David Lloyd George, 1916. Image courtesy The Illustrated War News, 13 December 1916.
- David Lloyd George succeeds Herbert Asquith as British Prime Minister. Lloyd George reorganises the British government to focus all efforts on the war. He replaces the War Committee with the smaller War Cabinet, and establishes the Ministry of Labour to deal with the labour supply in British industry and the Ministry of Food to deal with the food supply.
- French troops on the Western Front regain trenches lost on Hill 304
- Entente Governments announce the forthcoming naval blockade of Greece, effective 8am, 8 December. According to Le Journal:
The French Republic, being in agreement with its Allies in declaring a blockade of Greece, herewith announces the conditions under which it will take place. The blockade declared to effective from December 8th, 1916, eight o’clock in the morning. The Blockade applies to the coasts of Greece, including the islands Euboea, and Santa Maura, from point situated 39 degrees 20 north latitude, and 20 decrees east of Greenwich, point situated degrees north latitude, and 20 degrees east of Greenwich, as well as the islands at present under the dependency occupation by the Greek Royalist authorities. Ships of neutral Powers in the blockaded ports may come out freely until December 12th, eight o’clock in the morning. Orders have been given to the Commander-in-Chief of the naval forces which are taking charge of the blockade to inform the local authorities of the present declaration.
