5 Jan 1883
- Döme Sztójay was born.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1887
- Courtney Hodges was born.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1919
Germany
Germany
- Germans Anton Drexler, Gottfried Feder, Dietrich Eckart, Karl Harrer, and 20 others formally named their small political group the German Workers' Party (Deutsche Arbeiterpartei) in Munich, Germany. The party aimed to support middle-class citizens of the Aryan race. This party was the forerunner of the Nazi Party.
5 Jan 1921
- Jean was born.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1933
- The secret meeting between Franz von Papen and Adolf Hitler in Cologne, Germany on the previous day was exposed to the public, damaging both men's reputation.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1934
Ukraine
Ukraine
- The keel of submarine ShCh-205 was laid down at the Shipyard Named After 61 Communards at Nikolaev, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1936
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1936
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1936
5 Jan 1939
- Kiichiro Hiranuma became the 35th Prime Minister of Japan.
- Adolf Hitler met Polish Foreign Minister Józef Beck at Berchtesgaden in southern Germany and, in a friendly manner, mentioned that Danzig was German, and it was in his interest to one day see it return within German borders.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1940
- Oliver Stanley became the Secretary of State for War with the resignation of Leslie Hore-Belisha.
- Finnish troops continued to pin Soviet troops along the Raate Road. Many Russians suffered frostbite, gangrene, and other effects from the severely cold weather; however, they fought back valiantly, causing heavy casualties on the Finnish side as well.
» In-depth article - Germany forbade the transport of any form of aide into Finland across German territory.
- The United Kingdom requested Norway for permission to send Royal Navy vessels into Norwegian waters, citing the German attacks on British ships in Norwegian waters as the reason. Secretly, this request also served as means to deliver British and French troops to Finland through Norway, should the need arise.
- As the first Norwegian volunteer fighters left Oslo for Finland, the first Swedish volunteers arrived. In light of these events, Soviet Union accused Norway and Sweden of pursuing "unneutral" policies by allowing their citizens to volunteer to fight for Finland.
5 Jan 1941
- Australian 6th Division troops, supported by 6 remaining British Matilda tanks, captured the last Italian defensive position at Bardia, Libya, and the remaining Italian force surrendered soon afterwards. In the battle for Bardia, the Italians suffered 1,000 killed, 3,000 wounded, and 36,000 taken prisoner; 2,000 Italians were able to withdraw to Tobruk, Libya. Australians suffered 130 killed and 326 wounded. The Allies captured a large quantity of Italian equipment, including 26 coastal guns, 7 medium guns, 216 field guns, 26 anti-aircraft guns, 41 infantry guns, 146 anti-tank guns, 12 medium tanks, 115 tankettes, 708 trucks, and water pumps capable of producing 400 tons of fresh water per day.
» In-depth article - Italian ship Vulcano hit a mine and sank off Tobruk, Libya.
- Italian submarine Cappellini sank British ship Shakespeare 100 miles northeast of the Cape Verde Islands at 1045 hours with her two 100-mm deck guns, killing 20. Before Shakespeare sank, her return fire hit Cappellini's aft gun and killed gunner Sergeant Ferruccio Azzolin. Cappellini rescued 22 survivors and took them to Sal Island nearby.
- British sloop HMS Lowestoft, while operating with Allied convoy FS.378, was damaged by a mine in the Thames Estuary in England, United Kingdom. She would be under repair at Chatham, England until 3 Oct.
- Amy Johnson, record-breaking aviation pioneer of the 1930s, was killed when the Airspeed Oxford trainer she was delivering as an Air Transport Auxiliary ferry pilot came down in the Thames Estuary in Southern England, United Kingdom. It was sadly ironic that a woman who navigated her way solo from England to Australia got lost in bad weather. Running out of fuel, she baled out thinking she was over London. Landing in the freezing water, she was dragged under a rescue boat by her parachute and chopped to death by the propellers. Her body was never found.
