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Events on Tuesday 12 November 1940 2
1940Battle of TarantoBritish carrier aircraft cripple the Italian fleetOn the night of 11-12 November Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers from HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet at anchor in Taranto. They put three battleships out of action for the loss of two aircraft. Japanese planners studied the raid before attacking Pearl Harbor.
1940Molotov visits BerlinSoviet-German talks on spheres of influence failOn 12-13 November Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov met Hitler and Ribbentrop in Berlin to discuss the Soviet Union joining the Axis. The talks stalled over Soviet claims in Finland, the Balkans and the Turkish Straits. Soon afterwards Hitler ordered planning for an invasion of the Soviet Union.