1 Dec 1909
- Vice Admiral Chikakata Tamari was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Rear Admiral Genzaburo Ogi replaced Vice Admiral Yasutaro Egashira as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Baron Sadayasu Tomioka (Ryojun Naval District, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1910
- Louis Slotin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
» In-depth article - Vice Admiral Hikojiro Ijichi was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada succeeded Vice Admiral Baron Sadayasu Tomioka 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. Vice Admiral Tadamichi Kamaya was named Yamada's chief of staff.
1 Dec 1911
- Vice Admiral Kotaro Koizumi was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Rear Admiral Sukeshiro Hanabusa replaced Vice Admiral Tadamichi Kamaya as the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada (Ryojun Naval District, northeastern China).
1 Dec 1912
- Hiroaki Abe was promoted to the rank of ensign.
» In-depth article - Vice Admiral Hajime Sakamoto succeeded Vice Admiral Hikohachi Yamada 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. Rear Admiral Sadaichi Hiraoka was named Sakamoto's chief of staff.
1 Dec 1913
- Tamon Yamaguchi was promoted to the rank of ensign.
» In-depth article - Vice Admiral Tadamichi Kamaya was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan. Vice Admiral Kotaro Tanaka was named his Chief of Staff.
- Photos dated 1 Dec 1913
1 Dec 1916
- Vice Admiral Tatsuo Matsumura was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Admiral Teijiro Kuroi succeeded Vice Admiral Takeshi Takarabe as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
- Destroyer Kashi was launched at Maizuru Naval Arsenal, Japan.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1917
- Hiroaki Abe was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
» In-depth article - Ise was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Mississippi was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1918
- Tamon Yamaguchi was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
» In-depth article - Rear Admiral Yoshitada Mikami was named the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Vice Admiral Tatsuo Matsumura succeeded Admiral Teijiro Kuroi as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Dec 1919
- Isoroku Yamamoto was promoted to the rank of commander.
» In-depth article - Hiroaki Abe became a staff officer with Japanese Navy 3rd Fleet.
» In-depth article - General Goro Shiba was named the commanding officer of the Taiwan Army. On the same day, Rear Admiral Shigeushi Nakagawa was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Furious was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1920
- Admiral Naomi Taniguchi was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
1 Dec 1921
- Vice Admiral Kesataro Kawahara succeeded Vice Admiral Naoe Nakano as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Dec 1922
- The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was decommissioned from service.
1 Dec 1923
- Isoroku Yamamoto was promoted to the rank of captain.
» In-depth article - Hiroaki Abe was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander.
» In-depth article - West Virginia was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1924
- Tamon Yamaguchi was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander.
» In-depth article - Rear Admiral Shinichi Oguri was named the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
1 Dec 1926
- Mineichi Koga was promoted to the rank of captain.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1927
- Rear Admiral Kesaichi Hitsuda was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Chiang Kaishek married Song Meiling.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Dec 1927
1 Dec 1930
- Vice Admiral Shusei Yuchi was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
1 Dec 1931
- Lieutenant Commander Morishita was named the commanding officer of destroyer Yuzuki.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1932
- Hiroaki Abe was promoted to the rank of captain.
» In-depth article - Tamon Yamaguchi was promoted to the rank of captain.
» In-depth article - Franz von Papen met with German President Paul von Hindenburg and offered a plan for Germany that was effectively the end of the republic. Hindenburg rejected the plan and offered that given current situation he wished for a coalition government.
» In-depth article - Rear Admiral Shinji Suzuki was named the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Mutsu was assigned to Japanese Navy Battleship Division 1.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
1 Dec 1933
- Cachalot was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1934
- British Air Ministry issued a contract to Supermarine for monoplane fighters powered by the Rolls-Royce PV 12 Merlin engines; they would later be named Spitfire.
» In-depth article - Sergei Kirov, the popular Secretary of the Leningrad Communist Party, was assassinated by Leonid Nikolaev, an unemployed Party member, as he walked to his office in the Smolny Institute.
