The beginnings of the Liberty Ships
The Battle of Bardia began as part of Operation COMPASS. The Australian 6th Division assaulted the strongly held Italian fortress of Bardia, Libya. At 0530 hours, the British artillery barrage began, hitting Italian defensive positions at Bardia, Libya. At 0600 hours, Australian 6th Division began its assault from the west, clearing anti-tank obstacles for the 23 tanks of the British 7th Royal Tank Regiment that began attacking at 0650 hours. Between 0810 and 0855 hours, battleships HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant, and HMS Barham, along with destroyers, monitors, and gunboats, bombarded Bardia with 244 15-inch shells, 270 6-inch shells, 250 4.5-inch shells, and many smaller caliber shells. The ground forces would penetrate 2 miles into the Italian lines. About 30,000 prisoners are taken in the first day of the attack by Australian troops. O’Connor’s tactical plan for the capture of Bardia, with its 17 mile of perimeter defended by a continuous anti-tank ditch, wire obstacles and concrete blockhouses, was to send a battalion of infantry in first, establish a bridgehead on the far side of the anti-tank ditch and the wire, then bridge the ditch and clear the wire and minefields for the passage of tanks. The tanks would then be shepherded within the perimeter and fan out in attack, with two more infantry battalions close behind them. The main point of assault was to be the center of the western face of the perimeter, where O’Connor believed the Italians least expected it. It was the Australians first major action in World War II. The tank ditch was breached by infantry in less than an hour, crossing places quickly made and nearly a hundred land mines removed. The tanks were into the bridgehead by 7 am. Australian casualties to date are over 100 killed and at least 300 wounded. One Australian battalion suffered heavy casualties when it launched a diversionary attack. After the Australians penetrated the wire, the Italians met one of the companies with machine-guns, rifles and grenades.
The weather throughout the Mediterranean is characterized by strong force 8 gales and heavy seas. At Malta, four Sunderland flying boats are damaged in waves up to 15 feet.
Luftwaffe units continue transferring to Italy.
The Italians launched a counter-offensive to the north and west of Koritza (Korcë), Albania; two fresh Italian divisions were committed to the Klissoura sector on the Vlorë road to regain the initiative. The Italian counteroffensive along Albanian Front ended in disaster. The Italians on 3 January 1941 commit two fresh divisions in the area of the Klisura Pass, which is on the road to the key port of Valona. They also begin a small counteroffensive north and west of Korcë. Neither offensive accomplishes much, but casualties mount on both sides. The counterattacks are pretty much over by the end of the day.
Greek troops broke through Italian defenses in Albania in the central sector to pave the way for what was authoritatively described early today as “an important development In the war.” Scene of the breaching was not located specifically, but was understood to be north and east of the Klisura-Tepeleni area which a government spokesman earlier had declared was pierced by the Greeks.
The British government announced early today, while German raiders were reported over scattered parts of Britain, the formation of a special organization to minimize the effects of such firebomb raids as that on London’s old “city” last Sunday night. Authorities established the “fire prevention executive.” It will muster and coordinate all available resources to apply effective measures of prevention in the target areas of incendiary raids. Postmaster General W. S. Morrison was appointed chairman of the “fire prevention executive.” He will supervise the marshaling of prompt and vigorous action by various government departments and local authorities in applying fire prevention measures. Royal engineers already had started the demolition of “city” buildings so weakened in the raid that they constituted a menace.
The British War Cabinet gives conditional agreement to American relief program of supplying medical supplies, milk and vitamin concentrates to the children of occupied France. Prime Minister Winston Churchill replies to President Franklin Roosevelt’s request of 31 December 1940 that the US be allowed to provide humanitarian relief to Vichy France and Spain. This requires Churchill’s permission due to the Royal Navy blockade of continental Europe. Churchill assents, but requires that Vichy France acknowledge Great Britain’s largesse in allowing relief supplies through the cordon:
“[W]e would like it stated that the relief goods are available only by the good will of His Majesty’s Government.”
There is an argument made by some that Churchill is reluctant to admit anything through the blockade because his goal is to “starve Europe” as a means of hurting the German war effort. However, this particular aid specifically is aimed at unoccupied sections of Europe, so there is little reason for Churchill to block it even if that argument were true. Roosevelt somewhat obliquely hints that providing aid may instead cause disaffection from the Germans in Europe and thus help the Allied war effort. Both men’s positions are unprovable and may stem from deeper motivations than just the effect on military operations.
