On 22 August 1941, having received the Führer Directive of 20 August 1941 which provides that Moscow is not a top priority, OKH Chief of Staff Franz Halder writes in his war diary that “It is decisive for the outcome of this campaign.” The directive provides that:
“The principal objects that must be achieved yet before the onset of winter is not the capture of Moscow but rather, in the South, the occupation of the Crimea and the industrial and coal region of the Donets, together with isolation of the Russian oil regions in the Caucasus and, in the North, the encirclement of Leningrad and junction with the Finns.”
Field Marshal von Bock, commander of Army Group Center, calls Halder in the afternoon and once again, as he has many times in the past, complains that he must remain on the offensive in order to “maintain his front.” However, all across the 2000-mile Eastern Front, the German advance has slowed to a crawl.
A great battle is raging at the approaches to Leningrad as Field Marshal von Leeb throws in all his forces to capture the city, before the autumn rains set in and bog down his tanks. Both sides recognize the importance of the battle. Marshal Voroshilov has said: “The enemy will never set foot in our beautiful city, Leningrad never has and never will be in the hands of the enemy.” In reply Goebbels has said the city “will be ground to rubble.”
In the Far North sector, the Finns continue advancing on the Karelian Isthmus as the Soviet defenders have trouble forming a defensive line. Having captured the town of Käkisalmi (Priozersk) on the northwest shore of Lake Ladoga on 21 August, the Finns advance toward the village of Taipale, which had been the scene of a fierce battle in December 1939. Much farther to the north, Finnish Group J resumes its offensive toward Ukhta (Kalevala) on the shores of Ozero Sredneye Kuyto lake. The most important Finnish advance in a strategic sense — toward the Murmansk railway line at Loukhi — is bogged down as both sides have fed in reinforcements.
In the Army Group North sector, the Germans advance south of Lake Ilmen. General Erich von Manstein’s LVI Corps reaches the Lovat River and pushes into the Valdai Hills.
In the Army Group Center sector, there are minor attacks on both sides as the German formations regroup after recent successes. Panzer Group 3 (General Hoth), back in action after refitting, advances toward Velikiye Luki.
In the Army Group South sector, German troops occupy Cherkasy after hard fighting. There also is hard fighting at Dnepropetrovsk. German Sixth Army continues to pursue the retreating Soviet Fifth Army around Kyiv. Panzer Group 1 continues advancing into and occupying the Dneipr bend. Soviet 9th Army and 18th Army withdraw behind the Dneipr River.
In an unusual incident, Major Ivan Kononov, commander of the 436th Regiment, and his entire regiment of Cossacks defects to the Germans after launching a successful counterattack against them. Kononov’s was the first of many Cossack units to change sides during the war. By the fall of 1942 more than 200 Cossack battalions and regiments fought alongside the German army.
Soviet cargo/liner Pomorie hits a mine and sinks in the White Sea off of Kandalaksha. There are 20 survivors and 60 deaths (accounts vary).
Soviet Submarines D-3 and M-172 (Lt. Cdr. Israel Fisnovich) are on patrol off the coast near Petsamo Fjord. M-172 attempts an attack on German hospital ship Alexander von Humbolde — which would be a war crime under most interpretations of international law — but misses.
The military high command, Stavka, forms Soviet Karelia Front, commanded by General Frolov, and Leningrad Front, commanded by Vasily Popov (whose Northern Front is disbanded). At Leningrad, Popov controls 8th, 23rd, and 48th Armies.
Joseph Stalin decreed that every Soviet soldier should receive 100 grams of vodka per day.
A German naval officer cadet was shot dead in the Paris metro yesterday. Today the Germans announced that all Frenchmen imprisoned in occupied France for any cause will be considered hostages. “In the event of another such act, a number of hostages, corresponding to the gravity of the crime, will be shot.” One hundred have been selected on Hitler’s orders, and 50 will be shot should there be more outrages and their corpses displayed in the Place de la Concorde. The shooting took place at Barbes-Rochechouart, the Communist Party’s working-class citadel in Paris, and reflect the growing resistance to the occupation authorities by the Communists and their various stalking horses in the trades unions. So far this resistance has been most marked on the railways, where the railwaymen’s union is coordinating sabotage. The metro shooting is their first act of assassination.
