The Luftwaffe raids Moscow on 12 July 1941 for the first time after several false alarms.
In the Far North sector, the Finns continue to make progress while the Germans farther north are stuck. Finnish Army of Karelia captures Kokkari and Tolvayarvi northeast of Lake Ladoga.
In the Army Group North sector, XLI Panzer Corps reaches the Plyussa River. The terrain is more of a hindrance to the German advance than the Soviet resistance. General Halder notes in his war diary that General Erich Hoepner’s 4th Panzer Group is “growing increasingly tired and weak,” which accounts for the panzers making “no substantial advance in the direction of Leningrad.” However, the Soviets are withdrawing, giving the German tankers some time to rest.
In the Army Group Center sector, the Soviets are counterattacking against General Hoth’s 3rd Panzer Group at Vitebsk. The Soviets have a large troop concentration at Nevel composed of stragglers collected from all across the front, and they are using this motley assortment to attack southward. German Ninth Army is rapidly closing on Hoth’s panzers and providing some support. Hoth’s tanks and General Guderian’s 2nd Panzer Group forces are attacking north and south of Orsha, respectively.
In the Army Group South sector, the Soviets are in full retreat to the Dniestr River to the south of Kyiv. The Soviets attempt a counterattack at Korosten, but Sixth Army shrugs it off. Panzer Group 1 is involved in a more serious battle around Berdichev. General Halder notes in his war diary that General Paulus has submitted some aerial photographs of Kyiv from which “one does not get the impression of unusually extensive preparations for a large-scale withdrawal” — which is a classic understatement for the likelihood that the Soviets intend to make a major stand in defense of Kyiv. Meanwhile, Romanian troops make an advance to Balti.
In Moscow, British Ambassador Sir Stafford Cripps (a socialist appointed for that reason) and Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov sign an Anglo/Soviet Mutual-Assistance Agreement at the Kremlin. It has two key points:
- “The two Governments mutually undertake to render each other assistance and support of all kinds in the present war against Hitlerite Germany.
- “They further undertake that during this war they will neither negotiate nor conclude an armistice or treaty of peace except by mutual agreement.”
Stalin, standing behind the men, looks on with a big smile, exactly as he did on 23 August 1939 when German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop signed a somewhat similar agreement with Molotov at the very same desk. In fact, Molotov was in Berlin only eight months ago to try and arrange another deal with the Reich. Everyone then adjourns to an anteroom to enjoy some chocolate and fine Georgian champagne.
The first point has been clarified already by the British as “mutual help without any precision as to quantity or quality — a key point for Stalin, who wants a lot of aid. The second point — the one about not making a separate piece — is critical to the British. Prime Minister Winston Churchill has a long memory, and that includes the pact made with Lenin in 1918 that very nearly enabled the Germans to take Paris. In this case, there are indications at certain points during the war that Stalin may entertain similar ideas, pact or no pact.
In Lviv (Lwow), the Nazis have posted photographs of Ukrainian nationalist prisoners slaughtered by the retreating Russians and captioned “Jewish killings.” They are exploiting a local tradition of nationalism and anti-Semitism to recruit a local militia. Just two days after the Germans arrived, local people were massacring Jews in ‘Aktion Petlura’ a symbolic revenge for the killing of a Ukrainian by a Jews in Paris 15 years ago.
In Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuanian police have murdered over 3,000 Jews under German supervision, in Jassy Romanian troops killed over 200 Jews and crammed 5,000 into sealed cattle trucks. In Bialystock, the Nazi soldiers spent the first day of the occupation herding the city’s Jews into their own blazing synagogue where they died.
The Gestapo arrests members of the nationalist, anti-Soviet Provisional Ukrainian Government. While these would be useful allies against the Soviet Union, Hitler does not want any impingement on absolute German rule.
The Pavelic government in Croatia begins sending Jews to a camp in Zagreb.
SS Officer Felix Landau, a member of an Einsatzkommando unit, records the following in his diary on 12 July 1941:
“At 6:00 in the morning I was suddenly awoken from a deep sleep. Report for an execution. Fine, so I’ll just play an executioner and then gravedigger, why not. Isn’t it strange, you love battle and then have to shoot defenseless people. Twenty-three had to be shot, amongst them the two above-mentioned women. They are unbelievable. They even refused to accept a glass of water from us.
“I was detailed as a marksman and had to shoot any runaways. We drove one kilometer along the road out of town and then turned right into a wood. There were only six of us at that point and we had to find a suitable spot to shoot and bury them. After a few minutes, we found a place. The death candidates assembled with shovels to dig their own graves. Two of them were weeping.”
