Posted on 01/25/2012 4:36:43 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
The News of the Week in Review
The United Nations Face in the Far East Widening Japanese Attack (map) - 19
Twenty News Questions – 20
The Icebound Winter Front of the Russo-German War (map) - 21
The Russian Battle Picture Changes (Brigham) – 22
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 23
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/jan42/f25jan42.htm
Axis offensive smashes British
Sunday, January 25, 1942 www.onwar.com
In North Africa... The British 2nd Armored Brigade is almost completely destroyed near Msus as the German offensive continues.
In Burma... Visiting General Wavell while in Rangoon, issues orders for the defense of Moulmein despite the resistance of the local commander.
In Malaya... British and Allied troops abandon the last defensive position near the Maur River. General Wavell authorizes General Percivial to retreat to Singapore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Reston
James Barrett Reston (November 3, 1909 – December 6, 1995), nicknamed “Scotty,” was an American journalist whose career spanned the mid 1930s to the early 1990s. He was associated for many years with the New York Times.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/25.htm
January 25th, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: ASW trawler HMS Notre Dame de France commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: The recommendation for Fegelein’s Knight’s Cross that was submitted by GdI Albrecht Schubert, commanding General XXII A.K.. The SS-Kavallerie-Brigade was located on the southeast front of 23.Armeekorps in the sector north of Nikulino-Polowinino-Saizewo-Dmitrowo-Sokolomo. The Brigade was assigned the task of preventing the advance of strong enemy forces that had breached the gap west of Rshev, towards the south against the rear of the 206.Division.
The Brigade foiled all attempts of the enemy with great dash accomplished in spite of heavy casualties. Not only did the SS-Kavallerie-Brigade defeat all efforts of the enemy, but they also led the main offensive attacks. In addition. they led the encircling and annihilation attacks which lasted for days.
During all the defensive and offensive fighting, the personal unshakability, exemplary bravery and constant desire to attack was shown by the Brigade Commander. He was able to complete his assignments with constant attack operations, during which he rallied his men behind him. (Jeff Chrisman)(233)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-453 and U-372 were attacked in the Mediterranean by aircraft and damaged so heavily that they had to return to base. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORTH AFRICA: British 2nd Armoured Div. is destroyed near Msus.
LIBYA: Speeding eastward again, the forces of General Erwin Rommel, General Officer Commanding Panzer Army Africa, capture Msus. The weakened British 1st Armoured Division of 13 Corps, Eighth Army, is ordered to fall back on Mechili, leaving a detachment to protect the withdrawal of the Indian 4th Division from Benghazi and Barce. General Claude Auchinleck, Commander in Chief Middle East Command, visits Eighth Army HQ, where he remains until 1 February. General Neal Ritchie, General Officer Commanding Eighth Army, revokes the order for a general withdrawal of 13 Corps and orders the Indian 4th Division, over which he takes direct control, and the British 1st Armoured Division to counterattack in the Msus area. (Jack McKillop)
THAILAND: The government declares war on the U.S. and the U.K. The government of Great Britain, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa respond in kind. (Jack McKillop)
AUSTRALIA: The government orders full mobilization. The War Cabinet orders that “all able-bodied white male British subjects” between 18- and 45-years-old should be called up immediately for service. The central government also assumes control of all state budgets. (Jack McKillop)
By this date, the USAAF has received 112 P-40s from the U.S. with another 160 due by 4 February. (Jack McKillop)
The USAAF Far East Air Force’s 20th Pursuit Squadron (Provisional), which is preparing to depart Brisbane, Queensland for Port Moresby, New Guinea, is ordered to fly to Darwin, Northern Territory, as quickly as possible for duty in Java. (Jack McKillop)
MALAYA: Since Batu Pahat must be abandoned at once, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya Command, orders the entire line in central Johore State withdrawn. The Indian 3 Corps is responsible for the withdrawal operation, which begins after nightfall. Meanwhile, the Batu Pahat defence force fights a losing battle for that town throughout the day. The Indian 11th Division commander sends the British 53d Brigade Group to the relief of the Batu Pahat defence force, but most of the column is unable to get through. To the east, Japanese attacks in the Ayer Hitam-Kluang area are beaten off. (Jack McKillop)
