December 25th, 1941 (THURSDAY)
FRANCE: Paris: Rue des Maronites. Second attempt to shoot a French policeman by Resistants.U.S.S.R.: The Soviet winter offensives continue to gain ground. The Germans have lost significant strength at approximately 75 percent of their June strength. Guderian has less than 40 panzers available.
Russian amphibious forces land on the Kerch Peninsula. Count von Sponeck's XLII Armeekorps is charged with guarding it and initially do well against the Soviets. (Pat McTaggart)
LIBYA: The British 8th Army enters Benghazi and Agedabia.
HONG KONG: This evening the British surrender.
The Japanese flag is flying over the governors' mansion. After 18 days of fighting, the last seven marked by continual air and artillery bombardment, the governor, Sir Mark Young, formally surrendered at 7.05pm local time. He had been advised that with the loss of reservoirs there was less than a day's water supplied left. A communiqué from the colonial office in London said that Sir Mark took the decision to surrender after he had been advised by his commanders that "no further effective resistance can be made."
The garrison of British, Canadian and Indian troops ceased firing in mid-afternoon following a command by radio. An isolated contingent at Stanley in the south-east is fighting on until it receives a written order to surrender.
Sir Mark is being held at the Peninsula Hotel where, in a 15-minute candle-lit ceremony, he told the Japanese C-in-C, Lt-Gen Sakai: "I am here to become a prisoner by ordering the entire British forces to cease all resistance."
British and Japanese losses are estimated at approximately 2,000 each. However, British losses are feared higher following reports of atrocities by troops of the 229th Regiment under Colonel Tanaka, who ordered his men to take no prisoners. After overrunning an anti-aircraft battery three days ago they roped together 20 survivors and bayoneted them to death. Fifteen staff and wounded were also bayoneted in similar circumstances at a medical station captured by the 229th.
The final phase of the Japanese invasion began three days ago when 40,000 infantrymen wrong-footed the British by landing on the island's north-east coast instead of the north-west. They then thrust south to Deep Water Bay, capturing all the high ground and splitting the defending force which London had expected would hold out for 90 days.
Sakai's victory has been aided by superb intelligence and planning. Spies on the island, including the Peninsula Hotel barber, who now turns out to be a Japanese army colonel, had provided the troops with accurate and up-to-date maps of every British gun emplacement.
BURMA: Japanese air attack, Mingaladon Air Base, Burma.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The US forces in
northern Luzon are holding their second defense line.
Eight of the original 48 P-35As are left and the 34th Pursuit Sqd. is moved to
Bataan.
Submarine USS Sealion is scuttled at Cavite Navy Yard at Manila. Unable to sail after damaged in an air raid 10 Dec.
PACIFIC OCEAN: Submarine HNLMS K XVI torpedoed.
TERRITORY OF HAWAII: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz arrives at Pearl Harbor to assume command of US Pacific Fleet.
ST. PIERRE: Yesterday the 350-strong population was given a Christmas present - the vote.
Free French sailors under Admiral Muselier, the chief of the Free French navy, landed on this cold, windswept left-over from France's North American empire, and on its neighbour, Miquelon. Within an hour the Vichy governor, Baron de Bournat, and the island's only known fascist, Henri Moraze, were arrested. Shortly afterwards, the island's men were herded into the town hall to vote to remain with Vichy or join de Gaulle. The result: 98% for de Gaulle.