Timeline of World War II (1940) - December 1940

December 1940

1-8: Greek forces continue to drive the Italian armies back, capturing the cities of Pogradec, Sarandë, and Gjirokastër.

1: Bombing raids are exchanged throughout the month between Germany and Britain. First German bombs, then Britain's.
: Joseph P. Kennedy, the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom is asked to resign by President Roosevelt after he gives a newspaper interview expressing that "Democracy is finished in England".

5: The RAF bombs Düsseldorf and Turin.

6-9: British and Indian troops of the Western Desert Force launch Operation Compass, an offensive against Italian forces in Egypt. The Italians have seven infantry divisions and the Maletti Group in fortified defensive positions. Initial attacks are launched against the five Italian camps around and south of Sidi Barrani. The camps are overrun, Italian General Pietro Maletti is killed, and the Maletti Group, the 1st Libyan Division, the 2nd Libyan Division, and the 4th Blackshirt Division are all but destroyed. The remaining Italian units in Egypt are forced to withdraw towards Libya.

8: Francisco Franco rules out Spanish entry into the war; the immediate result is that Hitler is forced to cancel an attack on Gibraltar.

12: In North Africa, over 39,000 Italians lost or captured in Egypt.

16: The first RAF night raid--on Mannheim, Germany.
: In North Africa, the British are in command at Sollum in Egypt and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya.

18: Hitler issues directive to begin planning for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

22-24: Bombing raids on Manchester.

28: The Greco-Italian War continues to go badly for the Italians and the Greeks hold roughly one-quarter of Albania.
: Italy requests military assistance from Germany against the Greeks.

29: Large German air-raids on London; St Paul's Cathedral is damaged.