July 1941

Eastern Front

On the left winf of Army Group Center, the 19th Panzer Division pushes on from Nevel toward Velikiye Luki. In the center, the XLVII Panzer Corps fights its way into the center of Smolensk and captures much of the town. The very considerable Soviet forces fighting between Orsha, Smolensk and Yartsevo are in real danger of isolation, but a narrow corridor remains open to the east, through which the Soviet units begin their efforts to withdraw. Try as they might, the Germans are unable to close this gap. Inside the pocket, the 16th, 20th and 19th Armies mill around suffering terrible casualties as the German panzers, with Luftwaffe support, launch ferocious attacks upon any units that try to break free.

The Finnish VII Corps, advancing to the north of Lake Ladoga, captures Sortavala and reaches the shores of the lake. The threatening Finnish advance in this region causes the separation of the Soviet 7th Army between Lakes Onega and Ladoga from the 23rd Army on its left, north of Leningrad.