Landau was later imprisoned for his wartime activities from 1959 to 1971. He died in 1983.
General Ettore Bastico replaced General Italo Gariboldi as Commander-in-Chief of Axis forces in North Africa. Officially, this makes Bastico Rommel’s superior in the chain of command to Afrika Korps commander General Erwin Rommel. This, however, is not the reality of the situation.
Bastico is difficult, autocratic, and violent, but Rommel pays him no mind. Privately, Rommel calls Bastico “Bombastico,” but, in fact, Rommel kind of likes him and later describes Bastico as a “fundamentally decent man with a sober military understanding and considerable moral stamina.” Whenever Bastico tries to interfere in his plans, Rommel simply rings up Commando Supremo in Rome and gets his way, and whenever Commando Supremo disagrees, he calls OKW in Berlin and has them exert their influence. The bottom line is that Rommel simply does what he wants without regard to Bastico’s wishes.
The Battle of Beirut was fought, resulting in Allied victory.
A ceasefire is in place, effective today at 12:01 a.m. and both sides respect it. The two sides continue to negotiate over a final armistice, and since there is no real disagreement over how things will resolve — the British will take over the Levant and the Vichy French there shall be treated well so as not to offend Paris — things are proceeding quickly.
Despite instructions from Vichy France forbidding him to do so, General Henri Dentz accepted the Allied armistice terms. The armistice was signed at Acre, Palestine. French Lieutenant-General Joseph-Antoine-Sylvain-Raoul de Verdillac attended the French-British negotiations for a ceasefire in the French Mandate of Syria and the Lebanon. Making progress in the discussions during the day, the process to draft the Armistice of Saint Jean d’Acre began at 2200 hours near Acre, British Mandate of Palestine. Meanwhile, French naval vessels and aircraft were ordered to go to neutral Turkey, where they were interned.
Both sides have taken prisoners, and how that will be resolved is virtually the only delay in putting the entire affair behind everyone. The basic terms of the armistice are initialed informally in Acre in the street and appropriate documents are drafted. French Lieutenant-General Joseph-Antoine-Sylvain-Raoul de Verdillac attends the French-British negotiations. The process to draft the Armistice of Saint-Jean d’Acre begins at 2200 hours near Acre, British Mandate of Palestine.
Unbeknownst to the British, the Vichy French transport some British and Commonwealth prisoners out of the country by plane today. When they learn of this, the British are angered and demand their return. This will lead to the only complications to the ending of the conflict.
Vichy French submarines Caiman and Morse depart Beirut for Tunisia.
Juan Pujol García, a Spanish citizen pretending to be a spy for the Reich, departs Lisbon bound for London. Eager to work for the British, Garcia has created an identity as a fanatically pro-German Spanish government official who could travel to London on official business and enlisted as an agent of the Abwehr (Reich military intelligence).
In line with Italy’s agreement with the Reich, Montenegro’s national assembly restores the monarchy — giving at least nominal control to Italy.
RAF Bomber Command, Day of 12 July 1941
38 Blenheims on sweeps off Dutch coast. Several attacks were made on ships. 1 aircraft lost. 3 Stirlings to Argues ‘ship-lift’ near St-Omer but most bombs missed the target and fell in the village. No aircraft lost.
RAF Bomber Command, Night of 12/13 July 1941
Bremen
33 Hampdens and 28 Wellingtons; 2 Hampdens lost.
Werner Mölders reported that under his command JG 51 had destroyed 500 Soviet aircraft at the cost of only three casualties during the first 20 days of Operation Barbarossa.
Douglas Bader shot down a German Bf 109 fighter and damaged three others over Pas-de-Calais, France.
The Luftwaffe bombs Port Said and scores hits on at least two ships:
5483-ton Dutch freighter Alphard (damaged, four deaths);
1977-ton Greek freighter Patria (sunk, raised after the war).
The RAF raids Tripoli, Libya and sinks German freighter Sparta. It is later raised and repaired and returned to service as Sperrbrecher.
During the night, the Luftwaffe sends 20 planes to mine the Suez Canal.
At Malta, there are no air raids. However, a Wellington bomber taking off from Luqa Airfield bound for Cairo crashes, killing all eight on board.
The Luftwaffe raids Sevastopol harbor and scores hits on at least two ships:
Soviet destroyer Bditelny (badly damaged);
Soviet destroyer Kharkiv (slightly damaged).
In a flying accident on aircraft carrier Victorious T/Sub Lt (A) J. B. Ganner RNVR, and Leading Airman L. Powell in a Fulmar of 809 Squadron were killed.
