July 1941

Eastern Front

Kuchler's 18th Army unleashes a major attack against Ivanov's 8th Army in Estonia that succeeds in ripping open the Soviet line. With the XXVI Corps attacking between Lake Voru and Parnu and the L Corps around Tartu, the hardpressed X and XI Rifle Corps are stuck along the length of their weak defenses. After bitter fighting, the 8th Army is compelled to abandon its positions and fall back, the X Rifle heading for Tallinn and the XI for Narva.

Fighting around Smolensk rages as Army Group Center fights to close the Yartsevo corridor. A large proportion of Soviet effort in the center is being expended in keeping this corridor free for the withdrawal of the West Front. In addition, the sheer size of the pocket aids the Soviets, many units slipping through the fluid German lines, evading the panzers that rush from one threatened sector to another. Despite this, there are considerable forces in danger of encirclement if the two panzer groups close the neck of the pocket.

As the Southwest Front falls back upon Uman, the Stavka transfers control of the 6th and 12th Armies to South Front. Kirponos is no longer in touch with the two armies and can no longer get supplies through to them. The 26th Army struggles to hold on to the Rzhishev and Kanev sectors as Kleist's 1st Panzer Group launches strong attacks. The III Panzer Corps decamps from its positions along the Irpen River, leaving the XXIX Corps to face the 37th Army and the LI and XVII Corps to face the 5th Army. Mackensen's panzers drive east along the Dniepr, while the XIV and XLVIII Panzer Corps push south toward Pervomaisk in an effort to link up with the 17th and 11th Armies and isolate units that Stavka has just detached from Kirponos' command. In order to reinforce the Dniepr line, the Stavka raises Ryabyshev's new 38th Army, deploying it around Cherkassy.

Gen Tyulenev, commanding the South Front, orders the trapped armies at Uman to pull back to the Zvenigorodka-Uman line and then punch throught to the east, despite their already heavy losses and repeat failed attempts.

The 18th Army is ordered to launch a counterattack with its XLVIII Rifle Corps in an effort to halt the progress of the German XXX Corps around Balta. Attacks by the II Cavalry Corps of the 9th Army are to throw the Germans out of the town. The Germans are slowly but surely forcing a wedge between the junction of the 18th and 8th Armies near Balta.