▁the ▁Italian ▁military ▁revers es ▁in ▁Greece ▁and ▁made ▁to ▁res ign ▁as ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁Army . ▁He ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁U go ▁Cav all ero . ▁Ben ito ▁M uss ol ini ▁called ▁D ino ▁Alf ieri , ▁the ▁Italian ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Berlin , ▁and ▁told ▁him ▁to ▁request ▁any ▁immediate ▁help ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁could ▁provide . ▁Alf ieri ▁met ▁with ▁Jo achim ▁von ▁Rib b ent rop , ▁who ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁stern ▁lecture ▁about ▁the ▁Italian ▁government ▁ign oring ▁Hitler ' s ▁warning ▁not ▁to ▁attack ▁Greece . ▁The ▁Gree ks ▁occupied ▁Sar and ë . ▁British ▁sub marine ▁HMS ▁Reg ulus ▁was ▁lost ▁near ▁Tar anto , ▁probably ▁to ▁a ▁naval ▁mine . ▁The ▁comedy ▁film ▁Go ▁West ▁st arring ▁the ▁Marx ▁Brothers ▁was ▁released . ▁ ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁( S aturday ) ▁Amb assador ▁Alf ieri ▁met ▁with ▁Adolf ▁Hitler , ▁who ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁second ▁lecture ▁against ▁Italy ▁attack ing ▁Greece . ▁Hitler ▁said ▁that ▁M uss ol ini ▁should ▁resort ▁to ▁mobile ▁courts - mart ial ▁and ▁execution s ▁if ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁situation ▁around . ▁Hitler ▁did ▁agree ▁to ▁author ize ▁fifty ▁heavy ▁tro op ▁transport ▁plan es ▁to ▁move ▁fresh ▁units ▁from ▁Italy ▁to ▁Alban ia . ▁The ▁British ▁F aire y ▁Bar rac uda ▁d ive ▁bom ber ▁plane ▁had ▁its ▁first ▁test ▁flight . ▁The ▁Ott awa ▁R ough ▁R iders ▁defeated ▁the ▁Toronto ▁Bal my ▁Beach