The issue of humanitarian aid to Europe is very complex, with many nuances, and remains a contentious issue between Great Britain and the United States until 1945. Drawing it perhaps over-simplistically, the available evidence does show that Roosevelt attempts to expand the amount of aid to the peoples of Europe throughout the war, while Church is prone to limiting it.
Midshipman Prince Philip of Greece joins the battleship HMS Valiant, which, with the battleships HMS Barham and HMS Warspite, later bombards Bardia to assist with the British Army plans for its capture. Prince Philip of Greece was the son of Prince Andrew of Greece and of Prince Andrew’s wife, Princess Alice of Battenberg [Mountbatten]. When Philip became a naturalized British citizen [during the war], he took his mother’s family name [Mountbatten]. Philip was most certainly in the line [5th in 1940] of succession for the Greek throne.
Dublin, Ireland was hit by German bombers for the third day in a row, injuring 20 persons at Donore Terrace near South Circle Road. It is thought that the bombings might have been intended to intimidate the Irish into remaining neutral in spite of Anglo-American pressure for the use of Irish bases to protect convoys.
Irish Prime Minister de Valera, lodges a protest to Germany after the third air raid on Eire in 24 hours. Éamon de Valera held an urgent session with his cabinet and sent a note of protest to Germany over the bombing of Dublin.
Martin Bormann promulgated a Nazi decree banning gothic typefaces in all printing and proclaiming roman type as the new standard. The order sought to make Nazi communications more understandable in occupied France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway, where roman type was used.
Marshal Petain reorganizes his cabinet. Among other changes, he appoints Admiral Darlan to head the ministries of Justice and the Interior, Pierre Etienne Flandin in charge of economic affairs, and General Huntziger becomes defense minister. This is a period of great turmoil and change in the Vichy government, with people changing jobs routinely. Flandin, incidentally, will later reveal that, at this time, he is noticing episodes of memory loss by Petain. The old marshal, for instance, always seems to adopt the position of the last person who had talked to him — because he could not remember earlier arguments.
Paul Baudouin resigns as Secretary of State in the Petain (Vichy) government.
The new Prime Minister of Finland, Johan Rangell, takes office and appoints his cabinet.
Sweden completes its deliveries of Junkers Ju 86K bombers (built by Saab under license) to the Luftwaffe. While overall an outdated design, the K variant with 905 hp Bristol Mercury XIX radial engines proves quite handy. The Ju 86 was used throughout the first few years of the war by both sides, particularly by South Africa’s SAAF. Some of the Luftwaffe Ju 86K’s will be converted to Ju 86P high-altitude bombers and photo-reconnaissance versions that can approach altitudes of 50,000 feet, making them for a long time invulnerable to interception.
The first series of Soviet war games continue. Georgy Zhukov commands the invading forces, while General DG Pavlov commands the defending forces. These games, which began on 2 January, will continue through 6 January.
The longest raid of the Bristol Blitz began, lasting 12 hours. The Luftwaffe switches back to one of its favorite targets tonight. It sends 178 bombers that hit the Bristol port area hard. The granary warehouse on Princes Wharf is obliterated, taking with it 8000 tons of grain. The raid lasts for 12 hours and is considered the longest sustained attack on Bristol. There are 149 deaths and 351 other casualties. A 4000 lb aerial mine comes to rest without exploding — the citizens quickly nickname it “Satan” and, after it is disarmed, it becomes an emblem of the hardships the city has faced. Bath is also bombed.
RAF bombers attacked Bremen and the Kiel Canal in Germany. The Kiel Canal Bridge suffered a direct hit and collapsed on Finnish ship Yrsa.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 71 aircraft overnight and reported good bombing results with numerous fires. Bremen again reports many fires and some casualties. Hamburg, to which no bombers were dispatched, also records 12 fires, 6 of which were classified as large, but no casualties. 1 Whitley lost.
The British Ministry of Aircraft Production places an order for 250 Vickers Warwicks.
The first Luftwaffe units arrive in Albania to back up the Italian forces. Luftwaffe X Fliegerkorps arrived in Italy.
