December 1941

1 DECEMBER 1941 Marshal Pétain and General Goering reaffirmed Franco-German collaboration at St. Florentin. (France gave Germany naval and air bases in North Africa for release of war prisoners and reduction of occupation costs. Times, Dec. 5, 1941, p. 1.)
1 DECEMBER 1941 Ambassador Kurusu said the Japanese felt they must surrender or fight the United States. "Mr. Kurusu said that he noted that the President was returning to Washington in advance of his schedule and inquired what the reason for this was. The Secretary indicated that one of the factors in the present situation was the loud talk of the Japanese Prime Minister. (". . . the Japanese people believe that the United States wants to keep Japan fighting with China and to keep Japan strangled." Peace, p. 822.) " See doc.
2 DECEMBER 1941 The United States asked Japan for reasons for increasing its forces in Indochina ("It was my clear understanding that by the terms of the agreement-and there is no present need to discuss the nature of that agreement-between Japan and the French Government at Vichy that the total number of Japanese forces permitted by the terms of that agreement to be stationed in Indochina was very considerably less than the total amount of the forces already there.

"The stationing of these increased Japanese forces in Indochina would seem to imply the utilization of these forces by Japan for purposes of further aggression, since no such number of forces could possibly be required for the policing of that region. . . . because of the broad problem of American defense. I should like to know the intention of the Japanese Government." [President Roosevelt in note handed to Japanese envoys by Under Secretary Welles.] Peace, p. 823 f.) See doc. Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 130, pp. 540 f.
2 DECEMBER 1941 Japanese Cabinet was reorganized. (Because of "the deteriorating international situation." Times, Dec. 3, 1941, p. 4.)
5 December 1941 MEMORANDUM REGARDING A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR (NOMURA), AND MR. KURUSU
Japanese reply to query of Dec. 2: Troop movements in French Indochina were precautionary measures.
("As Chinese troops have recently shown frequent signs of movements along the northern frontier of French Indochina bordering on China, . . ." Cf. ". . . the Japanese troops . . . have been reinforced . . ." Peace, p. 828.) See doc.
6 DECEMBER 1941 President Roosevelt sent message to the Japanese Emperor asking troop withdrawal from French Indochina. ("Developments are occurring in the Pacific area which threaten to deprive each of our nations and all humanity of the beneficial influence of the long peace between our two countries. . . . During the past few weeks it has become clear to the world that Japanese military, naval, and air forces have been sent to Southern Indochina in such large numbers as to create a reasonable doubt on the part of other nations that this continuing concentration in Indochina is not defensive in its character. . . the people of the Philippines, of the hundreds of Islands of the East Indies, of Malaya, and of Thailand itself are asking themselves whether these forces of Japan are preparing or intending to make attack in one or more of these many directions. . . . It is clear that a continuance of such a situation is unthinkable." Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 129, p. 465. Cf. Peace, pp. 829 f. See doc.)
6 DECEMBER 1941 Britain declared war on Finland, Hungary, and Rumania. ("No satisfactory replies having been received from the Finnish, Hungarian, and Rumanian Governments to notes addressed to them last week," as to ending wars with Russia. Times, December 6, 1941, p.1. "The Finnish Government's reply showed no disposition to respond to this overture nor have they ceased to pursue aggressive military operations on territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an ally of Great Britain, in the closest collaboration with Germany.

"The Finnish Government have sought to contend that their war against Soviet Russia does not involve participation in the general European war. This contention His Majesty's Government find it impossible to accept." Times, Dec. 7, 1941, p. 19.

"The Hungarian [Rumanian], Government have for many months been pursuing aggressive military operations on territory of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, an ally of Great Britain, in the closest collaboration with Germany, thus participating in the general European war and making substantial contribution to the German war effort." Times, p. 19.)
6 DECEMBER 1941 Australia, Britain, the Netherlands Indies, and the United States completed defensive precautionary measures. (In event of a Pacific conflict. Times, p. 1.)
6 DECEMBER 1941 The United States signed lend‑lease agreement with Bolivia. (Times, p. 47.)
6 DECEMBER 1941 The United States signed lend‑lease agreement with Bolivia. (Times, p. 47.)
7 DECEMBER 1941 HITLER ON PUNISHMENT OF OFFENDERS IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY "Night-and-Fog Decree" (Nacht-und-Nebel Erlass)." Within the occupied territories, the adequate punishment for offences committed against the German State or the occupying power which endanger their security or a state of readiness is on principle the death penalty. " See doc.