5 Jan 1942
- Soviet forces launched general offensives on the Leningrad, Moscow, Ukraine, and Crimea fronts. Joseph Stalin, who had taken command, refused to heed his generals who warned against a broad 1,000-mile long front.
» In-depth article - The Soviet attempt to land at Eupatoria (Yevpatoria) was blocked by the Germans.
» In-depth article - Georg von Bismarck was assigned as as a staff officer of Panzer Group Africa.
» In-depth article - US Navy Bureau of Navigation granted permission for Chief of Bureau of Yards and Docks Rear Admiral Ben Moreell to recruit for a regiment of three construction battalions, soon to be known as "Seabees".
- USS Pollack damaged Japanese cargo ship Heijo Maru off Honshu, Japan with three of six torpedoes fired; this was claimed as a sinking.
» In-depth article - After sundown, 140 British aircraft attacked the port facilities at Brest, France, dropping 203 tons of high explosive bombs, followed by another wave of 126 aircraft which dropped 186 tons of high explosive bombs and 12,680 incendiary bombs. The primary targets were German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, which suffered little damage.
- British submarine HMS Upholder sank Italian submarine Admiral Saint-Bon, with 155 tons of ammunition and gasoline on board, north of Messina, Sicily at 0542 hours; 82 were killed (many during the explosion), 3 survived.
- Italian convoy M.43 arrived at Tripoli, Libya, delivering 54 tanks, armored cars, artillery, ammunition, and fuel.
- British submarine HMS Proteus sank Italian troop transport Citta Di Palermo 73 miles northwest of Patras, Greece at 0800 hours, killing most of the 600 aboard.
- Japanese troops launched probing attacks at the defenses manned by Indian troops at Trolak, British Malaya; 60 Japanese were killed without achieving success.
» In-depth article - Japanese submarine I-56 sank British freighter Kwantung 60 miles south of Java, Dutch East Indies. 133 survived the sinking, but only 35 would ultimately be rescued; most of those died after the sinking were killed by Japanese ramming and machinegunning.
- George Brett was named the commanding officer of all US forces in Australia.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Vice Admiral Hidehiko Ukita stepped down as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
- Four prisoners of war, two Dutch and two British, successfully escaped the Oflag IV-C camp at Colditz Castle in Germany by dressing up as German guards. Lieutenant Airey Neave, one of the escapees among the four, became the first British to escape from Colditz.
- Akagi departed with the Carrier Striking Force (Carrier Divisions 1 and 5) from Hashirajima for Iwakuni, Japan.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Shokaku departed Kure, Japan for Hiroshima Bay.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- US and Filipino troops in the Philippine Islands were put on half rations.
» In-depth article
- Benjamin Kelsey was promoted to the war time rank of lieutenant colonel.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1943
- USS S-28 reached her assigned patrol area in the northern Kurile Islands.
» In-depth article - Germans began a 3-day operation in the Lvov ghetto in Ukraine which resulted in about 10,000 deaths and the disbanding of the Jewish Council.
- USS Helena made the first use of proximity-fuse shells in combat and shot down a Japanese D3A carrier bomber.
» In-depth article - Despite George Kenney's orders for an all-out attack on Rabaul, New Britain at dawn, Kenneth Walker launched a limited (without 63rd Bomb Squadron, whose commander William Benn disagreed with the timing of the attack) mid-day attack. Bad weather in Australia prevented some of the B-24 bombers from launching, thus ultimately only 6 B-24 bombers and 6 B-17 bombers took off for the attack. Two B-17 bombers attacked Lakunai and Vunakanau airfields near Rabaul between 0900 and 0930 hours. At 1200 hours, 6 B-24 bombers and 3 B-17 bombers (one of which carried Walker) attacked, sinking army transport Keifuku Maru, damaging two merchant ships, and damaging destroyer Tachikaze; 3 Ki-43 fighters were shot down during the raid. At 1317 hours, B-17 bomber San Antonio Rose was shot down; Walker and the entire crew were reported as missing, and none of them would be found.
