2 December 1941

Destroyers HMS Musketeer and Blackmore launched.

Destroyer HMS Marne commissioned.

Submarine HMS Turbulent commissioned.

FRANCE: Paris: German army doctor Kerscher is wounded by a pistol shot. In the Boulevard Auguste Blanqui there is a bomb attack on the RNP offices.

FINLAND: The last Soviet troops evacuate Hanko (Hangö), the base forcibly leased from Finland after the Winter War.

U.S.S.R.: With the Kremlin in sight, at 20 miles, some German units reach the northern suburbs of Moscow. Kluge's forces west of Moscow renew their efforts but General Winter's cold temperatures are not on the German's side. General Franz Halder, Chief of the General Staff, notes in his diary that the Russian defense has reached its climax and has no fresh forces left to throw into the battle. Both he and German military intelligence were unaware that the Soviets have secretly been massing more than 700,000 fresh troops from the east.

LIBYA: Between today and the 6th, the fighting in is very confused for both the Germans and the British. The British armour is regrouping near Bir el Gubi in the south. Rommel is trying to contain Tobruk, disrupt the British armour and aid Axis troops at Bardia, Sollum and Halfaya Pass. These scattered efforts further weaken the Germans.

JAPAN: Tokyo: The Premier, Hideki Tojo, publicly rejects US proposals for peace. The Japanese carrier force "Kido Butai" sailing for the Hawaiian Islands and the target of Pearl Harbor receives a special radio signal: "Climb Mount Niitaka 1208", from Japanese Combined Fleet Commander Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto. This is the order to execute the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Foreign Office sends the following message to the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.: "(1.) Among the telegraphic codes with which your office is equipped burn all but those now used with the machine and one copy each of "O" code (Oite) and abbreviating code (L). (Burn also the various other codes which you have in your custody.) (2.) Stop at once using one code machine unit and destroy it completely. (3) When you have finished this, wire me back the one word "haruna." (4) At the time and in the manner you deem most proper dispose of all files of messages coming and going and all other secret documents. (5) Burn all the codes which Telegraphic Official KOSAKA brought you."

A second message is sent to the Japanese consulate in Honolulu: "In view of the present situation, the presence in port of warships, airplane carriers, and cruisers is of utmost importance. Hereafter, to the utmost of your ability, let me know day by day. Wire me in each case whether or not there are any observation balloons above Pearl Harbor or if there are any indications that they will be sent up. Also advice me whether or not the warships are provided with anti-mine nets."

The Chief of the Naval General Staff, Admiral NAGANO Osami, sends Navy Order No. 12 to Admiral YAMAMOTO Isoroku , Commander-in-Chief, Combined Fleet: "(1) As of 8 December the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet will start military operations in accordance with Imperial General Headquarters Navy Order No. 9. (2) Military operations will be launched against the Netherlands at an opportune time after attacking the United States and Great Britain."

The Japanese Cabinet is reorganized because of "the deteriorating international situation."

SINGAPORE: British battleship HMS Prince of Wales (53), battlecruiser HMS Repulse (34) and destroyers HMS Electra (H 27), Encounter (H 10), Express (H 61) and Jupiter (F 85), arrive in Singapore and will form the British Far East Fleet. The aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable (92) was scheduled to join them, but was damaged when she ran aground in Jamaica, West Indies, on 3 November while training. These capital ships represent a British deterrence in the Far East. The capitol ships represent a British deterrence in the Far East.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: IJN reconnaissance plane spotted over Clark at dawn.
Unknown aircraft off Luzon coast tracked by radar at Iba. The following message is from the Commander-in-Chief Asiatic Fleet to the Chief of Naval Operations and also sent to Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet: "Bearing 070 from Saigon distant 180 miles 3 type I-61 submarines in cruising formation headed south 15 knots. 21 transports anchored Camranh Bay with six planes patrolling overhead."