The Luftwaffe night fighting force continues to gain experience, with Lt. Gerhard Böhme of 3./NJG 2 downing a Whitley bomber southeast of Flamborough Head.
The Corpo Aereo Italiano, which had been participating in the Battle of Britain alongside Luftwaffe units at Belgian bases, was recalled to Italy after suffering heavy losses.
Destroyer HMS Legion arrived at Scapa Flow at 2200 from the Clyde to carry out working up exercises.
Destroyer HMS Lincoln departed Scapa Flow for Belfast after completing working up exercises. The destroyer arrived at Belfast at 1600/4th.
Destroyer HMS Cossack departed Scapa Flow at 0800 for Southampton for refitting.
Naval drifter HMS New Spray (70grt) was lost in a gale off Sheerness.
British steamer Pinewood (2466grt) was sunk on a mine one and a half miles south of Pier, Southend. Six crew members were lost. Eighteen crewmen were rescued.
Finnish steamer Liisa (1460grt) was sunk by British bombing at Bremen. The steamer was later salved.
Finnish steamer Yrsa (2803grt) was sunk by British bombing in the Kiel Canal. The bridge across the Kiel Canal received a direct hit and fell upon the steamer. The steamer sank in the canal. The steamer was subsequently raised and the canal reopened.
The Mediterranean Fleet bombarded Bardia. Destroyers HMS Janus, HMS Juno, HMS Greyhound, HMS Ilex, and HMS Griffin streamed twin speed destroyer sweep equipment. Aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, light cruiser HMS Gloucester, heavy cruiser HMS York, and destroyers HMS Wryneck, HMS Diamond, HMS Gallant, and HMAS Vendetta parted company with the Fleet to operate aircraft as necessary. Destroyers HMAS Voyager and HMS Dainty joined from Sollum. The Battleships HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant, and HMS Barham, escorted by destroyers Ilex, Greyhound, Juno, Janus, and Griffin bombarded Bardia from 0810 to 0855. Anti-aircraft protection was provided by anti-aircraft ship HMS Calcutta, escorted by destroyers Nubian, Mohawk, Dainty and Voyager after being detached from Force W.
Monitor HMS Terror, escorted initially by destroyer HMS Dainty and Australian HMAS Voyager, and gunboats HMS Ladybird and HMS Aphis bombarded Bardia before and after the fleet bombardment, as Force W. Gunboat Aphis received slight damage from a near miss of an air bomb. Two crewmen were killed and three wounded on the gunboat.
At 1000, light cruiser HMS Gloucester, heavy cruiser HMS York, and anti-aircraft ship HMS Calcutta were detached to Alexandria. Destroyers HMS Wryneck and HMAS Vendetta were detached to Sollum. Monitor HMS Terror and the gunboats returned to Alexandria that evening.
Submarines HMS Triumph and HMS Upholder departed Gibraltar for patrol west of Sicily. Following the patrol, the submarines arrived at Malta on the 12th.
Convoy OB.269 departed Liverpool, escorted by corvette HMS Anemone. On the 4th, destroyers HMS Sardonyx and HMS Shikari, corvette HMS La Malouine, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS St Kenan, HMS St Zeno, HMS Vizalma, and HMS Wellard joined. The escort was detached when the convoy dispersed on the 6th.
Convoy FN.374 departed Southend, and arrived at Methil on the 5th.
Convoy FS.378 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer HMS Wolsey and sloop HMS Lowestoft, and arrived at Southend on the 5th.
Convoy BS.12 departed Suez. Sloops HMS Clive and HMS Grimsby joined on the 4th. The sloops were relieved by light cruiser HMS Leander, destroyer HMS Kimberley, and sloops HMS Flamingo, HMIS Hindustan, and HMS Yarra on the 6th. The convoy was dispersed on the 11th.
In Washington today, President Roosevelt announced the appointment of Harry L. Hopkins as his personal representative to Great Britain until an Ambassador is appointed; announced preparations for a $350,000,000 shipbuilding program, issued an Executive order exempting workers at defense bases recently acquired from Great Britain from legal requirements of an eighthour day for government workers and conferred with Senators Barkley, Byrnes and Harrison.
