5 December 1941

U-175 commissioned.

U-273 laid down.

U-218 launched.

POLAND: The first Jews are transported to Chelmno (Kulmhof) extermination camp. (John Nicholas)

U.S.S.R.: Temperatures around Moscow fall to between -25C and -30C (-13F and -22F). The leading German panzer commander, Colonel General (U.S. general) Heinz Guderian, commanding the Second Panzer Army, realizes his troops no longer have the strength and material capabilities to carry on the attack and must be withdrawn to a shorter line. Hitler agrees to a halt in the offensive towards Moscow, due to growing German weakness.

The German Fliegerkorps II and Luftlotte 2 are ordered, by Hitler, from the Eastern Front to the MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The goal is to disrupt the attacks from Malta against the Axis supply convoys for North Africa.

A friendship and mutual aid agreement between the Soviets and General Sikorski, of the Polish Government in Exile in London, is signed in Moscow.

Tokyo: JAPAN: assures the USA that its build-up of troops in Indochina is a purely defensive measure.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: At 1730 hours, two merchant ships escorted by two warships depart Tobruk, Libya, for Alexandria, Egypt. One of the ships is the 3,033 ton SS Chakdina carrying 380 wounded soldiers including 97 New Zealanders; several officers and medical personnel are accompanying the wounded. Chakdina is not a hospital ship and is not marked as one. At about 2100 hours, a Luftwaffe aircraft attacks the ship and puts a torpedo into her aft hold causing the ship to sink in 3-1/2 minutes. There was very little chance of escape, except for those who were not wounded or only slightly wounded, and who were in a favorable position at the time. Only 18 of the New Zealand wounded are picked up by the escort destroyer HMS Farndale (L 70), which also rescues all except one of the Divisional Headquarters medical staff.

AUSTRALIA: The government today cancelled all army leave as the prospect of war with Japan grows more likely. Japanese convoys are on the move in Asia, and the only question now seems to be where, not whether, they will strike.

Allied forces have been brought to the first degree of readiness. Australian service chiefs have been summoned and the Australian war cabinet has issued orders for emergency measures in the Pacific.

However, Australia has the bulk of its army strength - three divisions - in North Africa and the Middle East. So far there is no question of their return, as the war cabinet does not believe that there is an immediate threat to Australia.

Meanwhile, John Curtin, the Australian prime minister, is anxiously following the efforts of the United States to negotiate with the Japanese and thereby avert an extension of the European war to the Pacific. The government here wonders whether, if negotiations fail, the United States will take the lead in armed defence against Japanese aggression. Despite the links with Britain and the British base at Singapore, it is the Americans are seen as potentially the major Allied power in the Pacific.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Visit by Admiral Sir Tom Phillips, commander of the British Far East Squadron. Phillips met with MacArthur and Hart at Cavite. Phillips requests assignment of two destroyer divisions to operate with HMS Repulse and HMS Renown. Hart demurs. Hart receives message from Captain John Creighton, USN, his liaison officer in Singapore, that the British had been informed by the US government that the US would enter the war on the British side if one of several possibilities occurred. Hart requested further information from the Navy Department.

COMYANGPAT is dissolved as the Yangtze gunboats arrive at Cavite. (Marc James Small)

Radar at Iba picks up contact fifty miles off shore after evening dusk and patrol of P-40's is vectored in to discover a flight of Zero fighters, which turn north when they spot the American aircraft.

Hart receives message from Captain John Creighton, USN, his liaison officer in Singapore, that the British had been informed by the US government that the US would enter the war on the British side if one of several possibilities occurred. Hart requested further information from the Navy Department.

Japanese Foreign Ministry advises Commonwealth Government that the Japanese counsel would be remaining in the Home Islands for a while due to a “cold”.

During the late afternoon, MacArthur "> MacArthur, through Sutherland, directs that FEAF aircraft encountering unknown aircraft in international airspace are to act defensively but, if such are encountered within Philippine airspace, they are to be attacked and shot down.

