Pages of History (December): World Champion!

In this month’s Pages of History, you’ll be at the center of events that took place in different theaters of war. From Papua New Guinea and China to Kursk and the Ardennes: take part in battles with the vehicles corresponding to these historic battles and receive prizes. 

From December 1st until December 31st, you’ll be offered 8 tasks consecutively. Completing each will reward you with a trophy, and completing all of them will earn you a unique player icon.

Creighton Abrams Creighton Abrams was the commander of the 37th Tank Battalion in the U.S. Army, which regularly served in the vanguard of General Patton’s Third Army. When the Allied forces were surrounded at Bastogne during the German counter-offensive in the Ardennes, it was Abrams’ 37th Battalion that broke the siege of the city. General Patton said of Abrams, “I’m supposed to be the best tank commander in the Army, but I have one peer—Abe Abrams. He’s the world champion.”

You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until January 3rd, 11:30 GMT without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.

Trophy reward for each task
Completing each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:

• 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 3-5 universal backups;
  
• Premium account for 1 day;
  
• A random camouflage for ground vehicles (out of the selection of camouflages currently obtainable in game for completing tasks, or purchasing with Golden Eagles).

Other terms

• Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
  
• Tasks can be completed in random battles except for “Assault” mode.

December 1st — December 4th Bernhardt Line On December 1st 1943, the Allied offensive began on the Bernhardt Line, a salient in the Gustav Line running along the slope of Monte Cassino. Although not as well fortified as the main Gustav Line, it delayed the Allies for six weeks and cost them 16,000 men.

December 5th — December 8th Battle of Sio On December 5th 1943, American and Australian forces launched an offensive on the Huon Peninsula in Papua New Guinea. The opposing Japanese forces were cut off from supplies and had lost more than half their men in battle, as well as from disease and starvation. As they retreated, they buried a chest of documents in a stream bed that allowed the Allies to decipher secret Japanese communications.

December 9th — December 12th Operation Compass For three months, from December 9th 1940 to February 9th 1941, the Allies, led by Great Britain, drove Italian troops out of Egypt and Cyrenaica. The offensive was stopped only in view of the impending German invasion of Greece. Great Britain transferred its forces to a new front, leaving only a small group in Africa.

December 13th — December 15th Operation Winter Storm On December 12th 1942, Germany launched Operation Winter Storm to break through the Soviet encirclement of General Paulus’ army in Stalingrad. The offensive stopped 35-40 km from Stalingrad. The only chance to break the blockade was from within, but Hitler ordered the city to be held, and Goering promised to supply Paulus’ army from the air. In early February, Paulus capitulated.

December 16th — December 19th Ardennes Offensive On the morning of December 16th 1944, Germany launched a surprise attack on Allied forces in the Ardennes Forest on the border between Belgium and Luxembourg. Its offensive faltered on December 25th due to a lack of fuel and ammunition. By early January, the Allies had tripled their troop levels in the region and were counterattacking. For the rest of the war, Germany was on the defensive.

December 19th — December 22nd Kursk-Oboyan Operation In December 1941, the Red Army launched an offensive in the Kursk region. Like many Soviet attempts to counterattack at the time, it ended in failure. Overestimating its strength, the Red Army lost 30,000 men, pushing the front line back only a few kilometers.

December 23rd — December 26th Battle of Changsha (1941) On December 24th 1941, the third battle for the city of Changsha in China’s Hunan Province began. As before, Chinese troops surrounded the advancing Japanese, cut them off from their supply lines, and forced them to retreat. General Xue Yue earned the nickname “The Tiger of Changsha” for his defense of the city.

December 27th — December 31st Battle of the Barents Sea On December 31th 1942, a convoy carrying equipment, fuel and supplies from Great Britain to the USSR collided with German ships in the Barents Sea. The attack by two German heavy cruisers was held off by British destroyers until two British light cruisers arrived, after which the Germans retreated. All cargo ships successfully reached Murmansk, and the head of the Kriegsmarine was removed from his post as a result of the defeat.