Anti-aircraft ship HMS Alynbank departed Scapa Flow at 0930 to cover convoy WN.51 from the Pentland Firth to Tod Head where she transferred to convoy EC.44. In the Pentland Firth, the ship left convoy EC.44 and arrived at Scapa Flow at 2100 on the 13th.
Corvette HMS Arbutus was in a collision with British steamer Blackheath (4637grt) in 55-58N, 10-38W. Corvette HMS Pimpernel stood by the damaged corvette. Corvette Arbutus was repaired at Liverpool completing on 19 August.
German destroyers Hans Lody, Karl Galster, Hermann Schoemann, Friedrich Eckholdt, and Richard Beitzen swept off the Kola coast. Destroyers Lody, Galster, and Eckholdt encountered a Soviet convoy near Cape Teriberski. Patrol ship Passat and auxiliary patrol ship RT 67 (trawler Molotov) were sunk. Auxiliary patrol ship RT 32 was able to escape. The other two destroyers off Iokanga found no targets.
Soviet destroyers Bditelny was badly damaged and Kharkov was slightly damaged in a German air attack on Sevastopol.
Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart arrived at Suez from Australia to join the Mediterranean Fleet. The cruiser could not immediately be passed through the canal due to mining. The light cruiser and destroyer HMS Kipling, following repairs at Suez, were able to proceed through the Suez Canal on the 16th.
Submarine HMS Rorqual departed Malta for Alexandria and arrived on the 20th. Among the items brought to Alexandria was a new stem piece, forged at Malta, for anti-aircraft ship HMS Coventry.
Submarine HMS Triumph arrived at Malta for damage repairs incurred in patrol off Benghazi.
Dutch steamer Alphard (5483grt) was damaged by German bombing at Port Said. Four crewmen were lost on the steamer.
Greek steamer Patria (1977grt) was sunk by German bombing at Port Said. The steamer was raised and restored to service after the war.
Battlecruiser HMS Renown departed Gibraltar and joined aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and light cruiser HMS Hermione for exercises. The three ships arrived back at Gibraltar later that day.
Submarine HMS Otus departed Gibraltar, carrying stores, for Malta, arriving on the 20th.
Heavy cruiser HMS London arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.
Convoy OG.68 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers HMS Bath and HMS Walker, corvettes HMS Azalea, HMS Bluebell, HMS Campanula, HMS Hydrangea, HMS Wallflower, and HMS Zinnia. The convoy was joined on the 13th by ocean boarding vessels HMS Cavina and HMS Hilary. On the 14th, corvette Azalea was detached. On the 18th, the destroyers and the ocean boarding vessels were detached. Destroyer HMS Wishart and submarine HMS Clyde from convoy HG.68 joined the convoy on the 22nd. On the 25th, the submarine was diverted to patrol in the vicinity of 40N, 15W. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on the 26th with the five corvettes.
Convoy SC.37 departed Sydney, CB, escorted by corvettes HMCS Barrie, HMCS Chicoutimi, and HMCS Matapedia. Armed merchant cruiser HMS Aurania joined the next day and was detached on the 14th. The three corvettes were detached on the 15th. On the 15th, destroyers HMS Burwell and HMS Richmond and corvettes HMCS Cobalt and HMS Polyanthus joined. These were detached on the 23rd, when relieved by destroyers HMS Leamington and HMS Saladin, corvettes HMS Abelia and HMS Anemone, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS St Elstan and HMS St Zeno. Destroyer HMS Douglas joined on the 24th. Corvette Anemone was detached on the 26th, destroyers Douglas, Leamington, Saladin, and Skate, and trawler St Zeno on the 27th. Corvette Abelia and trawler St Elstan arrived with the convoy in the Clyde on the 28th.
Some Congressional leaders are urging the Administration to modify its plans to extend the term of service of men in the armed forces and provide for using them outside the Western Hemisphere. President Roosevelt, it was learned, has been told by his supporters at the Capitol that he can avoid a bitter and unsuccessful fight in Congress only by agreeing to a compromise on both the length and venue of the selectees’ service. Speaker Rayburn of Texas and Representative McCormick of Massachusetts, the Administration’s leaders in the House, and Senator Reynolds, Democrat, of North Carolina, chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee, all oppose keeping selectees in training for more than a year and using them outside the Western Hemisphere, and Senator George, Democrat, of Georgia, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, joined them today in proposing several changes in the Administration’s proposals. Mr. George said that it might not be necessary for the Administration to pass a new law keeping draftees beyond their year of training. “A great many of them,” he said, “would undoubtedly volunteer to enlist for an additional one, two or even three-year period.”
