Posted on 08/26/2011 9:14:49 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, The Grand Alliance
Major tactical error on Hitler’s part to besiege Leningrad instead of taking it when he had a chance.
Also not taking Moscow when had the chance was an even bigger mistake.
Hitler could have avoided most of these mistakes if he studied Napoleon instead of Frederick the Great.
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/aug41/f26aug41.htm
Soviet counterattack near Velikiye Luki
Tuesday, August 26, 1941 www.onwar.com
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces near Velikiye Luki attempt a counterattack against the Germans. It is unsuccessful.
In Iran... The British forces take complete control of the Abadan area while the Soviets moving down from the north enter Tabriz. The Soviets bomb Teheran.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/26.htm
August 26th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyer HMS Laforey commissioned.
Submarine HMS Thorn commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: U-505 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: The German positions near Velikiye Luki repulse a Soviet counterattack.
An OKW memorandum accepted by Hitler states that the war against Soviet Union won’t be finished before the end of 1941. (Mikko Härmeinen)
Ukraine: German forces capture Dnepropetrovsk.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Philippine Department Air Force is re-designated USAFFE Air Force. (Marc Small)
The Philippine National Army is brought into existence. (Gordon Rottman)
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Buctouche departed St. John’s to join the 64-ship Sydney to Liverpool convoy SC41 which arrived safely on 11 Sep 41.The SC series of convoys was introduced in August of 1940 to provide a system of protection for slow merchant ships (7.5 knots minimum, often not achieved), which had previously been sailing independently, with disastrous consequences. Sydney, Cape Breton, was chosen as the western terminus to help ease congestion on the port of Halifax. SC-1 sailed on 15 Aug 40. During the winters of ‘41 and ‘42 the SC convoys were shifted to Halifax, due to ice in Sydney and its approaches. In Aug 42, when the terminus for the HX series of convoys was shifted to New York City, the SC convoys were moved to Halifax, with a temporary interval where they also originated from New York between Sep 42 and Mar 43. Of the 177 SC convoys, only three failed to reach their destination. SC-52 lost four of its 34 ships to U-boats in Oct 41 and, with the prospects for continued heavy opposition, was returned to Sydney by a tortuous circumnavigation of Newfoundland. SC-62 and SC-63 were scattered by bad weather in Jan 42 and completed their voyages without loss as independently routed ships. In all, only 29 of the 177 SC convoys were attacked and only 145 ships were lost from the total of 6,806 ships escorted (2.1%). This number is quite misleading. The relatively low loss rate was mainly made possible by intelligence and evasive routing, without which losses would have substantially exceeded the 3% rate considered to be unsustainable. The loss rate for the 29 convoys attacked was 12.3% (145/1175). Up to the end of Mar 43, the loss rate was 13.3% (138/1034). Additionally five other ships were damaged. Also, a large number of ‘stragglers’ were sunk when they dropped out of convoys that were not counted against convoy losses. Likewise, a number of ‘rompers’, ships that detached from the convoy to move ahead independently, were lost that were also not counted. The worst single-convoy losses occurred Oct 40 when convoy SC-7 lost 15 of the 34 merchant ships escorted (44%). Clearly, up until the ‘Turning Point’ in the Battle of the Atlantic, when the U-boats were able to engage they inflicted losses completely beyond the ability of the Allies to sustain. The key, therefore, was not to engage in a series of tactical battles the Allies could not win. Without the inestimable advantage of signal decryption, the Battle of the Atlantic would have been lost before the ‘Turning Point’ had been reached.
Corvette HMCS Vancouver (ex-HMCS Kitchener) launched Esquimalt, British Columbia. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: The White House issues a statement that “this Government is preparing to send a military mission to China. The mission will be sent for the purpose of assisting in carrying out the purposes of the Lend-Lease Act. It is being organized and it will operate under the direction of the Secretary of War. Its chief will be Brigadier General John Magruder.” (Jack McKillop)
Destroyer USS Hendon laid down.
Submarine USS Silversides launched.
Minesweeper USS Auk launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-571 attacked SS Marija Uljanova. Constructive total loss.
U-652 damaged SS Southern Prince.
Cutter HMS Lulworth went to the rescue of survivors from a torpedoed Merchantman. The night was dark, with heavy seas running, so that the rescue work was slow and hazardous. As HMS Lulworth was about to abandon search, two men and a woman were found clinging to the wreckage. The men were saved, but as the woman, who was unconscious, was being hauled on board, she slipped from her lifejacket, disappeared below the surface, and came up astern. Lt KEEFER at once dived into the sea to try to save her. He reached her, but both were swept away by the heavy seas, and though search was made for an hour, neither was seen again. (Dave Shirlaw)
I’ll say it again, I really enjoy your maps.
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