Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Dec 11 – 17, 1941

Source: Imperial War Museums

Dec 11, 1941: Britain’s Royal Air Force gives up day-time bombing of targets on Malayan peninsula after seeing heavy losses during first days of fighting back Japanese invasion

Japanese destroyer Hayate is sunk during attempt to invade US-held Pacific island of Wake. It is the first Japanese surface warship to be lost in the conflict with the United States

Dec 12, 1941: Supported by carrier-based aircraft, Japanese forces make landing at Legaspi, southeast of the Philippine capital Manila

Dec 13, 1941: British-led forces withdraw from Kowloon to Hong Kong island under pressure from Japanese offensive. Photo shows Canadian forces during maneuvers near Hong Kong shortly before outbreak of war

Dec 14, 1941: British-led troops, many of them Indian units, are under pressure from Japanese advances on both east and west coast of Malay peninsula

Dec 15, 1941: American B-17 heavy bombers are moved from the Philippines to Darwin, Australia, after suffering severily from Japanese fighter attacks

Dec 16, 1941: Japanese forces invade British Borneo, landing at Sarawak and Brunei

Dec 17, 1941: US Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is named commander-in-chief Pacific Fleet, replacing Admiral Husband E. Kimmel

Categories: War

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