KURUSU calls YAMAMOTO Kumaicho, Head of American Division of Japanese Foreign Office in Tokyo, and says, "I have made all efforts, but they will not yield. I sent a cable expressing my opinions to the Foreign Minister this morning. The situation is just like that. Otherwise there is no means of accomplishing it. I shall cable you now. Already, you have a general understanding I imagine. Accordingly, I do not know how things will turn out regarding my meeting with the President. Hull is not making much progress it seems."

     Secretary of State Hull warns U.S. Army and Navy officials of an imminent Japanese surprise attack stating, "There was practically no possibility of an agreement being achieved with Japan."

     U.S. Army G-2 (Intelligence) sends a memorandum to General George S. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, stating: "The following information was received from the Commandant 14th Naval District (in Hawaii) through the Office of Naval Intelligence at 12: 45 a. m., this date:

     - 1. The Japanese have been organizing a naval task force for the past month comprising:

          - a. Second Fleet: Under the command of Commander-in-Chief, Second Fleet. (The Second Fleet corresponds roughly to our Scouting Force, consisting mainly of strong Cruiser Divisions).

          - b. Third Fleet which formerly was the China Coast Command Force including its first and second base forces, constituted by miscellaneous small vessels.

          - c. Combined Air Force consisting of all large carrier forces.

          - d. Also destroyer squadron 3, air squadron 7, submarine squadron 5, and possibly 1 battleship division from First Fleet consisting of 3 battleships.

          - Summary of Above: 14 Heavy Cruisers, 4 Light Cruisers, 10 Carriers, 3 Light Cruisers. 2 Destroyer Squadrons (24 destroyers), 2 Submarine Squadrons (18 submarines), and possibly 3 battleships.

     - 2. The combined air force has assembled in Takao, Formosa, with some units believed in Hainan Island. The Third Fleet is believed moving in direction of Takao and Bako, Pescadores off West Coast of Formosa, from home waters in Japan. Units from the Second Fleet are at present possibly en route to South China as advance scouts. Strong concentration of submarines and air groups in the Marshalls. Present location other units of this task force are not known.

     - 3. The evaluation put upon the above information by the Commandant, 14th Naval District is that a strong force may be preparing to operate in Southeastern Asia, while component parts thereof may be expected to operate from Palao and the Marshall Islands.

     The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark, sends the following message to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel: "In order to keep the planes of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing available for expeditionary use OPNAV has requested and Army has agreed to station twenty five Army pursuit planes at Midway and a similar number at Wake provided you consider this feasible and desirable. It will be necessary for you to transport these planes and ground crews from Oahu to these stations on an aircraft carrier. Planes will be flown off at destination and ground personnel landed in boats essential spare parts tools and ammunition will be taken in the carrier or on later trips of Regular Navy supply vessels. Army understands these forces must be quartered in tents. Navy must be responsible for supplying water and subsistence and transporting other Army supplies. Stationing these planes must not be allowed to interfere with planned movements of Army bombers to Philippines. Additional parking areas should be laid promptly if necessary. Can Navy bombs now at outlying positions be carried by Army bombers which may fly to those positions for supporting Navy operations. Confer with commanding general and advise as soon as practicable." A second message is sent stating that the "Army has offered to make available some units of Infantry for reenforcing defense battalions now on station if you consider this desirable. Army also proposes to prepare in Hawaiian garrison troops for advance bases which you may occupy but is unable, at this time to provide any antiaircraft units. Take this into consideration in your plans and advise when practicable number of troops desired and recommend armament.

Destroyer USS Killen laid down.

     President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill officially establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. In 1789, President George Washington became the first president to proclaim a Thanksgiving holiday, when, at the request of Congress, he proclaimed November 26, a Tuesday, as a day of national thanksgiving for the U.S. Constitution. However, it was not until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to fall on the last Thursday of November, that the modern holiday was celebrated nationally. With a few deviations, Lincoln's precedent was followed annually by every subsequent president--until 1939. In 1939, Roosevelt departed from tradition by declaring 23 November, the next to last Thursday that year, as Thanksgiving Day. Considerable controversy surrounded this deviation, and some Americans refused to honor Roosevelt's declaration and he conceded defeat today by signing the bill.