military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (12/14/89)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Thursday, 14 December, 1939 The USSR launches a new offensive in the Petsamo region of Finland. Near Tolvajaervi, Finland claims to have destroyed two Russian infantry regiments; further north, around Suomussalmi, 5000 Russians are reportedly trapped. Further Soviet attacks on the Mannerheim line are rebuffed. Finland charges that the USSR is using gas warfare near Suomussalmi. The League of Nations drops the USSR from its organization. The act is not truly an expulsion, as no formal vote is taken; most of Russia's neighbors do not wish to officially approve of such a hostile act. In Montevideo, Uruguay, 62 British prisoners, taken from sunken merchant ships, are released from the Graf Spee, per international law. In keeping with their neutrality, Uruguayan officials are inspecting the raider to ascertain the minimum time necessary for repairs. Britain had requested that the Spee be forced to leave port within 24 hours. Outside the harbor, the British cruiser HMS Cumberland rejoins Commodore Harwood's force (having been in port for refit), while HMS Exeter retires to repair critical battle damage. The German liner Columbus slips out of port in Veracruz, attempting a trans-Atlantic dash with a cargo of oil. Hitler orders the OKW to draw up plans for the invasion of Norway. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com (In response to Time's call for nominations for their "Man of the Year.") "Herr Hitler. Put him on your cover and maybe the same misfortunes will befall him as fell to those hapless sports figures you mention as marking their decline from the date of their appearane on TIME covers." - A.F. Heron