November 27th, 1941 (THURSDAY)
GERMANY:
DENMARK: Copenhagen: Two days of riots follow the government's signing of the anti-Comintern pact in Berlin.
U.S.S.R.: The German 1st
Panzer Group is retreating toward Taganrog as the Soviets reoccupy Rostov-on-Don.
Fighting near Kashira has been continuing for the past 3 days. Guderian's forces
will not be able to continue the advance toward Moscow unless reinforced.
Moscow: The sound of the guns from the battle raging in front of Moscow can be heard clearly in the capital tonight. The Germans are only 25 miles away. They have broadened the wedge that they have driven into the Russian forces northwest of the city and are claiming to have captured the town of Klin. They are however, still being held at Tula, south of Moscow.
The seriousness of the situation is reflected in an order of the day broadcast to the Red Army today, urging the soldiers to hold on; "The enemy has advanced nearer to Moscow. The situation is increasingly difficult but we must, and can, stand the strain."
The order went on to say that Hitler is putting everything into his last thrust, which he hopes will bring him to the gates of the city, and, recalling the French at Verdun, it demanded: "You must fight to the last. The enemy shall not pass."
In their advance toward Moscow under extremely difficult wintry conditions, units of 9.Armee reach the Volga Canal 60 miles (97 kilometers) northwest of the Soviet capital. Some armed patrols have penetrated the western suburbs of the city and got a good look at the Kremlin.
The only unit to reach/cross the Volga Canal was the 7 Pz.Div. of LVIPz.K./3rd Pz.Armee. They cross the canal today at Yachroma, about 30 miles North of Moscow. (Jeff Chrisman)
SPAIN: U-652 received supplies from a support ship in Cadiz during the night.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-559 torpedoes and sinks the Australian sloop HMAS PARAMATTA which is escorting an ammunition ship off Tobruk at 32 20N, 24 35E, another almost simultaneous second explosion occurs and the ship rolls over and sinks within minutes, killing 138 on board and leaving 20 survivors. (Alex Gordon)(108)
At 2203hrs U-96 reached the German tanker and support ship Vessel in the harbour of Vigo. The boat left harbour at 0400hrs. In the Mediterranean, U-557 saw an enemy submarine periscope and heard her engines, but no attacks occurred.
LEBANON: Beirut: The Free French General Georges Catroux proclaims Lebanon's independence.
LIBYA: The 4th and 7th New Zealand Brigades link up with forces from the Tobruk garrison at El Duda early today. Later the Germans and British fight an evenly matched armour to armour engagement near Sidi Rezegh. The German Afrika Division is renamed the 90th Light.
General Erwin Rommel, commander of Panzer Gruppe Africa, is ordered to turn his attention from the British Eighth Army to Tobruk.
Staff Sergeant Delmer E. Park, US Army Signal Corps ASN 6281980 142nd Armored Signal Company Killed in Action Sidi-Omar, Egypt. Possibly the first American to die with Allied ground forces. (Mark Conrad)
ETHIOPIA: Gondar: The last Italian forces in Ethiopia have surrendered. After holding out for nine months, aided by the mountains and the rains, General Nasi's battle-hardened troops were overwhelmed today. The British have taken 11,500 Italian and 12,000 native troops prisoner.
Previous British assaults on Gondar have failed. Remembering only the collapse of the Italian armies in mobile warfare in the deserts of Libya and Somalia, the British forgot the Italian infantryman's skill at positional warfare. At times, when the Italians were facing Ethiopian "Patriots" unsupported by air cover they even advanced. After whittling away at the Italian defences for six days the 12 East African Division under the redoubtable Major-General C C Fowkes, began its attack on a broad front early this morning supported by the South African Air Force.
At 7,000 feet above sea level - in bitter cold - the King's African Rifles were advancing through clouds. By midday the battle had been decided, but there was almost a massacre when Ethiopian Patriots got into Gondar before the East Africans. Fowkes had to send in armoured cars to rescue the Italian prisoners.
British and South African aircraft fly their last sorties when thirty planes drop 12,000 pounds of bombs on the Italian positions around Gondar. (Mike Yared)(284)
CHINA: U.S. passenger liner SS President Madison, chartered for the purpose, sails from Shanghai with the 2d Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment embarked, bound for the Philippine Islands.
JAPAN: Combined Fleet sailed for Pearl Harbor strike. (Marc Small)
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES:
8:00 pm Unidentified aircraft spotted at high
altitude over central Luzon by Iba radar. All
FEAF units placed on alert.
