The last day of 1943, 31 December, was a Friday.
In war news, der Fuehrer broadcast a message to the German people, while in the UK, Deputy Prime Minister Clement Attlee addressed the British people. Referring to the upcoming 1944, Hitler acknowledged that “This vast war will reach a crisis this year.” Attlee expressed a similar opinion: “We do know that in 1944 the war will blaze up into greater intensity than ever before. . . Nineteen-forty-four may be the victory year; it will only be so if we continue to put forward our utmost efforts, and if we allow nothing to divert us from our main purpose.”
The US 8th Army Air Force bombed the CAM ball-bearing plant and Hispano Suiza aircraft engine repair depot in Paris, France.
On the Eastern Front, the Soviet army captured the city of Zhytomyr in Ukraine during its drive toward Poland.
John Denver (Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.) was born in Roswell, New Mexico. Actor Ben Kingsley (Krishna Bhanji) was born in Snainton, North Yorkshire. Pete Quaife (Peter Alexander Greenlaw Kinnies), founding member of “The Kinks,” was born in Tavistock, Devon.
On the first day of the new year, 1944, Louis Jordan and the Tympany Five were number 1 on Billboard’s R&B charts with the song “Ration Blues.”
At the Orange Bowl, LSU beat Texas A&M; at the Sugar Bowl, Georgia Tech beat Tulsa; at the Rose Bowl Southern California beat Washington; and the Army beat the Navy at the “Arab Bowl,” played in Oran, Algeria.
And this year—2019—on the seventy-fifth anniversary of 1 January, 1944, you can begin building for this GB. Start up as soon as the new year rings in, according to your local time; unless you are otherwise celebrating.
Thanks to all of you participating. And: Happy New Year!