7 December 1941 MEMORANDUM REGARDING A CONVERSATION, BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR (NOMURA), AND MR. KURUSU "The Japanese Ambassador asked for an appointment to see the Secretary at 1:00 p.m., but later telephoned and asked that the appointment be postponed to 1:45 as the Ambassador was not quite ready. The Ambassador and Mr. Kurusu arrived at the Department at 2:05 p.m. and were received by the Secretary at 2:20." See doc.
7 December 1941 CANADA DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN " Now, therefore, we do hereby declare and proclaim that a state of war with Japan exists and has existed as and from the seventh day of December, 1941. " See doc.
7 December 1941 Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, at 1:20 p. m. [Washington time] and also occupied the International Settlement at Shanghai. (Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 129, p. 474.)
7 December 1941 Japanese reply rejecting United States note of Nov. 26 was subsequently delivered to Secretary Hull at 2:15 p. m. [Washington time]. ("Obviously it is the intention of the American Government to conspire with Great Britain and other countries to obstruct Japan's efforts toward the establishment of peace through the creation of a new order in East Asia, and especially to preserve Anglo‑American rights and interests by keeping Japan and China at war. This intention has been revealed clearly during the course of the present negotiation. Thus, the earnest hope of the Japanese Government to adjust Japanese-American relations and to preserve and promote the peace of the Pacific through cooperation with the American Government has finally been lost." Bulletin, p. 470. Cf. Peace, p. 838.)

"As soon as Secretary Hull had finished reading this note he turned to the Japanese Ambassador and said: " 'I must say that in all my conversations with you (the Japanese Ambassador) during the last nine months I have never uttered one word of untruth. This is borne out absolutely by the record. In all my fifty years of public service I have never seen a docu­ment that was more crowded with infamous falsehoods and distortions‑infamous falsehoods and distortions on a scale so huge that I never imagined until today that any Government on this planet was capable of uttering them.' " Japan, Vol. II, p. 787.
8 December 1941 THE AMBASSADOR IN JAPAN (GREW) TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE "Excellency, I have‑the honor to inform Your Excellency that there has arisen a state of war between Your Excellency's country and Japan beginning today." See doc.
8 December 1941 Japan invaded Thailand which capitulated. (Times, Dec. 9, 1941, p. 1.)
8 December 1941 AUSTRALIA DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN Union of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Free France declared war on Japan. (Bulletin, p. 559.) "For the first time in the history of the Pacific, armed conflict stalks abroad. No other country than Japan desired war in the Pacific. The responsibility for this actual resort to war is therefore upon Japan.... Australia goes to its battle stations in defense of its very way of living. " See doc.
8 December 1941 THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS DECLARES WAR WITH JAPAN Declaration of war by The Netherlands and The Netherlands East Indies against Japan. ("In view of Japan's aggression against two powers with whom The Netherlands maintain particularly close relations, aggression directly threatening vital Netherlands interests . . " Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 130, pp. 558 f.) See doc.
8 December 1941 PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHILL'S BROADCAST ON WAR WITH JAPAN "You will remember that a month ago, with the full approval of the nation and of the Empire, I pledged the word of Great Britain that should the United States become involved in a war with Japan, a British declaration would follow within the hour. " See doc.
8 December 1941 Britain declared war against Japan. ("On the evening of December 7th His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom learned that the Japanese forces, without a previous warning either in the form of a declaration of war or of an ultimatum with a conditional declaration of war, had attempted a landing on the coast of Malaya and had bombed Singapore and Hong Kong.

"In view of these wanton acts of unprovoked aggression, committed in flagrant violation of international law and particularly of Article I of the Third Hague Convention relative to the opening of hostilities, to which both Japan and the United Kingdom are parties, . . ." Commons, Vol. 376, col. 1358.)
8 December 1941 THE UNITED KINGDOM'S NOTIFICATION OF A STATE OF WAR WITH JAPAN "In view of these wanton acts of unprovoked aggression, committed in flagrant violation of international law, and particularly of Article 1 of the Third Hague Convention, relative to the opening of hostilities, to which both Japan and the United Kingdom are parties, His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo has been instructed to inform the Imperial Japanese Government in the name of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom that a state of war exists between the two countries. " See doc.
8 December 1941 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Asking for a Declaration of a State of War between the United States and Japan, " Yesterday, 7 December 1941-a date which will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. " See doc.
