German forces in Tunisia commanded by Albert Kesselring counterattacked at Tebourba and began pushing the Allies back.[1]
The Beveridge Report was published in the United Kingdom, providing the blueprint for a postwar welfare state that would provide citizens with social security insurance.[2]
Battle of Skerki Bank: British ships attacked an Italian troop convoy near the Skerki Banks between Sicily and Tunisia, sinking all four troop and cargo ships as well as the destroyer Folgore. Over 2,000 Italians perished.[6]
Benito Mussolini addressed the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations for the first time in eighteen months, reporting on the present state of the war and insisting that "The last word has not yet been spoken." Mussolini advised the population to evacuate Italian cities, causing a panic as there was no planning or organisation to do it.[7][8]
British destroyer Quentin was sunk by German aircraft off North Africa.
To solve America's manpower shortage, President Roosevelt suspended the induction of all men over age 38 into the armed forces.[14] That same day, he transferred responsibility for all manpower issues and the Selective Service system over to the War Manpower Commission headed by Paul V. McNutt.[15]
The British ocean liner Ceramic was torpedoed and sunk west of the Azores by German submarine U-515. There was only one survivor of the 657 people aboard and he was taken aboard U-515 as a prisoner of war.
The British destroyer Porcupine was torpedoed and damaged beyond repair northeast of Oran, Algeria by German submarine U-602.
The British corvette Marigold was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean by Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 aircraft with the loss of 40 of her 85 crew.
Italian manned torpedoes and commando frogmen conducted the Raid on Algiers, sinking 2 Allied cargo ships and damaging 3 other vessels although 16 commandos were captured.
British destroyer HMS Blean was torpedoed and sunk northwest of Oran by German submarine U-443.
Ethiopia declared war on Germany, Italy and Japan.[19]
The British cruiser Argonaut was torpedoed and heavily damaged in the Mediterranean by Italian submarine Mocenigo. Repairs took until November 1943 to complete.
Benito Mussolini sent Galeazzo Ciano to meet with Hitler at the Wolf's Lair. Ciano carried Mussolini's message urging Hitler to seek a separate peace with the Soviets, but Hitler strongly rejected the idea.[21]
The Japanese light cruiser Tenryū was torpedoed and sunk off Madang, New Guinea by the American submarine Albacore.
Soviet tanks broke through German defenses at Tatsinskaya Airfield in Rostov Oblast, an important airfield flying supplies to Stalingrad. 124 Ju 52 transport planes were able to evacuate, but 46 other aircraft were damaged, destroyed or left behind.[22]
Pope Pius XII delivered the Christmas address over Vatican Radio denouncing the extermination of people based on race, though it was carefully worded in general terms rather than specifically condemning the Nazis.
Hitler issued Directive No. 47, concerning command and defense measures in the southeast. The directive referred to the possibility of attacks in the region of Crete and the Balkans.[28]
Frank Sinatra performed his first solo concert at the Paramount Theatre in New York City. Sinatra later recalled being "scared stiff" when the audience of 5,000 bobby soxers shrieked and screamed continuously for America's new teen idol.[29]
Emperor Hirohito gave Japanese commanders permission to withdraw their forces from Guadalcanal.[23]
Hitler issued an Order of the Day to the German armed forces declaring, "The year 1943 will perhaps be hard but certainly not harder than the one just behind us."[30]
^Rose, Sonya O. (2006). Which People's War?: National Identity and Citizenship in Wartime Britain 1939–1945. Oxford University Press. p. 65. ISBN978-0-19-927317-1.
^ abcMercer, Derrik, ed. (1989). Chronicle of the 20th Century. London: Chronicle Communications Ltd. p. 576. ISBN978-0-582-03919-3.
^Hauner, Milan (2008). Hitler: A Chronology of his Life and Time. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 1943. ISBN978-0-230-58449-5.
^ ab"1942". World War II Database. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
^ abPolmar, Norman; Allen, Thomas B. (2012). World War II: the Encyclopedia of the War Years, 1941–1945. Dover Publications. p. 29. ISBN978-0-486-47962-0.
