Western Front
Ruins of the commune of Vitrimont, France:
http://imgur.com/8PKyk4o* © IWM (Q 78962)
Western Allies estimate total German losses in killed, wounded, and missing now numbers 3,921,869 men, excluding naval and colonial losses.
Heavy bombardments on Somme front continue.
Eastern Front
Romania: Romanians again forced back from the Jalomitsa and the Ploeshti-Buzeu road.
Central Powers advance towards Braila and Galatz.
Southern Front
Italy: Near Mount Marmolada, Italy, an avalanche hits Austro-Hungarian Army barracks, resulting in around 200 deaths.
Asiatic and Egyptian
Mesopotamia: British operations for the capture of Kut begin with the Tigris offensive with 48,500 men; 174 guns and 24 planes against 20,600 Turks with 70 guns: Sannaiyat shelled and Shalt-el-Hai Canal bridged (6 pontoon bridges by December 18). (see May 19th, 1916, and January 9th, 1917).
Naval and Overseas Operations
Black Sea: Russian warships shell Bulgarian grain mills at Balchiknorth of Varna.
Eastern Atlantic: Destroyer HMS Landrail depth charges and sinks coastal submarine UB-29 in southwestern Approaches.
USS Pennsylvania, the lead ship of her class commissioned just this June, at Hampton Roads:
http://imgur.com/OuFAAEb* © IWM (Q 58276)
Political, etc.
Austria-Hungary: Austrian Premier (Dr. Korber) resigns. Dr V. Spitzmuller forms new Ministry.
France: Prime Minister Briand sums up German peace note as*‘Heads I win, tails you lose.’.
Prototype Renault FT-17 light tank ordered (conceived by Colonel Estienne and Renault in July), limited production approved on December 30.
United Kingdom: Allied nations reject German proposal to enter into peace negotiations, as they do not believe the offer is serious.
British news-film “Topical Budget,” showing a Belgian armored car in action, and other news:
http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/index/5408
Portugal: Military coups until December 14 fail.
Spain: German Madrid Military attaché radios Berlin speculating that Mata Hari perhaps knows Allies can read code.