8 December 1941 The United States declared a state of war with Japan. ("Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed unprovoked acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congressassembled, That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial Government of Japan which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carryon war against theImperial Government of Japan; and, to bring the conflict to a successfultermination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by, the Congress of the United States. Approved, December 8, 1941, 4:10 p. m., E. S. T." 55 Stat. pt. I, p. 795.)
8 December 1941 Canada declared war on Japan. (Bulletin, p. 558.)
8 December 1941 Colombia broke diplomatic relations with Japan. ("The aggression which took place yesterday by the armed forces of the Japanese Empire against the United States constitutes the case clearly foreseen in Resolution Number Fifteen approved at the Second Meeting of Foreign Ministers at Habana on 'reciprocal assistance and defensive cooperation of the American nations' by which it is declared that `every attempt of a non‑American State against the integrity or inviolability of territory, against the sovereignty or political independence of an American State will be considered as an act of aggression against the States which sign this declaration.' " Bulletin, Vol. V, No. 129, p. 489.)
8 December 1941 Costa Rica declared war on Japan. (". . . because of unex­pected and extraordinary aggression of which your country has been the object on the part of Japan while negotiations for peace were going on between the two nations and in accordance with the principles of solidarity and defense of this hemisphere declared in various agreements [between the] American republics . . ." Bulletin, p. 490.)
8 December 1941 The Dominican Republic declared war on Japan. (". . . faithful to the noble principles which inspire its foreign policy . . . in order that it may be unified with the great American people in the defense of the sacred ideals of liberty and democracy which they so brilliantly support." Bulletin, p. 492.)
8 December 1941 El Salvador declared war on Japan. ("The Japanese attack on Hawaii and Manila is considered by me [President Martinez] contrary to the principle of law and treatment which is due a country with which Japan was at peace and is absolutely unjustified." Bulletin, p. 493.)
8 December 1941 Guatemala declared war on Japan. (". . . thus expressing solidarity of Guatemalan Government and people with the United States of America with which indestructible bonds of loyal friendship unite Guatemala." Bulletin, p. 494.)
8 December 1941 Haiti declared war on Japan. ("In view of the unjustifiable aggression of the Japanese Government against American possessions in the Pacific the Republic of Haiti, faithful to its policy of friendship and complete understanding with the United States of America and in accord with the Pan‑American doctrines of continental solidarity, has placed itself alongside of the sister republic in declaring war against the Japanese Empire." Bulletin, p. 495.)
8 December 1941 Honduras declared war on Japan. (Bulletin, p. 496.)
8 December 1941 Panama declared war on Japan. (By resolution of National Assembly. Bulletin, p. 500.)
9 December 1941 RADIO ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT FROM WASHINGTON " The sudden criminal attacks perpetrated by the Japanese in the Pacific provide the climax of a decade of international immorality." See doc.
9 December 1941 CHINA'S DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST JAPAN, ALSO AGAINST GERMANY AND ITALY " The Chinese Government hereby formally declares war on Japan. " China declared war on Japan (Bulletin, p. 506.) See doc.
9 December 1941 Cuba declared war on Japan. ("We consider that this aggression by a non‑American state against the integrity and inviolability of an American state is such a case as is contemplated in declaration No. 15 of the Conference of Habana, by virtue of which all the nations of this continent should likewise consider themselves attacked in the same way and should act jointly." Bulletin, pp. 491 f.)
9 December 1941 Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Japan. ("In accordance with the spirit of the resolutions adopted at the Second Consultative Meeting held at Habana in July 1940, . . ." Bulletin,p. 497.)
11 December 1941 THE GERMAN DECLARATION OF WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES Germany and Italy declared a state of war with the United States. (Bulletin, pp. 481 f.) "The German representatives handed to Mr. Atherton a copy of a note that is being delivered this morning, December 11, to the American Chargé d'Affaires in Berlin. Dr. Thomsen said that Germany considers herself in a state of war with the United States" See doc.
11 December 1941 HITLER ANNOUNCED TO THE REICHSTAG THE DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE UNITED STATES " Germany and Italy have been finally compelled, in view of this, and in loyalty to the Tri-Partite act, to carry on the struggle against the U.S.A. and England jointly and side by side with Japan for the defense and thus for themaintenance of the liberty and independence of their nations andempires." See doc.