1 Dec 1936
- Mitsumasa Yonai was named the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet.
» In-depth article - Hiroaki Abe became the commanding officer of cruiser Jintsu.
» In-depth article - In Germany a law against economic sabotage made it a capital offence for any German citizen to "inflict serious harm on the German economy." In addition, black-marketeering, smuggling, currency fraud and even unauthorised price increases were covered by the new law and could result in long prison sentences on conviction.
- Thomas Holcomb was promoted to the rank of major general and was appointed the 17th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, relieving Major General John H. Russell, Jr. who had reached the statutory retirement age.
- Lieutenant General Seiichi Kuno was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea.
- Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Miwa was named the Chief of Staff of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Vice Admiral Masaichi Maeda succeeded Admiral Hideho Wada as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
- Mutsu was assigned to Japanese Navy Battleship Division 1.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - The keel of battleship Jean Bart was laid down.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1937
- Zengo Yoshida was named the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet.
- Hiroaki Abe became the commanding officer of battleship Fuso.
» In-depth article - The Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan ordered the Japanese Central China Area Army to advance toward Nanjing, China. On the same day, several top Chinese cabinet level advisers departed from the capital.
» In-depth article - The US 3rd Marine Regiment, a reserve unit, was disbanded.
- Vice Admiral Shunzo Mito was named the commanding officer of the Mako naval port at Pescadores islands, Taiwan.
- Vice Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Masaichi Maeda (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
- Vittorio Alfieri was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article - Light carrier Hosho was placed in reserve.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Photos dated 1 Dec 1937
1 Dec 1938
- Rudolf Beran became the prime minister of Czechoslovakia.
- During this month, US agreed to loan $25,000,000 to China for the war against Japan.
- HMS Nubian (L36) was commissioned into service with Commander R. W. Ravenhill in command.
- Photos dated 1 Dec 1938
1 Dec 1939
- Otto Kuusinen was made head of the puppet government forming in Moscow for Finland.
- Firefight between Finnish coastal batteries at Russaro and the Soviet cruiser Kirov and her destroyer screen; Kirov and one of her destroyers were damaged.
» In-depth article - Chinese 3rd Army Group cut the Lung'hai Railway line at several locations and attacked highways, both actions interrupted Japanese logistics. Meanwhile, troops of the Chinese 81st Division attacked the cities of Kaifeng and Lanfeng.
» In-depth article - Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima was named the commanding officer of the Taiwan Army.
» In-depth article - In Germany, Ernst Udet was appointed Director General of Air Force Equipment (Generalluftzeugmeister).
1 Dec 1940
- Italian submarine Argo torpedoed Canadian destroyer HMCS Saguenay 200 miles west of Ireland, destroying the bow and killing 21. Saguenay would later able to reach Barrow in Furness, England, United Kingdom for repairs that would last until 22 May 1941.
- Werner Mölders claimed his 55th victory.
» In-depth article - Norwegian troop ship Oslofjord hit a mine and sank in the River Tyne, England, United Kingdom at 0820 hours; 1 was killed and 179 survived.
- German submarine U-37 sank British ship Palmella 200 miles west of Porto, Portugal at 2022 hours. 1 was killed; 28 survivors were picked up by Spanish trawler Navemar.
- Allied convoy HX-90 became undefended 340 miles west of Ireland after her ocean escorts departed and coastal escorts failing to arrive due to poor weather. At 2012 hours,
German submarine U-101 sank the already-damaged British tanker Appalachee (7 killed, 32 survived) and damaged British ship Loch Ranza.
- German submarine U-101 sank the already-damaged British tanker Appalachee (7 killed, 32 survived) and damaged British ship Loch Ranza.
- Major General Thomas Holcomb was appointed to a second term as the Commandant of the US Marine Corps.
- Adolf Galland was promoted to the rank of Oberst.
» In-depth article - Romania established diplomatic relationship with the Japanese-sponsored puppet state of Manchukuo.
