(According to a post-war U.S. assessment, USN submarines [not a single submarine] sank four Japanese merchant ships from Dec. 7, 1941 to Jan. 7, 1942, totaling 17,188 tons, not 3 at 30,000 tons. Another 5,387-ton merchantman was sunk on this day [Jan. 9, 1941] but it is unlikely this would have been known at the time of the press release. A number of warships had been sunk, so one can say that that part of the report is true.)

(The Italians admitting that Air Marshal Balbo was killed by fire from an Italian ship.)

(In yesterday's report they claimed that a battleship of the Valiant type had been damaged at Alexandria, Egypt. Today they claim a battleship of the Barham type was damaged in the same raid. This time the Italians were telling the truth, but they did not know the whole truth. In fact, on Dec. 19, 1941 the Italian submarine Scire did enter Alexandria Harbor and released several "human torpedoes" which were manned by frogmen. The teams attached limpet mines to at least three ships, which damaged the freighter Sagona and the battleship HMS Valiant. The battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth was sunk, albeit in shallow water, but sunk nevertheless. This was a story the Admiralty was not overly interested in making public. Queen Elizabeth was raised and temporary repairs were made, permanent repairs were made in the United States at Norfolk, Virginia.)

(This report was true, but the event took place on Nov. 28, 1941 when HNLMS O-21 sank U-95.)

(HMS Galatea was sunk by U-577 on Dec. 15, 1941 with the loss of 470 men. The Germans announced the sinking on Dec. 17th. What the report does not say is that U-557 was sunk with all hands on Dec. 16th. The sinking was an accident, it was rammed by an Italian torpedo boat in error.)

(The Japanese admit that the 2,225-ton Unakai Maru #1 had been torpedoed and damaged by an Allied submarine. The truth was that USS Pollack SS-180 had sunk the freighter, and it was also true that this occurred about 100 miles southwest by south of Tokyo.)

(While it was not true, it soon would be. USS Langley AV-3, was sunk Feb. 27, 1942 by Japanese aircraft. Only sixteen of the crew were lost, but many more would be lost in the next few days. The survivors were picked up by USS Pecos AO-6, USS Whipple DD-217 and USS Edsall DD-219. Pecos was located by Japanese aircraft from the carrier Soryu on Mar. 1st and sunk, over 372 men were lost, the survivors being picked up by Whipple. Edsall suffered the worst fate. On the same day [Mar. 1] Edsall was found by the Japanese fleet and engaged. Alone, and outgunned, Edsall's men fought gallantly, but could not overcome the onslaught by the Japanese. The ship sank with all but five men, who were picked up by the Japanese cruiser Chikuma. They were tortured and later executed [beheaded] at Kendari POW camp on Celebes.)

(German-Hungarian Brotherhood in Arms proven again.)

(Speeches in the spirit of warm friendship.)

(Battleship damaged in Alexandria harbor - British cruiser Phoebe sunk.)

[This is the report on the attack on Alexandria harbor, but the Italians go further in the German press and claim that the cruiser HMS Phoebe had been sunk by Italian aircraft off Tobruk, Libya. It was true that HMS Phoebe had been damaged by Italian aircraft, but this attack was unrelated to the attack on Alexandria on Dec. 19th. Phoebe had been torpedoed on Aug. 27th and was not sunk. After temporary repaired at Alexandria the ship sailed to New York for permanent repairs at the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard.]