one ship but has to withdraw with engine trouble. December 27 – The German auxiliary cruiser Komet shells and heavily damages the phosphate production facilities on Nauru while flying the Japanese flag. The bombardment lasts an hour, and it causes the loss of 13,000 tons of oil. December 29 Franklin D. Roosevelt, in a fireside chat to the nation, declares that the United States must become "the great arsenal of democracy." WWII: "Second Great Fire of London": The Luftwaffe carries out a massive incendiary bombing raid, starting 1,500 fires. Many famous buildings, including the Guildhall and Trinity House, are either damaged or destroyed. Date unknown In Korea, the Hunminjeongeum (1446) is discovered, explaining the basis of the Hangul alphabet. Walter Knott begins construction of a California ghost town replica, which soon evolves into Knott's Berry Farm. Births January January 1 Ippei Kuri, Japanese manga artist, animator and entrepreneur, co-founder of Tatsunoko Productions January 2 Jim Bakker, American televangelist, ex-husband of Tammy Faye S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, Indian-American mathematician January 3 – Thelma Schoonmaker, Algerian-born American film editor January 4 Helmut Jahn, German-American architect (d. 2021) Brian Josephson, Welsh physicist, Nobel Prize laureate Gao Xingjian, Chinese-born writer, Nobel Prize laureate January 9 – Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Costa Rican politician, lawyer, economist and businessman January 14 – Julian Bond, African-American civil rights activist (d. 2015) January 16 – Franz Müntefering, German politician January 17 Kipchoge Keino, Kenyan athlete Tabaré Vázquez, President of Uruguay (d. 2020) Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia (d. 2015) January 18 – Pedro Rodríguez, Mexican racing driver (d. 1971) January 19 Paolo Borsellino, Italian judge and magistrate (d. 1992) Mike Reid, English actor (d. 2007) Linda Sorenson, Canadian actress January 20 Carol Heiss, American figure skater Krishnam Raju, Indian actor and politician Tay Eng Soon, Singaporean politician (d. 1993) January 21 – Jack Nicklaus, American golfer January 22 – John Hurt, English actor (d. 2017) January 24 – Joachim Gauck, German politician, 11th President of Germany January 27 Brian O'Leary, American scientist, author and NASA astronaut (d. 2011) James Cromwell, American actor Petru Lucinschi, Moldovan politician, 2nd President of Moldova January 28 – Carlos Slim, Mexican businessman January 29 Katharine Ross, American actress Kunimitsu Takahashi, Japanese motorcycle racer and racing driver (d. 2022) February February 1 – Ajmer Singh, Indian athlete, educator (d. 2010) February 2 Odell Brown, American jazz organist (d. 2011) Sir David