- German heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer sank British ship Tribesman 500 miles west of the Cape Verde islands; 8 were killed and 14 survived.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1941
- As US-Japan relations rapidly deteriorated, the Japanese Consulate General in California began to destroy its records, as did the Consulate General, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, and the Japan Institute in New York City.
- During this month, the Japanese Army established the Research Department within the Taiwan Army. One of the missions of this department was to develop jungle warfare tactics.
- Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, signed Administrative Order 9, creating the Civil Air Patrol.
- Japanese Navy changed its communications code.
- US President Franklin Roosevelt ordered US Navy yacht Isabel and two other small vessels to be deployed off of the coast of Indochina; they were planned to be bait for the Japanese to fire the first shot, should war become unavoidable.
- Passenger liner President Harrison arrived at Olongapo, Philippine Islands with elements of US 4th Marine Regiment recently withdrawn from Shanghai, China; the liner departed for China later on the same day to embark the last US Marines stationed in China.
- American river gunboats Luzon and Oahu, submarine rescue vessel Pigeon, and minesweeper Finch set sail from China toward Philippine Islands, under the watchful eyes of a Japanese floatplane and several naval vessels.
- German 15th Panzer Division practically wiped out the 20th Battalion of New Zealand 2nd Division at Belhamed, Libya, but the attack was driven off by tanks of the British 4th Armoured Brigade.
» In-depth article - US Marine Corps established a Marine Corps Air Station at Cunningham Field, Cherry Point, North Carolina (under Colonel Thomas J. Cushman); at Quantico, Virginia, United States (under Major Ivan W. Miller, redesignated from Base Air Detachment 1, Marine Barracks); and at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (under Lieutenant Colonel Ford O. Rogers, redesignated from Marine Corps Air Facility, Bourne Field).
- US Marine Corps 2nd Defense Battalion and 4th Defense Battalion arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
- Japanese Navy Destroyer Division 7 sailed from Tokyo, Japan sailed for Midway, soon to join the rest of the Midway Neutralization Unit.
- The Japanese ambassador in Germany Hiroshi Oshima was ordered to secure Joachim von Ribbentrop's signature on a document which stated that Germany would declare war on the United States should Japan and US enter a state of war.
» In-depth article - SS-Standartenfuhrer Jager submitted a report dated on this day, noting that his Einsatzgruppen, operating in Lithuania, had killed 99,804 Jews in that country to this date. In the same report, the detachment also under Jager sent to Minsk, Byelorussia reported killing 620 adult male, 1,285 adult female, and 1,126 children, all Jews; 19 communists were also executed in Minsk by this detachment.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-96, having escaped British air attacks in the Bay of Biscay, surfaced at 0445 hours and returned to France.
- Three German infantry divisions and one German armored division advanced along the Minsk-Moscow highway, penetrating through the lines of the Soviet 33rd Army, capturing Naro-Fominsk 43 miles southwest of Moscow, Russia.
» In-depth article - A Soviet force consisted of troop ship Maya, 3 minesweepers, 2 submarine chasters, and 1 gunboat arrived in Hanko, Finland to evacuate troops.
- Malta-based British reconnaissance aircraft spotted an Italian supply convoy traveling for North Africa. The subsequent attack 60 miles off Libya saw the sinking of tanker Iridio Mantovani (with 10,000 tons of fuel) by aircraft and the sinking of transport Adriatico by cruisers HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope. HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope were attacked by Italian destroyer Alvise Da Mosta with torpedoes and gunfire, but the British cruisers fought back, sinking the destroyer and killing 200.
» In-depth article - Japanese luxury ocean liner Hikawa Maru entered Mitsubishi Zosen yard for conversion into a hospital ship; naval surgeon Captain Kanai Izumi took command of the ship.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - British cruiser HMS Dorsetshire located German supply ship Python refuelling submarines UA and U-68 in the South Atlantic 1,150 miles west of South Africa. Python was scuttled as her crew sighted Dorsetshire, but Dorsetshire backed off due to the threat of the two submarines. Two additional German submarines and four Italian submarines arrived to join UA and U-68 in rescuing Python's survivors.
