SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

5 December 1943

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

6 of 7 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

Join us on Discord (opens external site)

Entries

Italy

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 10 Corps area, enemy withdraws from Monastery Hill (963) since the position is threatened by 56th Div units, which move up toward Colle, W of the hill.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
U.S.

President Roosevelt accedes to Br wishes that BUCCANEER be canceled. CCS ask Adm Mountbatten to suggest action to be taken in the event he loses most of his landing craft.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
India

Japanese make strategic air attack on Calcutta, damaging dock area.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 38 Allied sorties (6 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by RAF, USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
European Theater

THOR mission records show at least 0 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by unidentified Allied air units. Targets included FRANCE.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Mediterranean Theater

THOR mission records show at least 168 Allied sorties (10 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included ITALY, YUGOSLAVIA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

Sources listed with each entry. Spotted an error? Tell us.

5 December in other years 1939 1940 1941 1942 1944

Talk about it

Discuss each day's entries and suggest sources in the Zero Hour community.

Join us on Discord

5 December 1943

Entries

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 10 Corps area, enemy withdraws from Monastery Hill (963) since the position is threatened by 56th Div units, which move up toward Colle, W of the hill.

President Roosevelt accedes to Br wishes that BUCCANEER be canceled. CCS ask Adm Mountbatten to suggest action to be taken in the event he loses most of his landing craft.

Japanese make strategic air attack on Calcutta, damaging dock area.

THOR mission records show at least 38 Allied sorties (6 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by RAF, USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 0 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by unidentified Allied air units. Targets included FRANCE.

THOR mission records show at least 168 Allied sorties (10 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-12-05, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included ITALY, YUGOSLAVIA.

Talk about it