The remaining 90 Jewish children held in the village of Byelaya Tserkov, most of them infants under the age of five, are executed after the action is officially condoned by the Wehrmacht.
At least one Waffen SS unit is ordered to execute Soviet prisoners in reprisal for “inhuman atrocities” committed by Soviet troops. By one account (that in the published memoirs of Erich Stahl), 4,000 Soviet POWs are executed within a few days. As with executions of Jews and others, the POWs are lined up in front of pits eight at a time and shot, with the POWs falling into the pit and quickly replaced by 8 more POWs.
Royal Navy submarine HMS Upholder attacks an Italian convoy between Palermo and Tripoli. Upholder sinks 3958-ton Italian transport Lussin near Cape St. Vito.
Operation Treacle, the replacement of Australian troops at Tobruk by Polish units of the Carpathian Brigade, continues. Destroyers Hasty, Jervis, and Kimberley and minelaying cruiser Abdiel carry troops successfully to Tobruk and return to Alexandria without incident.
The Luftwaffe bombs Tobruk and damages 1009-ton Greek freighter Lesbos.
Italian 5232-ton tanker Strombo, previously torpedoed in the Zea Channel on 10 July 1941 by Royal Navy submarine Torbay, is completely destroyed in an explosion in Skaramanga Bay.
Royal Navy minelaying cruiser Manxman departs from Gibraltar as part of Operation Mincemeat. Its objective is to lay mines in the Gulf of Genoa in the Livorno area.
Australian destroyer Stuart returns to Australia from Alexandria due to engine problems that require repair. It arrives in Fremantle, Australia on 16 September. Due to its departure, 10th Destroyer Flotilla (known as the “Scrap Iron Flotilla”) of the Mediterranean Fleet disbands.
Royal Navy submarine P-33 is reported officially missing at Malta after failing to return from its patrol on 21 August.
King Michael promotes Romanian leader Ion Antonescu to the rank of Field Marshal.
The Communist Law was passed in Nazi-occupied Denmark, banning the Communist Party of Denmark and other communist organizations.
The third convoy of French troops being repatriated to France departs from Haifa. It carries 4,952 troops.
After several quiet days, the RAF gets back into action today.
RAF Bomber Command, Day of 22 August 1941
18 Blenheims on uneventful coastal sweeps from France to the Frisians.
RAF Bomber Command, Night of 22/23 August 1941
Mannheim
56 Wellingtons and 41 Hampdens to 3 aiming points. 1 Hampden lost. Crews reported many fires but Mannheim recorded only 6 high-explosive bombs in the city; 1 house was badly damaged and 5 houses lightly damaged. The only casualty was an air-raid worker who was injured when his lorry crashed on the way to a bombing incident.
Minor Operations: 23 aircraft — 11 Whitleys, 10 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings — to Le Havre, 1 O.T.U. sortie. No losses.
RAF Maryland bombers patrol over Lampedusa and attack shore targets, destroying some vehicles.
Submarine U-564, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Reinhard Suhren, made four attacks on the 22nd and sank British steam tug Empire Oak (484grt) and British steamer Clonlara (1203grt) in 40-43N, 11-39W. At 2331 hours on 22 August 1941, U-564 fired a salvo of four torpedoes at the convoy OG.71 west of Aveiro, Portugal and observed four different detonations and three columns of fire, later lifeboats were seen. Suhren thought that he had sunk two ships and damaged two others. However, only two ships were hit and sunk, the Empire Oak and Clonlara.
The Empire Oak (Master Frederick Edward Christian) had picked up six survivors from Aguila and eleven survivors from Alva on 19 August. Eleven crew members, three gunners, five men from Aguila and four from Alva were lost. The master, five crew members and eight of the shipwrecked men were picked up by HMS Campanula (K 18) (LtCdr R.V.E. Case, DSC, RD, RNR), transferred to HMS Velox (D 34) (LtCdr E.G. Roper, DSC, RN) and landed at Gibraltar on 25 August. The 484 ton British steam tug Empire Oak was bound for Gibraltar.
The Clonlara (Master Joseph Reynolds) had picked up 13 survivors from Alva on 19 August. The master, ten crew members and nine survivors were lost. Eight crew members and five survivors were picked up by HMS Campion (K 108) (LtCdr A. Johnson, RNVR) and landed at Gibraltar on 24 August. The 1,203 ton Clonlara was carrying coal and was headed for Lisbon, Portugal.