» In-depth article - Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Palau Islands.
» In-depth article - Repair ship Akashi departed Kure, Japan.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Photos dated 1 Dec 1941
See all photos dated 1 Dec 1941
1 Dec 1942
- Germany established the Camp for the custody of Polish youth in Lodz (Polen-Jugendverwahrlager Litzmannstadt), Poland.
- US Army Lieutenant General Eichelberger was ordered to Papau, New Guinea, to capture Buna.
» In-depth article - German 10th Panzer Division launched a counterattack in Tunisia, pushing back British 11th Brigade.
» In-depth article - Ira Eaker was named the commanding officer of the US Eighth Air Force.
» In-depth article - The US 1st Marine Aviation Engineer Battalion relieved the US 6th Naval Construction Battalion on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article - Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was named the commanding officer of IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5.
» In-depth article - USS Arizona was struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
» In-depth article - Armidale was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article - Stuart was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Dec 1942
See all photos dated 1 Dec 1942
1 Dec 1943
- B-24 bombers of the 7th Bombardment Group (H) attacked Rangoon harbour and railway yards in Burma. During the course of the raid the bombers had to fight off countless Japanese fighter attacks for 70 minutes (a theatre record). Six American bombers failed to return.
- Arthur Liebehenschel became the second commandant of Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
» In-depth article - Rudolf Höss was assigned to the SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt.
» In-depth article - German government reported dated this month noted that there were now 1,160,000 Western European, 1,800,000 Eastern European, and 600,000 Italian forced laborers in Germany.
- US Fifth Army launched an offensive on the Garigliano River in Italy, led by British X Corps.
» In-depth article - German troops in the Crimea in southern Ukraine were completely isolated, as Soviet troops completed their control of the northern end of the Dneiper River bend.
- Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was named the commanding officer of the 2nd Group of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2.
» In-depth article - Shokaku arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Historical document written: Cairo Conference Agreement
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Dec 1943
1 Dec 1944
- Jules Bastin passed away in the Groß-Rosen Concentration Camp in Germany.
» In-depth article - Heinrich Himmler ordered the crematoriums and gas chambers of Auschwitz Concentration Camp dismantled and blown up.
» In-depth article - Chinese troops captured Chefang, Yunnan Province, China.
» In-depth article - HMS King George V departed Alexandria, Egypt.
» In-depth article - Malaya was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article - U-869 was assigned to the German Navy 33rd Submarine Flotilla.
» In-depth article - USS Skipjack attacked a Japanese destroyer in the Kurile Islands; all four torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Dec 1944
1 Dec 1945
- Anton Dostler passed away.
» In-depth article - The last Japanese resistance unit in Saipan, Mariana Islands surrendered.
» In-depth article - Douglas Bader was promoted to the permanent rank of wing commander.
» In-depth article - During this month, former German Navy cruiser Prinz Eugen was renamed USS IX 300 of the US Navy.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Dec 1945
1 Dec 1950
- Remy Van Lierde became the commanding officer of the Belgian 7th Fighter Wing.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1954
- Illustrious was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1962
- Decommissioned ship USS Cod received the new hull number of AGSS-224.
» In-depth article - USS Pintado was reclassified AGSS-387 in the US Navy Pacific Reserve Fleet.
» In-depth article - USS Cabrilla was recommissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1963
- Amy Thorpe passed away.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1965
- Testing vessel OS-24's modernization completed.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1969
- USS Sea Robin was transferred to Submarine Squadron 2 based in New London, Connecticut, United States.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1970
- USS Carbonero was decommissioned from service and was struck from the US Naval Register.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 1974
- USS Cassin Young was struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
» In-depth article
1 Dec 2001
- Celia Hunter passed away.
» In-depth article
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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"We no longer demand anything, we want war."Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, Aug 1939
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