ALLIES REPEL ALL NEW TANK ATTACKS BY THE AXIS IN NORTHEAST TUNISIA (12/13/42)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 12/13/42 | Raymond Daniell, Frank L. Kluckhohn, Ralph Parker, Hanson W. Baldwin, Charles Hurd

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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THE NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Winston S. Churchill, The Hinge of Fate

[Homer_J_Simpson]

This is the last letter from Homer’s father we will see in 1942 and the last one from these shores until 1945. Note the addendum by Homer’s Grandmother at the end of the letter.

Homer’s father lucked out and got leave. The following photo proves he got back home to eastern Oregon as well as Portland, which he mentions in the letter. The photo with Tiny the mule deer was taken at Medical Springs, Oregon, on the ranch owned by his brother-in-law, Homer’s uncle. Just for fun I added a photo of your facilitator aged about 4, which makes it 1956. Same place, different season, different deer.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The index by author on Homer’s profile is now updated through January 15, 1943.

Fresh Drives Fail (Daniell) – 2-3
Rangers, Commandos Land Behind Enemy Near Bizerte (Kluckhohn) – 3
British Open New Drive in Libya and Pierce Nazi Line, Berlin Says – 4
Big German Losses Listed by Russians (Parker) – 4-5
War News Summarized – 5
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Various Zones – 6-7

The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 8
Lines of Supply Hold Vital Importance in the Battle of the Mediterranean (map) – 9
Nazi Counter-Move Awaited (Baldwin) – 10
As the Pacific War Enters its Second Year (map) – 11
Two Vital Fighting Areas (map) – 12
Japan Still May Strike Directly At Our Shores (Hurd) – 13
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 14

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/dec42/f13dec42.htm

Axis retreat in the desert
Sunday, December 13, 1942 www.onwar.com

In North Africa... Libya, The British 8th Army captures Mersa Brega. Rommel begins to withdraw from the El Agheila position.

Over Tunisia... US air forces stage heavy raids on Bizerta and Tunis.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

December 13th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: Bletchley Park: The U-boat Enigma cipher has been cracked. Shark had baffled the codebreakers from the beginning of this year because of the additional rotor which it uses. Now the Admiralty’s submarine tracking room will once more be able to route convoys round the wolfpacks. Sadly, Captain Roger Winn, who runs the submarine tracking room, has collapsed and has been ordered to take sick leave.

Jews observe a day of mourning for their European brethren persecuted by the Nazis.

FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE: The premier, Pierre Laval, announces: “Without equivocation ... I want Germany’s victory.”

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam: Hitler appoints Anton Mussert as leader of the Netherlands.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Sloop HMS Enchantress is acting as escort for convoy KMS-4 Gibraltar/Algiers. Off Bougie, Algeria she engages the Italian submarine Corallo (Captain Guido Guidi) with her depth charges the Corallo was forced to the surface. Then some reports claim the gun crew tried to bring her deck gun into action against the Enchantress. Next the Enchantress rammed Corallo sinking her with all hands lost. (Dave Shirlaw)

NORTH AFRICA: The British 8th Army captures Mersa Brega as Rommel begins to pull out of the El Agheila positions.

Italian armour from the three divisions of 20th Corps now regrouped as Ariete Tactical Group, reinforced by a battle group from the newly arrived Centauro armoured division, are attacked by the British 8th Armoured Brigade, attempting to push around the desert flank. This comes at a particularly bad moment, since a large part of the German armour is temporarily immobilized while awaiting refuelling. The fight begins when a rearguard of three M14 tanks supported by four guns is attacked by 80 Shermans. The Italians hastily fall back, but when the British reach the main Italian defense line, it is they in turn who are surprised, losing numerous vehicles to the Italian guns. After a heavy artillery barrage, the British advance again. The fighting is furious, and often at close quarters. One British tanker describes how an unseen Italian artillery piece held its fire until a Crusader tank from his unit was within 50 yards of the gun position. However, the Italian gunners’ first shot was just off, tearing through the storage boxes on the side of the vehicle, after which the Crusader drove at full speed straight over the Italian emplacement, crushing one of the gunners under its treads. Another tank in the same unit was less lucky, taking a direct hit that killed the driver and mangled the commander’s arm and leg. Later 12 M14s counter-attacked, but the Shermans knocked out eight in an extended fight. After this the British advance overcame the Italian antitank screen, destroying or capturing a dozen 47mm guns and taking 50 prisoners. But the British, having lost 22 tanks and two armoured cars, with night descending established a defensive lager as per their usual procedure, allowing the Italians to pull back unmolested. (Mike Yaklich)

TUNISIA: Bizerta and Tunis are the targets of heavy US air strikes.

U.S.A.:
Destroyer escort USS Hammann launched.

Submarine USS Muskallonge launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-103 damaged SS Hororata.

U-159 sank SS City of Bombay.

U-176 sank SS Scania. (Dave Shirlaw)

[BroJoeK]

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December 13, 1942:

• "German Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels complains in his diary about Italy's halfhearted persecution of Jews."

" 'A Crucified Jew on a Swastika,' an ink drawing by Holocaust survivor Joseph Bau, is an unequivocal symbol of the Nazis' merciless solution to the "Jewish Question.' "

"In some occupied countries, Nazi racial policy found a warm welcome among scientists pursuing dubious research in eugenics.
Here, just to the left of a large portrait of Vichy France leader Philippe Pétain, Louis Darquier de Pellepoix, head of the Commissariat général aux questions juives (Office for Jewish Affairs), delivers the inaugural address at the opening of the Institute for Anthroposociology.
The Institute was dedicated to the study of eugenics and race.
To Pellepoix's left stands racial scientist Count Georges Vacher de Lapouge, who, at the beginning of the century, had urged scientists to engage in breeding to improve the human race."

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[texanyankee]

Thanks for sharing, Homer.