January 7th, 1942 (WEDNESDAY)
FRANCE: Paris: A French policeman, posted in front of a Wehrmacht garage is shot dead.During the night of 7/8 January, 62 of the 68 RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons dispatched attack German warships at Brest; and 25 of 27 aircraft dispatched attack the port area at St. Nazaire.
GERMANY: Hitler opines on his new enemy, the USA:
I don't see much future for the Americans. In my view, it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social inequalities. Those were what caused the downfall of Rome, and yet Rome was a solid edifice that stood for something. Moreover, the Romans were inspired by great ideas. Nothing of the sort in England today. As for the Americans, that kind of thing is nonexistent. That's why, in spite of everything, I like an Englishman a thousand times better than an American. (207)
U-532 is laid down.
YUGOSLAVIA: German troops launch their second anti-partisan offensive, driving Marshall Tito's forces 50 miles (80 kilometres) south. Despite the retreat and heavy losses, Tito's men fight on.
MEDITERRANEAN: U-97 has to abort a patrol because a crewmember is seriously ill.
U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: Shipping loss: MS "TSch-405 "Vzrivatel"" - by field artillery, close to Eupatoria (later raised) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
Soviet forces attack to the north and south of Mozhaisk. On the southern flank of the advance, Meshchovsk is captured.
LIBYA: 13 Corps, British Eighth Army, patrols to
Agedabia and finds that the enemy has withdrawn. A convoy arrives safely at
Benghazi but because of rough seas, this port is not put into full operation.
MALAYA: The Japanese, in a strong tank-infantry assault beginning before dawn, break
through the Slim River positions of Indian 11th Division and drive rapidly 19
miles (30,6 kilometres) toward Kuala Lumpur, reaching positions 2 miles (3,2
kilometres) south of Slim village. The Indian 3 Corps withdraws the Slim River
line southward to Tanjong Malim, between the village of Slim and the road
junction at Kuala Kubu. This action temporarily leaves Indian 11th Division
ineffective as a fighting force.
General Archibald Lord Wavell, who has been named Commander in Chief
Australian-British-Dutch-American (ABDA) Command, South West Pacific, arrives at
Singapore to find out why the British are losing. He gets an earful. Brigadier
Ivan Simson, the chief engineer, shows Wavell Singapore Island's north side,
which is undefended. No defence works are being built, or even planned. Wavell,
furious, asks Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, General Officer Commanding
Malaya, why this is so; Percival replies that defenses would be bad for morale.
Wavell says that the impact would be greater when retreating troops begin
crossing the causeway from the mainland and orders Percival to build defenses.
Percival doesn't.
BORNEO: The Japanese in Sarawak reach the
frontier of Dutch West Borneo.
CHINA: In Changsha Province, Chinese and
Japanese troops fight a fairly pointless battle which neither side wins.
PACIFIC: The submarine U.S.S. Pollack (SS-180), on her first patrol, fires two torpedoes in a daylight periscope attack in position 34-27N 139-59E. One hits and sinks the XAC Unkai Maru #1 (2225T ) south of Mikomoto Island. (Chris Sauder)
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: A Japanese
air raid on Rabaul on New Britain Island, destroys a Hudson and 2 Wirraways and
damages 2 other Hudson, all of No. 24 Squadron RAAF.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The siege of Bataan begins as U
.S. and Filipino forces complete their withdrawal from the Layac Line. The North
Luzon Force becomes the I Philippine Corps, containing about 22,500 men of 1st,
31st, 71st, and 91st Divisions, all Philippine Army (PA), 26th Cavalry
Philippine Scouts (PS), miscellaneous troops, and supporting weapons. The Bataan
defence Force is renamed II Philippine Corps and consists of about 25,000 men of
the 11th, 21st, 41st, and 51st Divisions (all PA), 57th Infantry (PS) of the
Philippine Division, and supporting weapons. The defence of Bataan as far south
as the Mariveles Mountains is divided about equally between the two corps, I
Corps being responsible for the western half and II Corps for the eastern half.
The Service Command Area is located at the southern tip below the Mariveles
Mountains and is the responsibility of Brigadier General A. C. McBride; in this
area are the 2d Division Philippine Constabulary, organized on this date,
provisional infantry units formed from air forces personnel, and a provisional
battalion of Navy and Marine personnel. Defenses on Bataan are organized in
depth: the main line of resistance (MLR) extends from Mauban on the west to
Mabatang on the east, a distance of 20 miles (32 kilometres); the outpost line (OPL)
is disposed before the MLR; and the rear line of defence is being formed to be
manned by the U.S. Army Forces, Far East (USAFFE) reserve, i.e., the Philippine
Div, less the 57th Infantry; a tank group; a self-propelled mount group.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Battleford arrives at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Trawler HMS LISCOMB is laid down at Kingston, Ontario.
U.S.A.: The USN's authorized aircraft strength is increased from 15,000 to 27,500.