Ickes
and LaGuardia (US Civil Service Co-Ordinator) opined that all civil defence in
the Philippines was the responsibility of the High Commissioner and that the
Commonwealth government had no role to play in this.
Hart
authorizes reconnaissance flights over Japanese troop convoys.(Marc
Small)
TERRITORY OF HAWAII: USN Communication Intelligence Summary, 27 November: "General.-Traffic volume a little below normal due to poor signals on the frequencies above 7000 kcs. Tokyo-Takao (Formosa) circuit unreadable on mid-watch. Some tactical traffic intercepted from carriers. Bako, Sama, and Saigon active as originators, addressing traffic to each other and to the Chiefs of Staff of Second, Third Fleets and Combined Air Force. Bako addressed the Chief of Staff Third Fleet information Destroyer Squadrons Four and Five and Chief of Staff Second Fleet. The main Tokyo originator today was the Intelligence activity who sent five dispatches to the major commanders. The Direction Finder activity was very high with all stations sending in bearings including the Marshall Islands Stations which has been silent for the past four days.
- COMBINED FLEET.-No further information as to whether or not Destroyer Squadron Three is in Hainan area but is believed to be still with Cruiser Division Seven in that area. There is still no evidence of any further movement from the Kure-Sasebo area. The Chief of Staff Combined Fleet originated several messages of general address. He has been fairly inactive as an originator lately. CinC. Second Fleet originated many messages to Third Fleet, Combined Air Force and Bako.
- THIRD FLEET.-Still holding extensive communication with Baka, Sama South China Fleet and French Indo China Force. The use of WE addresses is increasing, those occurring today were: "DAIHATIFUTABUTAISANBOTEU" (in Taihoku) "KOROKUKITISIKI" "KIZUKEYAMASITABUTAI" (in care of RYUJO) "HEIZEUKAIGUNDAIGONREUSEU" There is nothing to indicate any movement of the Third Fleet as yet.
- FOURTH FLEET.-CinC. Fourth Fleet frequently addressed dispatches to the defense forces in the Mandates. Jaluit addressed messages to the Commander Submarine Force and several submarine units. The Saipan Air Corps held communication with Jaluit and CinC. Fourth Fleet. The Civil Engineering Units at IMIEJI and ENIWETOK were heard from after being silent for weeks. Chitose Air Corps is in Saipan and Air Squadron Twenty-four is still operating in the Marshalls. No further information on the presence of Carrier Division Five in the Mandates.
- AIR.-An air unit in the Takao area addressed a dispatch to the KORYU and SHOKAKU. Carriers are still located in home waters. No information of further movement of any Combined Air Force units to Hainan. SUBMARINES.-Commander Submarine Force still in Chichijima Area."
U.S.A.: President Roosevelt and
Secretary of State Hull decide to present a stiff note of final terms to the
Japanese. It requires recognition of the Nationalist Chinese Government, the
withdrawal of Japanese troops from China and Indonesia. The US promises to
negotiate new trade and raw materials (oil and scrap metal) agreements.
US military authorities issue a war warning to their overseas commanders.
The USN Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold R. Stark, sends the following message to the commanders of the Asiatic Fleet, Admiral Thomas C. Hart, and Pacific Fleet, Admiral Husband E. Kimmel: "This dispatch is to be considered a war warning. Negotiations with Japan looking toward stabilization of conditions in the Pacific have ceased and an aggressive move by Japan is expected within the next few days. The number and equipment of Japanese troops and the organization of naval task forces indicates an amphibious expedition against either the Philippines, Thai or Kra Peninsula or possibly Borneo. Execute an appropriate defensive deployment preparatory to carrying out the tasks assigned in WPL46. Inform District and Army authorities. A similar warning is being sent by War Department. Spenavo inform British. Continental districts, Guam, Samoa directed take appropriate measures against sabotage."
In baseball, New York Yankees center fielder Joe DiMaggio is named American League Most Valuable Player. His 56-game hitting streak edges out Ted Williams and his .406 batting average for the award (291 for DiMaggio and 254 for Williams).
Destroyers USS Jenkins and La Vallette laid down.Escort
carrier USS Nassau laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
USN destroyer USS Babbitt (DD-128),
with Task Unit 4.1.5, escorting convoy HX-160 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada,
to U.K.), depth charges a sound contact.