President Roosevelt went by automobile to Annapolis this noon and boarded the Presidential yacht Potomac for a week-end cruise in Chesapeake Bay. He planned to return to Washington late tomorrow. He had no official appointments before leaving the capital. The Senate majority leader and Mrs. Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky, the White House secretary and Mrs. Stephen T. Early and the President’s private secretary, Miss Grace Tully, were in the party.
Mounting defense expenditures and smoldering controversies over tentatively-approved new levies led today to capitol talk of further revision of the $3,500,000,000 tax bill. Ten days ago the House Ways and Means Committee gave preliminary approval to legislation to raise $3,504,400,000, but there were reports that it might be revised materially and its presentation to the house delayed perhaps until August 1.
Postmaster General Frank C. Walker gives a speech over the NBC radio network in which he urges the country to support President Roosevelt and his policies until Hitler is deposed:
“There can be no peace; there can be no security by treaty or pact, so long as Hitler and his doctrines rule Germany. Within Germany and throughout the world, implemented by force, he has attacked with corruption, the liberty of every individual and the sanctity of Almighty God. Hitler can have no friends; he can have no allies. A handshake with Hitler is a prologue to suicide.”
Of course, if the administration truly thought this, it would go to war — but Roosevelt isn’t ready yet. However, with speeches like this, his administration certainly is baiting Hitler to do just that.
Official forecasts of greatly increased air plane production beginning in October were coupled today with indications in authoritative quarters that scores of young American pilots ultimately will engage in ferrying combat craft across the Atlantic to Britain. For several months airplane production has moved forward at a relatively slow pace. But by October, defense officials say, tributary industries such as aluminum will begin to turn out needed supplies in quantities that will permit plane manufacturers to run huge new assembly plants at virtually full speed with emphasis on attaining the goal of 500 bombers a month.
War Department officials are “extremely concerned” over a four-day strike of 1,160 members of the United Automobile Workers Union, affiliated with the A.F. of L., at the Sealed Power Corporation of Muskegon, Michigan, which has millions of dollars in sub-contracts for Army ordnance and the Air and Signal Corps as well as Navy equipment.
William Knudsen does not favor legislation to stop strikes, he told interviewers today as he made a whirlwind tour of San Francisco bay area shipyards. The office of production management co-chief declared that labor troubles in defense industries were being ironed out satisfactorily, but stated that Americans in general did not yet realize the gravity of the international situation.
The first machine-gun produced at the new $11,000,000 Buffalo Arms Corp. plant in Cheektowaga, New York, was tested today, marking the start of a vast arms production program for the British government and the U. S. army.
Secretary Ickes, as defense oil coordinator, appointed today district committees representing all branches of the petroleum industry to consult with his office on oil problems related to the rearmament program.
The Maritime Commission took over today sixteen more Danish cargo vessels in four Atlantic seaports and thus added 95,000 deadweight tons of shipping to the tonnage available for defense needs of the United States.
The defense emergency has injected so many new considerations into the silver situation that there appears to be brewing under cover one of the most imposing attacks on the silver purchase policy since the Treasury, under a 1934 mandate from Congress, began to buy silver from all comers at artificially high prices.
1st U.S. Marine Brigade completed taking over the occupation of Iceland from British troops.
The Office of the Coordinator of Research and Development was established to unify the U.S. Navy’s research activities, and to evaluate the best ways of advising tactical officers of air, ground, and sea forces of the “latest applications of science to the problems of modern warfare.”
U.S. Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, Rhode Island, is established. Hailed by Senator Green as a symbol of what the American Navy can do when it is put to a test, the $30,000,000 Naval Air Base here on the west side of Narragansett Bay, built in a year, was put into commission today.
Actor William Holden (23) weds actress Brenda Marshall (25) in Las Vegas.
Major League Baseball:
Bucky Walters pitched the Reds to a 3–2 victory over the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. The pace-setting Brooklyn team lost no ground in the National League race, however, because the Giants downed the second-place Cardinals, at the Polo Grounds. Whitt Wyatt (13–5) took the loss.
The Senators made the most of their nine hits today, defeating the White Sox, 5–3. Emil (Dutch) Leonard also let the Sox have nine hits but scattered them while the Senators bunched their blows well enough to score three runs in the third inning.
Connie Mack’s scrappy Athletics cast off the Indians’ spell with a 4–2 victory today, pegged on Wally Moses’s two-run circuit clout and Lester McCrabb’s five-hit twirling.
