Today in World War II History—January 18, 1942
Tuesday, January 18, 2022 by Sarah Sundin

German troops in the Demyansk Pocket unloading supplies from a Ju 52 transport, Jan 1942 (German Federal Archive: Bild 101I-003-3446-16)
80 Years Ago—Jan. 18, 1942: As Japanese advance, RAF withdraws bombers from Singapore to Sumatra.
Field Marshal Fedor von Bock assumes command of German Army Group South.
Dutch begin to destroy oil facilities at Balikpapan, Borneo, so they won’t fall into Japanese hands.
Soviets surround Germans at Demyansk, Russia; German troops will be supplied by air.