11 December 1941 MUSSOLINI'S WAR STATEMENT Rome. " The powers of the steel pact, Fascist Italy and Nationalist Socialist Germany, ever closely linked, participate from today on the side of heroic Japan against the United States of America. " (Bulletin, pp. 481 f.) See doc.
11 December 1941 GERMANY, ITALY, AND JAPAN SIGN NEW PACT BARRING A SEPARATE PEACE WITH THE UNITED STATES OR GREAT BRITAIN " Italy, Germany and Japan undertake each for himself that none of the parties to the present accord will conclude either armistice or peace, be it with the United States or with England without complete and reciprocal agreement [of the three signatories to this pact]. " See doc.
11 December 1941 PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHILL'S REVIEW OF THE WAR TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS "It may well be that we shall have to suffer considerable punishment, but we shall defend ourselves everywhere with the utmost vigor in close co-operation with the United States and Netherlands Navies. The naval power of Great Britain and the United States was very greatly superior and is still largely superior to the combined forces of the three Axis Powers." See doc.
11 December 1941 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADDRESS TO CONGRESS Requesting recognition of a State of War existing between the United States and Germany and the United States and Italy. "The long-known and the long-expected has thus taken place. The forces endeavoring to enslave the entire world now are moving toward this hemisphere. " Peace, pp 848‑849.) See doc.
11 December 1941 Hungary broke diplomatic relations with the United States. "The Hungarian Prime Minister informed the American minister that in view of the solidarity of Central European states, which he compared with the solidarity of the republics of the Western Hemisphere, Hungary was obliged to break diplomatic relations with the United States. . . ." Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 482.)
11 December 1941 Poland declared war with Japan. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 507.)
11 December 1941 Nicaragua declared war on Japan. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 499.)
11 December 1941 Cuba, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua declared war with Germany and Italy. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, pp. 492, 547, 550, 560.)
11 December 1941 Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Germany and Italy. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 548.)
12 December 1941 Haiti, Honduras, Panama declared war on Germany and Italy. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 560.)
12 December 1941 Rumania declared war with the United States. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 561.)
12 December 1941 EAMON DE VALERA'S SPEECH ON EIRE NEUTRALITY CORK, IRELAND " The policy of the state remains unchanged. We can only be friendly neutral. From the moment this war began, there was, for this state, only one policy possible, neutrality. Our circumstances, our history, the incompleteness of our national freedom through the partition of our country, made any other policy impossible." See doc.
13 December 1941 El Salvador declared war on Germany and Italy. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 560.)
13 December 1941 Bulgaria declared war on the United States. ("in accordance with article 3 of the Tripartite pact." Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 561) as did Hungary. (Ibid., p. 561.)
16 December 1941 Czechoslovakia declared war on all countries at war with Great Britain, Russia, or the United States. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 561.)
17 December 1941 Albania reported declared war on the United States. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 129, p. 561.)
20 December 1941 Nicaragua declared war on Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria. (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 131, p. 584.)
20 December 1941 JOSEPH GOEBBELS' PLEA FOR CLOTHING FOR TROOPS ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT, ALSO HITLER'S PROCLAMATION READ BY GOEBBELS "Nevertheless, there are still in the homeland countless objects of Winter equipment of the civil population which the population admittedly cannot very well spare but which, however, the front needs at this time without a doubt to a greater degree than the Fatherland. " See doc.
21 December 1941 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE DIRECT COMMAND BY ADOLPH HITLER WITH HIS PROCLAMATION TO THE GERMAN ARMY " In logical pursuance of his decision of Feb. 4, 1938, the Führer, while fully appreciating the services rendered by the former Commander in Chief of the army, Field Marshal von Brauchitsch, decided to unite in his hands the command of the entire armed forces with the High Command of the army. " See doc.
23 December 1941 Mexico broke off relations with Bulgaria, Hungary, and Rumania. (". . . for reasons connected with continental solidarity . . ." (Bulletin, Vol. V., No. 131, p. 584.)
26 December 1941 PRIME MINISTER WINSTON CHURCHILL'S ADDRESS TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES "The fact that my American forebears have for so many generations played their part in the life of the United States, and that here I am, an Englishman, welcomed in your midst, makes this experience one of the most moving and thrilling in my life, which is already long and has not been entirely uneventful. I wish indeed that my mother, whose memory I cherish, across the vale of years, could have been here to see. By the way, I cannot help reflecting that if my father had been American and my mother British instead of the other way around, I might have got here on my own." See doc.