January 1942

January

• 01

  • Key eventThe Declaration by United NationsOn 1 January 1942 the USA, Britain, the USSR and China signed the Declaration by United Nations. A day later 22 more states, Poland among them, joined.
• 02

  • The Japanese take ManilaOn 2 January 1942 Japanese troops entered Manila, an open city. Luzon's defenders were completing their retreat to Bataan; Americans in the city were interned.
• 05

  • Stalin orders a general offensiveOn 5 January 1942 Stalin, overruling Zhukov, ordered attacks on all fronts. On 7 January the Moscow counter-offensive ended, but the Germans held their front.
• 06

  • The 1942 State of the Union addressOn 6 January 1942 Roosevelt announced a total war programme – 60,000 aircraft and 45,000 tanks in 1942 – and US forces to be stationed in the British Isles.
• 07

  • The siege of Bataan beginsOn 7 January 1942 Luzon's defenders manned the Abucay–Mauban line on Bataan. Hungry, they beat off the first attack but fell back to the Orion–Bagac line.
  • Malta under air attack in January 1942In January 1942 the Luftwaffe in Sicily began bombing Malta's airfields systematically. The island had 263 alerts; its Hurricanes were outclassed by Bf 109s.
• 11

  • The Japanese take Kuala LumpurOn 7 January 1942 Japanese tanks shattered the 11th Indian Division at the Slim River. Wavell gave up central Malaya; on 11 January Kuala Lumpur fell.
  • The torpedoing of USS SaratogaOn 11 January 1942 the Japanese submarine I-6 torpedoed the carrier Saratoga off Hawaii. Six sailors were killed and the ship was out of action for five months.
  • The Japanese invasion of the Dutch East IndiesOn 11 January 1942 the Japanese landed on Tarakan and near Manado, where they first used paratroops. The fight for the oil of the Dutch East Indies began.
• 13

  • The Red Army retakes MedynIn mid-January 1942 the Western Front retook Kirov and Medyn and by the month's end stood before Vyazma. The Germans fell back but held Rzhev and Vyazma.
  • Operation Drumbeat (Paukenschlag)On 13 January 1942 German U-boats began attacking shipping off the US East Coast. An unprepared America gave them their “second happy time”.
  • The St James's Declaration on war crimesOn 13 January 1942, at St James's Palace, nine occupied countries made the punishment of crimes against civilians one of the principal aims of the war.
• 15

  • Deportations from Łódź to ChełmnoIn mid-January 1942 the Germans began deporting Jews from the Łódź Ghetto to the Chełmno death camp. By the end of January some 10,000 had been murdered.
• 19

  • The Battle of MuarIn Johor on 14–22 January 1942 the Japanese destroyed the 45th Indian Brigade and two Australian battalions, and murdered some 150 wounded POWs at Parit Sulong.
• 20

  • Key eventThe Wannsee ConferenceOn 20 January 1942 Heydrich gathered fifteen SS, Party and ministry officials by the Wannsee to co-ordinate the murder of Europe's Jews, already under way.
• 21

  • Rommel's second offensiveOn 21 January 1942, without informing Rome or Berlin, Rommel struck from Mersa Brega, took Agedabia, routed the British 1st Armoured Division and reached Msus.
  • The founding of the FPO in the Wilno GhettoOn 21 January 1942 the United Partisan Organisation (FPO) was founded in the Wilno Ghetto, one of the first Jewish armed resistance organisations in Europe.
• 23

  • The Japanese take RabaulOn 23 January 1942 the Japanese landed at Rabaul on New Britain and at Kavieng on New Ireland. Australia's Lark Force fell apart within a few hours.
• 24

  • Americans in SamoaIn January 1942 the 2nd Marine Brigade arrived at Pago Pago in American Samoa. The islands were to guard the sea route from the United States to Australia.
• 25

  • Thailand declares war on the AlliesOn 25 January 1942 Thailand declared war on Britain and the United States. Its minister in Washington, Seni Pramoj, refused to deliver the declaration.
• 26

  • Americans in Northern IrelandOn 26 January 1942 men of the 34th Infantry Division landed in Belfast, the first US ground troops in Europe. De Valera protested against their presence.
• 28

  • Brazil breaks off relations with the AxisOn 28 January 1942, as the Rio de Janeiro conference closed, Brazil broke off relations with Germany, Italy and Japan. Argentina and Chile refused to follow.
• 29

  • Rommel retakes BenghaziOn 29 January 1942 Rommel, feinting towards Mechili, took Benghazi. By 6 February Eighth Army was back at Gazala, where the front stood for four months.
• 30

  • Hitler's speech of 30 January 1942On the 9th anniversary of his taking power, Hitler repeated his “prophecy” of the annihilation of the Jews and blamed the retreat from Moscow on the frost.
• 31

  • The Japanese take MoulmeinOn 31 January 1942 the British garrison of Moulmein withdrew across the Salween and the Japanese 55th Division took the town. The road to Rangoon lay open.
  • The retreat to SingaporeOn 31 January 1942 the last Commonwealth units crossed from Johor to Singapore Island and sappers blew up the Causeway. The Battle of Malaya was over.