Russian Troops Hold Steady as German Tank Offensive Advances
Russian forces contend with a massive German armored push across a 400 mile front from White Russia to the Dnieper bend. Artillery and mobile guns shattered at least 148 tanks, while Red Army units under Gen. Bagramian and Gen. Vatutin reported steady gains and firm defense near Vitebsk, Korosten, and Zhlobin sectors.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Eddy Gilmore
Moscow
White Russia
Dnieper
Red Army
Vitebsk-Polotsk
Ivan Bagramian
Korosten
Kiev
Fritz von Mannstein
Nikolai Vatutin
Ukraine
Zhlobin
Vitebsk
Allied Air Raids Target Rocket Gun Coast in France
Allied bombers from Britain and the United States attacked the rocket gun coast in northern France. RAF heavy bombers joined daylight raids over Pas de Calais as part of a four day offensive, with raids also striking western Germany and with minimal losses. Mines were laid in enemy waters as RAF and US forces expand the campaign.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
RAF
France
Pas de Caliais
England
Germany
Air Ministry
French
Berlin
London
Rail Wage Talks Fail as 1.1 Million Workers Warn of Strike
A Joint Committee reported no agreement on workers wage demands after a brief conference. President Roosevelt offered arbitration if both sides would accept his decision, with a later promise from the union to respond by 3 p.m. Eastern. A wait‑and‑see stance remained for non operating workers threatening Dec 30.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Railway Management
Roosevelt
White House
War Analysts Shape Allied Staff Theory In Europe
William Frye notes Marshall may shift from field command to chief of staff or joint Allied super staff. He says Marshall’s leadership and organizational skill drive U S and Anglo American staff decisions as Roosevelt and Churchill jointly govern. Berlin reports new British naval moves in Madeira and Azores with speculation on Churchill's health and Madeira retreat.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Red War Command
J George C. Marshall
Washington
Marshall
U. S
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Jon
Roosevelt
Churchill
London
Madeiras
Atlantic
Morocco
Berlins
International Infertion Bureau
Berlin Propagan Agency
Schill
Madeira
Azores
Italian Girl Tina Feeds Hunger at U.S. Airbase Mess
At an Italian airbase Tina, a thin dark haired girl, wins a serving job with the American mess officers, despite 40 lire daily, because her smile and hunger win favor. She eats second helpings of meat, potatoes, bread and butter, finding relief after weeks of deprivation. Continued on Page eight.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Italy
Tina
Page Exight
Washington Warned of Heavy Casualties in 90 Days
An unnamed high-level official warned newspapermen that U S casualties could triple in the next three months, lifting total losses from about 132000 to well over 500000. Officials quickly questioned the claim, noting no military substantiation and citing possible civilian bias.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
United States
Europe
Allied air and ground strikes hit Burma Japanese centers
In Burma, American and British forces attacked Japanese rail and communications centers across Sumprabum to Prome and Monywa during Dec 19–22. Allied planes damaged installations with no losses. Japanese ground forces briefly attacked a British regiment on the Arakan front but were repulsed, leaving 24 dead. Native levies raided Falam area bridges, and air raids targeted Maymyo and Monya causing large fires.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New Delhi
Burma
Southeast Asia Command
Sumprabum
Middle Chin Hills
Arakan
Prome
Monywa
Arakhan
Falam
Chin Hills
Kumon
Eastern Air Command
Maymyo
Monya
Tanks and infantry fight bitter battle for Ortona
Allied forces press the German defense in Ortona for a third straight day as Eighth Army tanks and infantry clash in the Adriatic port, with streets turned into a chaotic combat zone and the context described as a miniature Stalingrad.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ortona
Wes Gallagher
Algiers
Eighth Army
Adriatic
Stalingrad
San Vittore
Cassino
Rome
Tenth Army
Pescara
Ortona-Orsogna
Tito council strips king and Yugoslavia of rights in exile