Isabel reaches Camranh Bay, is discovered by Japanese patrol aircraft, and is ordered by Hart to return to Manila.
(Marc Small)

EAST INDIES: The Netherlands East Indies and Australia have a long-standing agreement to aid each other in the event of war. Today, the Australians are asked to send aircraft to Dutch Timor because of Japanese ship and troop movements.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: The U.S. Navy's Task Force 12 (Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance), comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2); the heavy cruisers USS Astoria (CA-34), Chicago (CA-29), and Portland (CA-33); and the destroyers USS Drayton (DD-366), Flusser (DD-368), Lamson (DD-367), Mahan (DD-364), and Porter (DD-356), depart Pearl Harbor Lexington is carrying 18 Vought SB2U-3 Vindicators of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Thirty One (VMSB-231) which are to be flown off to reinforce Midway Island. The plan is to approach within 400 miles (640 kilometers) of Midway and fly the Marine squadron off to land on the island; this position would be reached by mid-morning on 7 December. After launching the Marine aircraft, Lexington would be free to continue training/scouting.

Communication Intelligence Summary, December 5, 1941: General.-Traffic volume heavy. All circuits overloaded with Tokyo broadcast going over full 24 hours. Tokyo-Mandates circuit in duplex operation. There were several new intercept schedules heard. OMINATO radio working SAMA and BAKO sending fleet traffic. The Takao broadcast handling traffic Second and Third Fleet while the Tokyo broadcast is still handling traffic for these units also. It is noted that some traffic being broadcast is several days old which indicates the uncertainty of delivery existing in the radio organization. There were many messages of high precedence which appears to be caused by the jammed condition of all circuits. A plain language message was sent by the Captain, OKAWA from Tokyo to Takao probably for further relay addressed to FUJIHARA, Chief of the Political Affairs Bureau saying that "in reference to the Far Eastern Crisis, what you said is considered important at this end but proceed with what you are doing, specific orders will be issued soon."

- Combined Fleet.- Neither the Second or Third Fleet Commanders have originated any traffic today. They are still frequently addressed but are receiving their traffic over broadcast. They are undoubtedly in Takao area or farther south since the Takao broadcast handles nearly all their traffic. No traffic from the Commander Carriers or Submarine Force has been seen either.

- Third Fleet.- In one WE address a "Chief of Staff" sent a message to "Commander Fourteenth Army abroad RYUJOMARU in Third Fleet. HITOYO.GUN.SATI (IRO 1 REUZEU MARU). A number of MARUS have been addressing the CINC. Third Fleet.

- Fourth Fleet.- The Secretary, Fourth Fleet and Staff Communication Officer the Fourth Fleet were addressed at Jaluit today strengthening the impression at the CinC. Fourth Fleet is in the Marshalls. The Commander of the South China Fleet has been addressing Palao radio and the RNO TAIHOKU and the Commander Second Fleet.

- South China.-SAMA addressed much traffic to CinC. Second Fleet. BAKO continues as an active originator with many dispatches to Second and Third Fleet. The Commander Combined Air Force appears to be busy with the movement of Air Corps. SHIOGAMA Air and at least two unidentified corps are moving, probably to Indo-China. (Jack McKillop & Dave Shirlaw)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Two U.S. Army War Plans Division representatives visiting bases in Alaska note that housing is vulnerable to aerial bombing, antiaircraft artillery is inadequate, roads are insufficient, and storage facilities are inadequate. They recommend that the War Department remedy these deficiencies as quickly as possible.

U.S.A.: Knox advises cabinet meeting that the Japanese fleet was at sea. He suggested they were heading south, but Roosevelt suggested that they might be headed north. The reference is presumably to the strike force directed against the Philippines and Malaya, as the Pearl Harbor strike force was under radio silence.

Japanese Ambassador NOMURA Kichisaburo and special envoy KURUSU Saburo meet with Secretary of State Cordell Hull and hand him the following note: "Reference is made to your inquiry about the intention of the Japanese Government with regard to the reported movements of Japanese troops in French Indo-china. Under instructions from Tokyo I wish to inform you as follows. As Chinese troops have recently shown frequent signs of movements along the northern frontier of French Indo-china bordering on China, Japanese troops, with the object of mainly taking precautionary measures, have been reinforced to a certain extent in the northern part of French Indo-china. As a natural sequence of this step, certain movements have been made among the troops stationed the southern part of the said territory. It seems that an exaggerated report has been made of these movements. It should be added that no measure has been taken on the part of the Japanese Government that may transgress the stipulations of the Protocol of Joint Defense between Japan and France."

In the San Francisco, California, area, harbor defenses are on full war alert and the troops are each issued 40 rounds of small-arms ammunition.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: USN Task Unit 4.1.3 assumes escort duty for convoy HX-163 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, to U.K.) in the North Atlantic.