At Detroit, the Red Sox sweep a pair from the Tigers, winning 7–5 and 10–2. Bobby Doerr has a 3rd-inning grand slam for Boston in game 1, while Jimmie Foxx homers in each game. Heber Newsome gave Detroit seven hits before he was relieved by Mike Ryba in the eighth of the opener, while Cecil (Tex) Hughson allowed nine safeties over the full route in the second game.
Robert Louis Carpenter, bespectacled hurler from Chicago, did a pretty good job of beating the Cardinals yesterday at the Polo Grounds before 6,824 fans. Before he departed the scene amid an enemy uprising in the ninth inning Carpenter hammered in a run with a single, blasted in two more with a double that nullified Johnny Mize’s sixth home run of the year and provided the big push to a 6–4 Giant victory.
Timely hits, including Elbie Fletcher’s eighth home run, and John Lanning’s six-hit pitching gave the Pirates a 6–1 victory over the Phillies today. The triumph was the Bucs’ eleventh in their last fourteen games.
New York Yankee centerfielder Joe DiMaggio goes 2-for-5 in the third and final baseball game of the series against the St. Louis Browns at Sportmans’ Park in St. Louis, Missouri. DiMaggio’s hitting streak now stands at 51 consecutive games. The Yankees win, 7–5.
The scheduled game between the Chicago Cubs and the Braves at Boston was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on August27.
Cincinnati Reds 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 2
Washington Senators 5, Chicago White Sox 3
Philadelphia Athletics 4, Cleveland Indians 2
Boston Red Sox 7, Detroit Tigers 5
Boston Red Sox 10, Detroit Tigers 2
St. Louis Cardinals 4, New York Giants 6
Pittsburgh Pirates 6, Philadelphia Phillies 1
New York Yankees 7, St. Louis Browns 5
With persistence that foreshadows further developments, the Japanese press, led by Domei, Japanese news agency, is reporting from various places alleged anti-Japanese moves by Britain and Chungking, China, British military encirclement of Thailand, the unsatisfactory attitude of French Indo-China and supposedly suspicious moves between the United States and Russia that might tend to complete Japan’s encirclement on the north.
Imperial Japanese Navy heavy cruiser HIJMS Ashigara is assigned to the Southern French Indochina Occupation Expedition (Operation “FU”).
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 127.8 (-0.1)
Born:
Benny Parsons, race car driver (1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion; 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee) and announcer, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina (d. 2007).
Nate Ramsey, NFL cornerback and safety (Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints), in Neptune, New Jersey (d. 2019).
George Pyne, AFL defensive tackle (Boston Patriots), in Milford, Massachusetts (d. 2015).
Dick Rusteck, MLB pitcher (New York Mets), in Chicago, Illinois.
Joseph Whipp, American actor (“Escape from Alcatraz”), in San Francisco, California.
Richard Tuttle, American post-Minimalist artist (13 Angels for Jack; Depth, no. 9), in Rahway, New Jersey.
John Lahr, theater critic, in Los Angeles, California.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Bar-class boom defense vessel HMS Barbourne (Z 170) is laid down by W. Simons & Co. Ltd. (Renfrew, Scotland).
The U.S. Navy Catskill-class vehicle landing ships USS Catskill (LSV-1) and USS Ozark (LSV-2) are laid down by the Willamette Iron and Steel Corp. (Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.).
The U.S. Navy YMS-1-class auxiliary motor minesweepers USS YMS-131 and USS YMS-132 are laid down by the Tacoma Boat Building Co. (Tacoma, Washington, U.S.A.).
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Reciprocating-engined) minesweepers HMS Portland [later HMS Taitam] (J 210) and HMS Seaford [later HMS Waglan] (J 211) are laid down by Taikoo Dockyard and Engineering Co. (Hong Kong). Captured on the stocks by the Japanese at the fall of Hong Kong in December 1941. Completed by the Japanese in 1944 and named W 101 and W 102.
The Royal Navy Hill-class ASW trawler HMS Bredon (T 223) is laid down by Cook, Welton & Gemmill (Beverley, U.K.); completed by Holmes.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-415 is laid down by Danziger Werft AG, Danzig (werk 116).
The Royal New Zealand Navy Isles-class minesweeping trawler HMNZS Sanda (T 160) is launched by the Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co. Ltd. (Goole, U.K.); completed by Amos & Smith.
The U.S. Navy 77-foot Elco patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-42 is launched by the Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco), (Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC U-boat U-160 is launched by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1010).
The Royal Navy harbor defence motor launch HMS HDML 1053 is commissioned.
The U.S. Navy 77-foot Elco patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-34 is completed and placed into service with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two (PTRon 2).
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