October 1st, 1942...Teaching is declared an essential industry in New Zealand.

Hitler's big plans to set up a naval flotilla in the Caspian come to an abrupt end when the Caucasus offensive is finally called off. The Germans cannot break through Soviet troops in the mountains. All efforts are to be made to break the defense at Stalingrad.

There, German troops attack in pincers against the Orlovka salient, cutting off a battalion which is down to 200 rounds per rifle and two days' food. It holds out for five.

62nd Army is barely hanging on. Some divisions are down to 2,000 men. The only good thing is that the air attack on the oil reservoir has put the city under a massive black pall of smoke that is keeping the Luftwaffe away from some areas, including Chuikov's command post.

Nimitz decorates Marines on Guadalcanal until he runs out of medals, then flies back to Noumea, to face Ghormley in the latter's office on USS Argonne. Ghormley, in tremendous pain from his abscessed tooth, makes a poor impression on Nimitz. The two discuss relieving the exhausted 1st Marine Division and proper employment of carriers.

The Tokyo Express runs that night, bringing Maj. Gen. Yumio Nasu, his headquarters, and 4th Infantry Regiment to Guadalcanal.

When Nasu arrives, Gen Nishino, the war correspondent, is sent home (to save food). Nasu and Nishino are old friends, so they chat at the landing point. Nasu is shocked by Nishino's scrawny condition and tropical fever, and even more so by the disasters the Japanese have encountered on the island.
"What should be done?" asks the general.
"Under such circumstances, I would say that if we keep sending in forces piecemeal, they will be swallowed up one by one. It's the worst thing to do, don't you agree, sir? If I talked like this to anyone else, I'd probably be sent off to jail.

"I agree," Nasu says. "It's a great pity we don't have enough planes and ships to do what you want."

While Rommel rests and recuperates in Germany, his temporary replacement is the good-humored General der Kavallerie Georg Stumme, who led a panzer division in Russia. Stumme is quite relieved to get away from Russia's cold, and he tells his men he relishes the desert's conditions. That does not impress the senior officers.

The Afrika Korps is worn out. The best leave they can hope for are two-day visits to rest camps on the coast where army cooks (instead of their buddies) prepare the same meals, "Old Horse." There's no beer at the rest camps or the front, and water is scarce -- most wells have been damaged by battle or heavy rainstorms that have filled wells with mud.

At the front, things are grim. Most German troops suffer from lice. The Italians have had a bellyful of war and are only willing to dig shelters and minefields. They won't wash, dispose waste, or even bury dead bodies, seeming to prefer flies and stench to physical exertion.

The sick rate is high, transport is limited because of fuel shortages, and ailing men can't get to medical stations. Jaundice, dysentery, and scabies are rife. Food consists of tinned meat, hard biscuits, and a little margarine. No vegetables.

Rommel has insisted that German units "corset" Italian defenses, so German and Italian troops hold the same positions, and work together in an atmosphere of mutual dislike and disgust.

A US submarine torpedoes and sinks the Japanese ship Lisbon Maru. Unfortunately, it's carrying 1,816 British PoWs from Hong Kong to Japan. The survivors of Hong Kong's gallant defense can't escape the sinking ship, as the Japanese batten down the hatches and shoot at their POWs. A few manage to escape and climb up ropes onto other Japanese ships. The sailors on those ships kick the PoWs back into the sea. More than 840 are killed or drowned.

The remainder, floating in the water, are picked up by small patrol vessels or by sympathetic Chinese, get recaptured, and go on to Japan anyway.

Germany declares all the inhabitants of Northern Slovenia to be Germans, which makes everyone aged 18 and up eligible to be drafted. Uncle Adolf wants you!

The New Zealand WAACs, WAAFs, and WRNZNs are officially made part of, respectively, the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

No. 17 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF is formed to fight in the Pacific. They start off with P-40K Kittyhawk fighters.

Game Two of the World Series matches Ernie Bonham with Johnny Beazley, and Charlie Keller's two-run homer ties the game in the eighth. The Cardinals squeeze out a win in the bottom of the eight when Slaughter doubles and Musial singles. Slaughter saves the day in the top of the ninth by throwing out runner Tuck Stainback, who is going from first to third on a single with none out in the ninth. Final score, 4-3. The series is tied at 1-1.

October 2nd, 1942...Panic at Tongabatu as a harbor minesweeper spots a periscope, but nobody finds anything.

Another big day for British navigators as RMS Queen Mary collides with the light cruiser HMS Curacoa and sinks her.

The Germans attack Chuikov's command post at Stalingrad, and burst open the oil tanks, engulfing the CP, sunken barges, and the Volga in flaming oil. Telephone lines go up on flames. Chuikov and his men are forced to hide in their concrete dugouts for days under bombardment, fire, and shelling, keeping in contact with their men by radio.

Yeremenko's chief of staff sends minor questions to Chuikov's HQ by radio just to be sure Chuikov's army is still in business.

German pressure intensifies. Nazi troops attack the Red October factory and the city center. To help Chuikov, Yeremenko sends over 37th Guards Division under Maj. Gen. Zholudev. They arrive without their anti-tank guns. Right after them come the light tanks of 84 Armoured Brigade. The T-34s are too big for the barges, and must stay on the other bank. The light tanks can't cope with the panzers, so they are used as pillboxes.

Soviet partisans destroy 50 telegraph poles near Smolensk. German post office engineers are mighty steamed.

11 Air Fleet gets some decent weather and sends in 30 Zeros to sweep over Guadalcanal. Radar picks them off and 22 Marine and 14 Navy F4Fs intercept just too late to gain altitude. The Japanese have full advantage, and shoot down six F4Fs. The Americans only splash one Zero.

The weather turns bad, and the Japanese move in more supplies and men via Tokyo Express.

October 3rd, 1942...As if the German army hasn't enough to do, yet another anti-partisan drive begins, Operation Regatta, in the White Russian town of Gorky, near Smolensk. This is in revenge for those 50 destroyed telephone poles. This operation will take five days, and accomplish very little.

At Peenemunde, Dr. Walther Dornberger and Dr. Werner Von Braun finally launch one of those 12-ton A-4 rockets they've been promising the high command since 1939, and capture the successful launch on film, to impress Der Fuhrer, who is understandably cold to the project, since the A-4 rockets keep blowing up all the time.

The World Series moves to Yankee Stadium and Ernie White (7- 5, 2.52) hooks up with Spud Chandler (16-5, 2.38). White fires a nifty six-hit 2-0 shutout at the Yankees, first time the Bronx Bombers have been shutout in the post-season since 1926 (the Cardinals then, too). The Cardinals lead the series, 2-1.

At Stalingrad, the fighting dies down briefly. Paulus's attack has gained ground and pushed to the edge of the Volga and the factory complexes. He orders a major assault on the Tractor Factory for next day.

A major Tokyo Express runs to Guadalcanal, featuring the seaplane tender Nisshin loaded with nine artillery pieces, including four 150 mm howitzers, and 330 men. 27 Zeros and 15 Bettys fly down to hammer Guadalcanal. Coastwatcher Jack Read picks them off, and the Americans are ready.

F4Fs are stacked at high altitude over Henderson Field when the Japanese arrive, and they tear into the Zeros. Nine are sent crashing into the jungle.