Battleship HMS Rodney departed Newport, Rhode Island, for Bermuda to work up after repairs.
Minelayer HMS Agamemnon, escorted by destroyer HMS Newark, laid minefield SN.22B in the Northern Barrage.
An Italian convoy of Italian transport Lussin (3958grt) with steamer Alcione (493grt) in tow and steamer Alberto Fassio (2289grt) departed Palermo for Tripoli escorted by torpedo boats Cigno and Pegaso. On the 22nd, submarine HMS Upholder sank Lussin near Cape St Vito.
Minelaying cruiser HMS Abdiel and destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Hasty, and HMS Kimberley departed Alexandria for Tobruk in the fourth series of the TREACLE operation. The operation was covered by light cruisers HMS Phoebe, HMS Naiad, and HMS Galatea of the 15th Cruiser Squadron. The ships arrived back at Alexandria on the 23rd.
Australian destroyer HMAS Stuart departed Alexandria with one engine inoperative to return to Australia, arriving on 16 September at Fremantle. The 10th Destroyer Flotilla at this time ceased to exist. Destroyer HMAS Vendetta was then attached to the 7th Destroyer Flotilla and destroyer HMS Decoy was attached to the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla. Destroyer Stuart was sent on to Williamstown for refitting.
Greek steamer Lesbos (1009grt) was damaged by German bombing at Tobruk.
Netlayer HMS Tonbridge (T/A/Lt Cdr D E Brown RNR) was sunk by German bombing three cables 108° from Scroby Elbow Buoy off Yarmouth. Brown and 34 ratings were lost.
Corvettes HMS Fleur de Lys and HMS Azalea departed Gibraltar escorting tankers Benedick and Capsa. The corvettes then joined arriving tanker HMS Cordelia and escorted her to Gibraltar, arriving on the 31st.
President Roosevelt went on the offensive today against congressional critics of the defense program, reeling off figures to support a contention that production generally was abreast of schedules and would increase tremendously in a matter of months. Without waiting for questions, Mr. Roosevelt took issue at a press conference with statistics cited by Senator Byrd, Virginia Democrat, who told the senate Tuesday that defense production had been “appallingly ineffective.” Somebody, the president said, sold Byrd down the river on his figures. The president said he had asked the war department to check Byrd’s figures. He made these comparisons of what he said Byrd told the senate and what the department reported to him: 1. The senator said not a single tank had gone to England. Actually hundreds of tanks of modern design, produced in the last year, have been turned over to Britain. 2. The senator said the defense program provided for an average monthly delivery of only four 90-millimeter anti-aircraft guns in the last four months of this year. The program calls for delivery of 61 of these guns monthly and the department believes this can be done. 3. The senator said fifteen 37-millimeter anti-tank guns would be produced monthly. Actual production in July was 72. It will expand to 160 in August, 260 in September, and 320 in October. 4. Byrd asserted only fifteen 81-millimeter mortars would be produced monthly in the months immediately ahead. The July output was 221. This month’s production will climb to 340 and the figures for September and October will be even larger. On plane production, Byrd’s figures were essentially correct, Mr. Roosevelt conceded.
President Roosevelt issued today an Executive order extending to the full eighteen additional months authorized by law the military service of all selectees and members of the Army and National Guard, except those past 28 years old, those whose dependents would suffer unduly and those who could be spared.
The Patent Office has been given a new role in tightening the nation’s defenses as the result of the signing today by President Roosevelt of a bill which would plug loopholes through which inventions made in this country, particularly those important to national defense, might leak out to foreign nations.
President Roosevelt has signed the naval works authorization bill which will add about $225,000,000 of shore and island facilities to support the Navy in any task which it may have to meet.
The Duke of Kent, youngest brother of King George VI of England, who has been visiting Canada for several weeks on an official mission as an Air Commodore on the Inspector General’s staff of the Royal Air Force, will pass through New York City tomorrow afternoon on the way to spend the weekend with President Roosevelt.