» In-depth article - General Carl A. Spaatz relinquished his post as commander of the US 8th Air Force on his transfer to the Mediterranean Theatre. He was replaced by Major General Ira C. Eaker.
» In-depth article
- The Italian Navy Forza Navale Speciale (FNS) was disbanded.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Yokosuka, Japan for her 9th voyage with the Japanese Navy.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- The keel of submarine Gabilan was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, United States.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1944
- Petrof Bay was launched.
» In-depth article - USS Scorpion made rendezvous with USS Herring in the East China Sea, but the planned transfer of an injured sailor from Scorpion to Herring did not take place due to heavy seas. Some time after this date, she was lost, presumed mined in the Yellow Sea.
» In-depth article
- Hansjürgen Reinicke was named the commanding officer of German cruiser Prinz Eugen.
» In-depth article - 358 RAF aircraft (348 Lancaster and 10 Halifax) attacked Stettin, Germany, while 28 Mosquito aircraft attacked five other cities (13 against Berlin) in diversion; 16 aircraft were lost.
» In-depth article - Robert Johnson shot down a German Fw 190 aircraft over Koblenz, Germany.
» In-depth article
- USS Alabama departed Efate Island, New Hebrides Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Bluefish attacked a Japanese transport in the South China Sea; all 3 torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1945
See all photos dated 5 Jan 1945
- In the Philippine Islands, Japanese aircraft attacked the American invasion fleet bound for Luzon. Special attack aircraft damaged cruiser USS Louisville, Australian cruiser HMAS Australia, destroyer USS Helm, destroyer USS Stafford, Australian destroyer HMAS Arunta, escort carrier USS Manila Bay, and escort carrier USS Savo Island. Meanwhile, American aircraft sunk Japanese destroyers Momi and damaged destroyers Hinoki and Sugi west of Manila Bay.
» In-depth article - Three American light cruisers and nine destroyers bombarded various targets in the Kurile Islands.
- The last session of the police summary court of the Kattowitz Gestapo took place in block 11 in Auschwitz I camp. Around 100 Polish prisoners were condemned to death, to be executed by firing squad on the next day. The court was presided by Johannes Thuemmler. These prisoners were under the jurisdiction of the Gestapo and not of the commandant of the concentration camp.
» In-depth article - USS Wake Island took on 19 survivors of sunken USS Ommaney Bay. In the afternoon, the task group she sailed with was subjected to heavy air attacks; her anti-aircraft gun crews claimed three Japanese aircraft shot down.
» In-depth article - The German attack on Bastogne, Belgium was called off.
» In-depth article - USS Hawkbill arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her second war patrol.
» In-depth article - Aircraft from USS Marcus Island damaged a Japanese midget submarine in the Mindanao Sea in the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- 28 P-40N and P-51D fighters of the US 14th Air Force from Laohekou, Hubei, China attacked the Japanese airfield at Wuhan in the same province, destroying 50 Japanese aircraft in the air and on the ground. One Chinese fighter was shot down.
- USS Sennet departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
- American cruisers, destroyers, and carrier aircraft attacked the Bonin Islands. At Iwo Jima, a Japanese landing ship was sunk by destroyer fire. At Chichi Jima, destroyer USS Fanning sank a Japanese freighter by gunfire and a torpedo, while destroyer USS David W. Taylor was damaged by a mine.
» In-depth article
- German V-2 rocket hit the golf course at Croydon, London, England, United Kingdom, making a crater 40 feet wide.
See all photos dated 5 Jan 1945
5 Jan 1946
Japan
Japan
- Light carrier Hosho departed Kure, Japan for Wewak, New Guinea.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Prince Takahito's son Princess Tomohito was born.
» In-depth article
- The Soviets executed German Major General Heinrich Remlinger, the former military commandant of Pskov, Russia.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1947
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1947
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1947
5 Jan 1949
Taiwan
Taiwan
- Chen Cheng was named the Chairman of Taiwan Province, Republic of China and the Chief of Police.
» In-depth article
5 Jan 1978
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1978
Photo(s) dated 5 Jan 1978
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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