The Senate met at 11:30 AM, wound up the Seventy-sixth Congress, convened at noon in the Seventy-seventh Congress and adjourned at 12:33 PM until noon on Monday.
The House convened in the Seventy-seventh Congress at 12:02 PM and adjourned at 1:56 PM until noon Monday. It re-elected its officers and heard Speaker Rayburn call for nonpartisanship in national defense.
The 77th United States Congress began. As the Seventy-seventh Congress began its two-year life today at noon Speaker Rayburn told the House that American democracy must justify itself, in these days when democracy is on trial throughout the world, by achieving unanimity on the national defense and the national security. Activities in the Senate and the House otherwise were limited to the routine of opening day. Representative Rayburn delivered his warning in the course of a short speech accepting re-election as Speaker. His words brought a storm of applause, and every member stood and cheered. The center aisle did not divide the patriotism of our citizens during the World War,” he said, “and this time I expect to see again practical unanimity on national defense and national security.” He had referred to the American two-party system. He expected to see the Republicans vote as a partisan minority on “issues of a domestic partisan character.” He urged the Democrats to support as nearly unanimously as possible the legislative program their leaders would present to them.
But on the broader questions of defense and foreign policy Mr. Rayburn urged the Republicans to disregard party lines and to present to the world a unified front. “It is going to take all of the patriotism, all of the fine common sense,” he said, “of every inhabitant of every democracy upon the face of this earth in the months that lie ahead of us to see that democracy survives and that tyranny does not take its place.” Recounting his pride in having served as a member for more than a quarter of a century, the Speaker pledged himself to “preserve, protect and defend the rights, prerogatives and power of the House of Representatives.” The oath of office was administered to the Speaker by Representative Sabath of Illinois, who broke all records for service in the House by entering upon his eighteenth consecutive term. Mr. Rayburn then administered the oath to the members of the House. In the Senate’s briefer session newly elected Senators were sworn in by groups of four by Vice President Garner. Each who took the oath was escorted to the Vice President’s desk. After the session, Senator Barkley predicted that the present Congress will liberalize the Social Security Act, and that the federal revenue from taxes will be larger by $1,000,000,000 than the estimated receipts for this fiscal year.
At his press conference President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the first steps toward a program of building about 200 merchant ships: “One is that because it is perfectly obvious that so much tonnage in the way of ships has been going to the bottom for a year and a half, probably at the end of the war, sooner or later, there will be a shortage — a world shortage — of tonnage. Therefore we have begun taking the first steps toward a program of building about 200 merchant ships — a program which will cost somewhere around $300,000,000, between $300,000,000 and $350,000,000, in a number of new plants. This is on the general theory that there has been a tremendous expansion in existing shipbuilding plants, as you all know; and the time seems to have come when it is advisable to create some new plants. Toward that program, in order to get started, I have taken $36,000,000 out of the President’s Special Contract Authorization Fund.”
Roosevelt is somewhat dismissive about the quality of the ships he is planning to build. “Nobody that loves ships can be very proud of them,” he says, but “by building this dreadful looking object you save six or eight months” from building “a ship that is really a ship.” He adds that the ships will be “roughly, about 7500 tons each.” Obviously, the details — including where the ships will be built, and who will build them — remain to be worked out. Roosevelt says that he has $36 million available to build the shipyards from “the President’s Special Contract Authorization Fund.” The questions at the news conference somewhat predictably focus on where all this money is going to be spent.
These ships at this point have no name, though they will quickly acquire various belittling appellations (“dreadful looking objects” is one such term, another is dreamt up by Time Magazine: “ugly ducklings”). However, we know these ships by another name coined later in 1941 that has stuck: Liberty Ships.
At his press conference, President Roosevelt also announces that he is sending crony Harry Hopkins to London as his “personal representative” until an ambassador is appointed. Joseph Kennedy withdrew from the slot in November as a result of British anger at some of his controversial statements and attitudes. However, Kennedy’s resignation still has not taken effect, so technically the position is not open yet. At his press conference U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced he was sending his close confidant, Harry Hopkins, to London. “The other thing: — I expect next week to send to the Senate a name for Ambassador to Great Britain; but in the meantime I am asking Harry Hopkins to go over as my personal representative for a very short trip to the other side, just to maintain — I suppose that is the best word for it — personal contact between me and the British Government. He will only be over there a couple of weeks, and then come back here.” A social worker before he became US Secretary of Commerce, Harry Hopkins loves to play poker. He is 50, and so close a friend of Mr. Roosevelt that he has lived in the White House for the past year. His mission to London is evidence of the extreme importance the President attaches to maintaining close relations with Britain.