The Federal Reserve Board tonight issued formal regulations restricting installment buying after September 1 in an effort to curb a trend toward inflation. By authority of a presidential executive order, the board announced today that after September 1 substantially larger down payments would be required and periods of credit limited to 18 months on 24 durable goods. The regulations also apply to small loans and credit extended on modernization of private dwellings.
A formula has been reached for gradual repatriation of Americans and Japanese wishing to return to their homelands, Secretary of State Cordell Hull hinted today as the United States intensified its economic war against Japan. At least partial solution of the repatriation problem one of the recent major irritations in U.S.-Japanese relations was indicated at Tokyo, where a Japanese official said his government had taken steps to facilitate the departure of Americans for Shanghai. Secretary of State Cordell Hull indicated today that Japan had agreed to a gradual repatriation of American citizens, while President Roosevelt at Hyde Park took a sharp blow at the Japanese fishing industry by raising the tariff on crab meat from 15 to 22 ½ percent ad valorem.
A survey of idle tank cars ready to be pressed into service to bring oil to the East Coast region where a gasoline shortage impends was asked today by Ralph K. Davies, Acting Petroleum Coordinator.
Just over a year ago the regular U.S. Army numbered 265,000 plus 243,000 National Guard reservists. By April this year there were 487,000 regulars, 286,000 National Guard, 38,000 reserve officers called to the colors and 374,000 selective service trainees: a total of 1,185,000 men. It is almost 12 months since President Roosevelt signed a bill imposing call-up liability on 16.5 million men aged between 21 and 35. Congress passed the measure reluctantly after a three-month debate. Important strings were attached to it. Conscripts are to serve within the western hemisphere and U.S. possessions, including the Philippines. They will serve for a year (possibly to be extended to 30 months) and be paid the same as regulars. Roosevelt wants 2 million men.
Thomas Richard Pardue of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Battalion begins the “A” Company Diary. It lasts until 10 November 1945. “Start: 22 August 41. Cpt. Billingalea first Commander of Company “A”, Deavours as 1st Sgt. and company completed by other volunteers.”
Major General Adna R. Chaffee Jr., sometimes called the “Father of the Armored Force, passes away in Boston, Massachusetts of cancer at the age of 56. The M24 Chaffee light tank will be named in his honor, and also Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.
The War Department announced today that a fifth armored division would be created about October 1 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and would be ready for training about two weeks later.
American destroyer USS Charles F. Hughes (DD-410) was damaged in a collision with 5,445-ton British steamer Chumleigh at Reykjavik.
The government of Brazil seizes 23,861-ton Italian liner Conte Grande at Santos, Brazil. The ship eventually is converted into US troopship USS Monticello (AP-61).
After undergoing repairs in the United States, battleship HMS Rodney departs from Newport, Rhode Island on a working-up cruise.
Major League Baseball:
Worrying three pitchers with a dozen assorted hits and sending one hurler, Tot Pressnell, to the hospital, the Dodgers yesterday toppled the Cubs, 8–5, at Ebbets Field before a ladies’ day crowd of 28,468. The Durocher clan’s lead of a game and a half over the Cardinals remained unchanged.
Jim Tobin snapped the Braves’ five-game losing streak and chalked up his tenth victory of the campaign today as he beat the Reds, 9–1. The loss was Cincinnati’s second in its last thirteen games.
With Joe Dobson shading Buck Ross on the mound, the Red Sox made it two straight over the White Sox before a ladies’ day crowd of 15,011 today. The score was 2–1. Boston, climbed to within a game and a half of the second place Chicagoans.
The New York Yankees, just to show they are not entirely dependent upon the devastating bludgeon of their incapacitated Joe DiMaggio, ended a two-day scoring drought today. Unfortunately, their output was insufficient for victory. The recently revivified and revamped Indians belted Marvin Breuer just a trifle harder than the Bombers belted Jim Bagby, with the result that the Cleveland Indians royally entertained a ladies’ day crowd of 9,000 by scoring their second straight triumph of the series, 5–4.
A five-run ninth-inning rally gave the Tigers a 5–4 victory over the Senators today and handed Alejandro Carrasquel his first defeat in seven starts. Barney McCosky’s homer with two aboard and two out decided the contest.
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the New York Giants, 5-3. Bob Bowman only surrendered seven hits, but two were homers and four were doubles. Vince DiMaggio had one of the homers as well as a single.