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: Communication Intelligence Summary, 2 December 1941: "General.-The most prominent factor in today's traffic is the apparent confusion in the routing of traffic for certain major parts of the Japanese Fleet. There were instances where the same dispatch was repeated several times after it appeared on the Tokyo broadcast and also where Takao Radio received the same dispatch that it had previously sent. ComSixteen reported Second and Third Fleets in Takao area and that Takao Radio was broadcasting traffic to these fleets. This broadcast was not uncovered here and contrary to location reports, there was one indication that these two fleets were not close to Takao. In several instances Takao Radio forwarded traffic to Tokyo for these fleets. Summing up all reports and indications, it is believed that the large fleet made up of Second, Third and First Fleet units has left Empire waters but is either not close enough to Takao for good communication or is proceeding on a course not close to Takao. The change of calls on December first has prevented this office from making definite statements at this date of the units now in the Southern area. To further complicate the situation, Shanghai Radio handled a considerable amount of traffic which obviously was originated by and destined for units in the Takao area. The Chief of Staff, South China area continues to appear in Shanghai ComSixteen reported nine submarines proceeding south by Camranh Bay. This group is believed to comprise both Submarine Squadrons five and six, which units normally operate with the First Fleet but have been included repeatedly in the Second Fleet Task Force for Southern operations. There was a very high percentage of high precedence traffic originated both by major forces afloat and Tokyo. Hainan continues as a prominent address. Palao and Third Base Force is holding the same relative importance.

- "First Fleet.-Despite the lack of positive identification, the First Fleet appears relatively quiet. From inconclusive evidence, it appears as if there may have been a split in the original or normal Combined Fleet Staff and that these may be two supreme commanders with staffs. As an example, traffic routing indicates one Combined Fleet call associated with the Second and Third Fleets and apparently in company while another Combined Fleet call appears not associated with the Second and Third Fleets.

- "Second Fleet.-No units have stood out prominently the last two or three days. This is partly due to lack of new identifications but contributes somewhat to the belief that a large part of the Second Fleet is underway in company. Cruiser Division Seven and Destroyer Squadron Three are unlocated and unobserved since change of calls.

- " Third Fleet.-Nothing to report. Shanghai appeared in an indirect way in some of the Third Fleet traffic.

- "Mandates.-Association of Submarine Force and Fourth Fleet continues. Some traffic for Fourth Fleet units still going through Truk.

- "Carriers.-Almost a complete blank of information on the Carriers today Lack of identifications has somewhat promoted this lack of information- however, since over two hundred service calls have been partially identified since the change on the first of December and not one carrier call has been recovered, it is evident that carrier traffic is at a low ebb.

- "Combined Air Force.-This force continues to be associated closely with Second, Third and Indo-China Fleets. Some units of the Combined Air Force have undoubtedly left the Takao area."

Destroyer HMCS St Clair completed refit and assigned to EG-14.

Patrol vessel HMCS Elk completed refit and departed for Trinidad.

Tug HMCS Andy assigned to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

U.S.A.: President Roosevelt orders that three small ships, former yachts, be sent off the coast of Indo China as pickets in Admiral Hart's Asiatic Squadron. One of them is Fleet Yacht USS ISABEL, LANIKAI is one of the others. (73, 74) (Matt Clark and Marc James Small)

15 atomic scientists, including the Soviet spy Klaus Fuchs, arrive from Britain to join the US atomic research project.

First Naval Armed Guard detachment (7 men under a coxswain) of World War II reports to Liberty ship, SS Dunboyne.

Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles hands a note from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Japanese Ambassador NOMURA Kichisaburo and special envoy KURUSU Saburo asking for reasons the Japanese are increasing its forces in French Indochina. "It was my clear understanding that by the terms of the agreement and there is no present need to discuss the nature of that agreement between Japan and the French Government at Vichy that the total number of Japanese forces permitted by the terms of that agreement to be stationed in Indochina was very considerably less than the total amount of the forces already there. The stationing of these increased Japanese forces in Indochina would seem to imply the utilization of these forces by Japan for purposes of further aggression, since no such number of forces could possibly be required for the policing of that region. . . . because of the broad problem of American defense. I should like to know the intention of the Japanese Go vernment."

The motion picture "Ball of Fire" is released in the U.S. This romantic comedy directed by Howard Hawks stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oskar Homolka, S.Z. Sakall, Dana Andrews, Dan Duryea, Elisha Cook, Jr. and Gene Krupa. The film is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Actress in a Leading Role (Stanwyck). The members of the American Film Institute ranked this film No. 92 on the list of 100 Funniest American Movies.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-43 again attacks unarmed U.S. tanker SS Astral and this time torpedoes and sinks her about 238 nautical miles (441 kilometers) southeast of Lagens Field, Azores Islands, in position 35.40N, 24.00W. U-43 had fired torpedoes at the tanker yesterday but they missed.