In Hong Kong… Japanese land forces during the night on Hong Kong Island between North Point and the Lei U Mun Channel. The landings are successful despite counterattacks by the undermanned British and Canadian forces on the island.

In the Mediterranean… British convoy reaches Malta with much needed supplies. Force B, part of its escort turns back to Egypt while Force K searches for the Italian convoy it engaged the day earlier. Force K runs into a mine field which sinks one destroyer and one cruiser. Both of the other cruisers are damaged. Also, Italian midget submarines penetrate the British fleet's anchorage at Alexandria, while the net defenses have been lowered to allow Force B's return to port. They place explosives under the battleships Queen Elizabeth and Valiant. Both sink to the bottom of the harbor. The British have lost their striking force from Malta and the Mediterranean Fleet has lost its only battleships. Coupled with the loss the American ships at Pearl Harbor and the British ships in the east, the Allies now have a serious lack of capital ships.

On the Eastern Front… Field Marshal Bock is replaced by Kluge as part of change of command due to German set backs. Like Brauchitsch, the reason given for the replacement is illness.