Herman Triplett’s home run with a man on base gave the Cardinals a 4-2 victory over the Phillies today in a ten-inning battle. Triplett’s homer was inside the park.
The Philadelphia Athletics, who were fourth on August 8, barely averted dropping into the American League cellar today by nosing out the eighth-place St. Louis Browns, 5–4.
Chicago Cubs 5, Brooklyn Dodgers 8
Cincinnati Reds 1, Boston Braves 9
Boston Red Sox 2, Chicago White Sox 1
New York Yankees 4, Cleveland Indians 5
Washington Senators 4, Detroit Tigers 5
Pittsburgh Pirates 5, New York Giants 3
St. Louis Cardinals 4, Philadelphia Phillies 2
Philadelphia Athletics 5, St. Louis Browns 4
Panamanian freighter Cascade catches fire and sinks in the Bay of Bengal off Sandeads, India.
A long bombing raid by 135 Japanese planes today destroyed the Seventh Day Adventist mission, a hospital and damaged buildings at the Chungking and National Central universities. Six Chinese were killed in a dugout at the Adventist mission, but there were no foreign casualties in the raid. The Japanese planes concentrated their attack on the western suburbs and governmental area of the capital.
Talks between the Japanese and Germans continue, shielded from both the public and allies. The Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs informs Ambassador Joseph Grew in Tokyo that the Germans have made inquiries about the nature of the talks. The Japanese tell Grew that they told the Germans that they were simply talking about “specific cases of difficulties experienced by Americans in Japan and China,” which is not the case. Grew further notes in a separate wire that the bellicose statements by the United States press about the “encirclement” of Japan by the Allies are having a negative effect on talks.
President Roosevelt has designated Manila Bay as a “defensive sea area” and ordered rigid restriction on shipping in its waters, approaches and tributaries. His executive order, dated August 16, was made public in the official Federal Register. No ship will be permitted to enter the area, unless proceeding “under United States Navy or other United States authorized supervision,” except during daylight and when good visibility conditions prevail. On August 6 the Navy announced that the waters had been mined.
Prime Minister Robert G. Menzies announced at a joint meeting of ministerial parties this afternoon that he had sent a letter to the leader of the Labor Opposition, John Curtin, again suggesting the formation of a national government, the leader of which would be elected, if necessary, by the united Australia Country and Labor parties jointly.
The U.S. Marine Detachment, 1st Defense Battalion, arrives at Wake Island from Oahu, Hawaii.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 125.84 (-0.15)
Born:
Bill Parcells [as Duane Charles Parcells], NFL coach (Super Bowl champions, XXI, 1986, and XXV, 1990; New York Giants, 1983–1990; New England Patriots, 1993–1996; New York Jets, 1997–1999; Dallas Cowboys, 2003–2006), in Englewood, New Jersey.
Mickey Slaughter, AFL quarterback (Denver Broncos), in Monroe, Louisiana (d. 2023).
Howard Grimes, American soul music session drummer (Al Green; Ann Peeples), in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2022).
Michael Aldrich, British inventor (online shopping), in Brocket Hall, England, United Kingdom (d. 2014).
Thomas Lovejoy, American conservation biologist who coined the term “biodiversity”, in New York, New York (d. 2021).
Died:
Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., 56, American major general.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Isles-class minesweeping trawler HMS Staffa (T 159) is laid down by Henry Robb Ltd. (Leith, U.K.); completed by Whites M.E.
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Turbine-engined) minesweeper HMS Worthing (J 72) is launched by George Philip & Sons Ltd. (Dartmouth, UK) : B.T.H..
The Royal Canadian Navy Bangor-class (VTE Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMCS Lockeport (J 100) is launched by the North Vancouver Ship Repairs Ltd. (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada).
The Royal Navy Flower-class corvette HMS Snowflake (K 211) is launched by the Smiths Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Hunt-class (Type III) escort destroyer HMS Derwent (L 83) is launched by Vickers Armstrong (Barrow).
The Royal Navy harbor defence motor launch HMS HDML 1047 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy Fairmile C-class motor gun boat HMS MGB 327 is commissioned.
The Royal Canadian Navy Bangor-class (VTE Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMCS Clayoquot (J 174) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is T/Lieutenant George Alexander Victor Thomson, RCNVR.
History Diaries 