Tito’s liberation council denounces King Peter II's government in Cairo, bars the king from returning until Yugoslavia is fully freed, and accuses Cairo authorities of hostility and collusion with the Germans. Allied efforts aid Tito as fighting rages across Italy with Mt Cavallo and Cassino scenes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Peter
Josip Brez Tito
Council of Liberation
Yugoslavia
Tito
Balkan
Free Yugoslav Radio
Cairo
Yugoslav Army of Liberation
Drajan Mihailovic
Soviet Baltic Army Presses Toward Vitebsk Axis Rail Link
Soviet dispatches report General Ilhan Bagramian's Baltic army breaking through barbed wire defenses at the northern gates of Vitebsk. Troops also push west to seize the Vitebsk Polotsk railway, aiming to cut the line and sever Vitebsk's western communications.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Moscow
Ilhan
Soviet Breakthroughs Hold In Two Sectors Amid Tank Battles
Soviet forces repelled German tank offensives as 95 enemy tanks were destroyed and about 3000 Germans killed in fierce duels. In the Baltic drive, Bagramian’s veterans moved toward Gorodok near the Nevel Vitebsk railway as Rokossovsky’s army threatened a key escape route.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gomel
Constantine Rokossovsky
Bagramian
Or Gorodok
Nevel-Vitebsk
Roosevelt to address nation via world wide radio hookup
President Roosevelt will speak at 3 p.m. Eastern War Time from Hyde Park New York with a world wide radio network including American networks the BBC Australian and New Zealand networks and stations in Algiers Palermo Bari Naples and India to broadcast the address. He spent today finalizing his speech text.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Roosevelt
British Broadcasting Corporation
New Zealand
Algiers
Palermo
Bari
Naples
India
Hyde Park
N. Y
Christmas Courage of Sgt. Sam Riffice at New Georgia
Sgt. Sam Riffice recalls the New Georgia foxhole horror as Japanese soldiers stabbed wounded Americans at night during the battle for Munda airfield. He survived deep neck and back wounds, a mangled foot, and a spine injury, with about 40 men evacuated for medical care.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Topeka
Kas
Sam Riffice
Georgia
Winter General Hospital
Martha Deluca
Turing
New Georgia
Barracuda Commandos
Munda
Biffice
Yanks Crush Resistance On Arawe
American forces under the Sixth Army drive back organized ground resistance at Arawe New Britain as they expand the invasion front. The main beachhead spans the Arawe peninsula from Cape Merkus inland beyond Umtingalu village, with patrols probing coral caves and eliminating remaining Japanese stragglers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Arawe
New Britain
Ara
Arawe Peninsula
Cape Merkus
Umtingalu
Japanese Lose 16 Planes in Arawe Attack
Advancing American forces at Arawe in New Guinea report heavy Japanese air attacks. MacArthur notes nearly 100 enemy dive bombers and escorts, with American losses including two fighters and a few dive bombers in the heaviest assault since the Sixth Army invasion began.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New Guinea
Arawe
New Britain
Douglas MacArthur
MacArthur
Social Security tax rate frozen for 60 days
President Roosevelt signed legislation freezing Social Security taxes at 1 percent for 60 days starting January 1 and allowed 90 days of duty free grain imports for feed. A Senate rider prevented the scheduled doubling of taxes on January 1 to give Congress time to handle the revenue bill.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Roosevelt
Senate
Congress
New Deal Term Deemed Outmoded In Washington
In Washington on December 23, officials stated the phrase New Deal is out of date. Presidential Secretary Stephen Early said Roosevelt’s program no longer fits the administration after serving as its label since 1942.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Roosevelt
Stephen Early
Also Mentioned on This Page
Mae
Maye
Anna
Richland
S.C
FE. B. Sullivan
William Frye
Associated Press
Dewitt MacKenzie
Washington Bay
Erlin
Hal V. Boyle
President
Mrs. Roosevelt
First Family
Fifth Army
Mt. Cavallo
Venafro
Viticuso
Monna Casale
New Georgia Horror
Tip Christmas
Rae
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