BORNEO: By dawn, the Japanese Assault Unit that landed near Balikpapan have occupied the airfield. Their advance southward, however, is slow as the bridges on the coastal road have been destroyed and the unit did not reach the northern outskirts of Balikpapan City until the night of the 25th. The Dutch garrison troops had been withdrawn and the unit entered the city without a fight. Guided by the lights placed by two traitorous native policemen, who had proceeded them, the Japanese Surprise Attack Unit lands just south of the reservoir at 0430 hours and sails up the river in camouflaged boats. No Dutch troops are encountered and while part of the unit occupies the area around the reservoir, the main body proceeds to the village of Banoeabaroe, arriving there at 1440 hours, thus cutting off the Dutch line of retreat. While the main body of the unit was advancing along the road to Balikpapan City, it ran into a Dutch military column attempting to escape from Balikpapan. After defeating this Dutch column, the Surprise Attack Unit proceeded to Balikpapan City. The city was completely occupied during the night of the 25th. (Jack McKillop)
BURMA: General Archibald Lord Wavell, Commander in Chief Australian-British-Dutch-American (ABDA) Command, South West Pacific, visiting Rangoon, orders Moulmein held. The 16th Brigade, Indian 17th Division, is disposed west of the Salween River, opposite Moulmein. The Indian 46th Brigade is ordered to the Bilin area. A lull ensues as the Japanese bring up reinforcements to the vicinity of Paan and Moulmein, on the Salween River. (Jack McKillop)
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: The advance flight echelon of the USAAF Far East Air Force 17th Pursuit Squadron (Provisional) arrives at Soerabaja, Java with 13 P-40s. They will undergo five days of theater training by RNAF pilots. (Jack McKillop)
Twenty five Japanese fighter aircraft land on Kendari Airdrome that was captured two days ago. (Jack McKillop)
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: On Bataan, the responsibility for the defence of beach area of southern Bataan passes from the Service Command Area to commanders of the I and II Corps. II Corps continues their withdrawal under air attack and with the Japanese in full pursuit. I Corps abandons the Mauban main line of resistance. The withdrawal of the 1st Division, Philippine Army, southward begins during the morning and continues through the night of 25/26 January. Diverting the enemy’s attention, other elements of I Corps press in on the roadblock on West Road from the west. In the South Sector, operations against Japanese at Quinauan and Longoskawayan Points remain indecisive. (Jack McKillop)
MIDWAY ISLAND: The island is shelled by Japanese submarine HIJMS-73. The submarine uses its 3.9 inch (100mm) deck gun. I-18 and I-24 surface off Midway Island to shell U.S. Marine positions. I-24 fires six shells, but the Marines return the fire and force I-24 to abandon shelling and submerge. I-18 is taken under fire before she can open fire and forced to submerge. (Jack McKillop)
NEWFOUNDLAND: Corvettes HMCS Summerside and Shawinigan departed St John’s to escort Convoy SC-66 to Londonderry. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: Marshall directs Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Joseph Narney, to draft a reorganisation plan for US War Department. (Marc James Small)
URUGUAY: The government breaks diplomatic relations with Germany, Italy and Japan. (Jack McKillop)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German submarine U-125 attacks unarmed U.S. tanker SS Olney, forcing the latter aground off Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Olney is subsequently removed from her predicament, however, repaired, and returned to service. (Jack McKillop)
During bad weather in the North Atlantic a lookout on U-575 broke his arm.
SS Culebra, dispersed from Convoy ON-53, was sunk by gunfire by U-123 ENE of Bermuda. The master, 38 crewmembers and six gunners were lost
Tanker SS Varanger sunk by U-130 at 38.58N, 74.06W - Grid CA 5435
At 0925, SS Mount Kitheron was torpedoed by U-754 and sunk by a coup de grâce at 0938 hours at 47.32N, 52.31W - Grid BB 6359 . (Dave Shirlaw)
I am of a different view: command means responsibility and they were the senior commanders. They were responsible for training the area defense forces and for operational preparations for the imminent war with Japan.