President Roosevelt suspended today the eight-hour day for workers employed by the government in constructing naval and air bases on sites leased from Great Britain.
R.J. Thomas, president of the United Automobile Workers (C.I.O.), asserted in an address tonight over the Columbia Broadcasting System that some sections of the airplane and automobile industries were “secretly” attempting to prevent adoption of the proposal for mass production of aircraft in the automobile industry.
A defense of the National Labor Relations Board and its administration of the Labor Relations Act, and condemnation of the report made several days ago by the majority of the House Committee investigating the board, was made today in a statement by the minority of the committee, Arthur D. Healey of Massachusetts and Abe Murdock of Utah.
The results of a Gallup poll were published asking Americans, “Do you think our country’s future safety depends on England winning this war?” 68% said yes, 26% said no and 6% expressed no opinion. This reflects an ongoing shift in opinion within the United States in favor of supporting Great Britain and opposing Germany. Earlier in the war, opinion surveys reflected a much more ambivalent attitude by the public at large, with about half the country as opposed to any intervention in Europe.
The issue of hemispheric defense is at the top of the War Department’s agenda. Discussions with Brazilian representatives have been gradually building a case for defending the bulge of Brazil from aggressors. Rainbow 4, the US defense plan in the case of aggression from both east and west, envisions movement of a reinforced triangular division to Brazil. Today, Chief of Staff General George C. Marshal holds meetings with and gains the approval of Admiral Stark and Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles for the movement of five companies of American soldiers to different Brazilian airfields upon the outbreak of hostilities. This must meet with Brazilian approval, which has not yet been sought. The issue of the defense of Brazil continues to simmer throughout 1941.
U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) departs Lisbon, Portugal, for Norfolk, Virginia, having transported Admiral William D. Leahy, USN (Retired), U.S. Ambassador to France, on the transatlantic leg of his journey to his diplomatic post.
Sergei Rachmaninoff’s final composition “Symphonic Dances” premieres in Philadelphia, with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.
American National Collegiate Football Rules Committee announces a new rule permitting free substitution of players.
Canada and the U.S. acquire air bases at Gander, Newfoundland, and Goose Bay, Labrador, on a 99-year lease.
Kunming, Chinese terminus of the Burma Road, was under air-raid alarm for five hours today as Japanese dive bombers attacked an eastern suburb. Several persons were reported killed and twenty injured, but Chinese authorities said the material damage was slight. Yesterday Japanese planes pelted the city with leaflets urging the populace to support the Japanese-dominated Nanking government of Wang Ching-wei. Points west of the city also were bombed yesterday.
Indo-China is to receive dominion status. A decree that will be published tomorrow provides that the French colony is to have an autonomous government.
Minor clashes continue in various sectors of the frontier of Thailand and Indo-China, the Thai High Command reported today, with hostilities extending from Chiengrai in the north to Aranyapbades in the south. One French soldier was reported killed and eleven wounded in a clash in the Chiengrai region. Indo-Chinese soldiers in a boat opened fire on frontier police near Bhonbihai in the Nongkhai region, a communiqué said, and a thirty-five minute fight ensued before the boat withdrew.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 132.01 (+1.44)
Born:
Franklin McCain, American civil rights activist (Greensboro Four lunch counter sit-in, 1960), chemical engineer, and education advocate, in Union County, North Carolina (d. 2014).
John Sullivan, MLB catcher and pinch hitter (Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies), in Somerville, New Jersey (d. 2023).
Shima Iwashita, Japanese actress (“Red Lion”, “Hara-Kiri”, “Double Suicide”), in Tokyo, Japan.
Naval Construction:
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-335 is laid down by Nordseewerke, Emden (werk 207).
The Royal Navy harbour defence motor launch HDML 1003 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy harbour defence motor launch HDML 1037 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Thornycroft 55 foot-type motor torpedo boat HMS MTB 216 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Hydrangea (K 39) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Joseph Eric Woolfenden, RNR.
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