No excuses by latter day apologists can excuse the extreme lack of readiness by the naval and army forces on Hawaii (or for that matter, the Philippines). Kimmel and Short should have served prison time.
I am of a different view: command means responsibility and they were the senior commanders. They were responsible for training the area defense forces and for operational preparations for the imminent war with Japan.
No excuses by latter day apologists can excuse the extreme lack of readiness by the naval and army forces on Hawaii (or for that matter, the Philippines). Kimmel and Short should have served prison time or worse.
I tried to buy my copy of Broadway Stomach, but Amazon didn’t have any copies. Maybe due to overwhelming demand?
"Martin Luther's meteoric career advancement reveals the professional opportunities unleashed by the genocidal policies of the Third Reich. Though he never finished high school, Luther became an influential figure within the German Foreign Office.
"Luther's entrance into the Foreign Office was facilitated by Joachim von Ribbentrop, Germany's foreign minister.
A talented organizer who was extremely adept at Nazi Party infighting, Luther positioned the Foreign Office as a major player in the "Final Solution."
"At the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942, Luther arranged for the Foreign Office to coordinate the deportation of European Jews.
He clearly recognized that the Final Solution was a golden opportunity to expand his personal power base.
Luther's unsuccessful efforts to oust Ribbentrop in 1943, however, landed him in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
He died of heart failure shortly after the war."
The Commander-in-Chief is, by definition, senior to both.
While not abrogating the responsibility of Kimmel and Short as the top local area commanders, I find it revealing that Obama-sized buses were available in Roosevelt's time too.
Headline: "RAID SIGNS IGNORED"
..."ORDERS NOT CARRIED OUT"
By James B. Reston: "The disastrous Japanese attack on the United States' main Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7 was due mainly to the failure of Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and Lieut. Gen. Walter C. Short to take adequate joint action for the defense of the Hawaiian Islands despite repeated warnings from the War and Navy Departments, Associate Justice Owen J. Roberts, chairman of President Roosevelt's special investigating commission, reported today..."
This report -- the Roberts Report -- was the first of many, not all of which arrived at the same conclusions.
Some reports put more blame on higher-ups in Washington for failure to adequately warn Hawaiia's commanders.
And the truth is, those warnings from Washington were vague and misleading -- none, zero, zip nada, said to expect air attack on Hawaii.
So the historical issue is whether Washington knew enough to have more adequately warned Hawaii?
The answer is, the case has not been proved, but there is evidence suggesting Washington did know more than they told Hawaii about.
Here's the bottom line: any suggestion that Hawaii received multiple warnings of a coming air attack is false in the extreme.
Read the book “Day of Deceit” by Robert Stinnett.
Washington knew a lot more than it let on.
Did it know the exact time and date probably not, but they sure got rid of a lot of old and useless battleships that day while they saved the carriers.
By coincidence, last night the Military Channel broadcast an episode about the “first 007 agent” whose name was “Popov” and was from Yugoslavia.
He was a double agent working for the Germans & the British.
Sometime in mid 1941, he shared evidence with the FBI - Hoover to be specific - that the Japanese were interested in him getting info on Pearl Harbor and also were very interested in carrier based air strikes.
Hoover scoffed at the thought and dismissed Popov cuz he “didnt trust double agents.”
Now you've done it. Time to duck and cover.
LOL
I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but IMO Roosevelt knew what was coming.
Something to be considered is that Japan’s success was, in a way, a blessing in disguise.
If the fleet had been at sea in the vicinity of Pearl, ALL the battleships would have been sunk, and the loss of life would have been enormous. Most of the Pearl Harbor battleships were bombarding Japanese islands in a year or two.
Additionally, after having stuck his finger in Japan’s eye by moving the fleet to Pearl, FDR spent the rest of the time up to the attack stripping the Pacific fleet of its assets by sending them to the Atlantic. He then cuts off the fuel supply to a militaristic maritime power, and does littlee to reinforce Hawaii. Short ws an idiot, Kimmel less so. But both took the blame that should have been shared much further around.
I have always thought Roosevelt knew the Japanese would do something [and wanted them to], but that the sheer genius of Yamamoto’s attack wasn’t what he expected. Nor was the failure of his commanders to anticipate better than he did, and meet the enemy at sea.
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