Air Operations, Europe

During the night the Soviets raid Berlin with a small force of 5 Ilyushin Il-4 bombers operating from islands in the Baltic. A few bombs fall in the suburbs of Berlin. German radio at first blames the RAF, but later confirms that the attackers were Russian. Berlin is bombed on 6 more occasions by the Soviets in this month.

The RAF carries out repeated sweeps over northern France. 10 fighters are lost to 7 Me-109s being shot down. Douglas Bader's aircraft collides with a Messerschmitt. He parachutes to safety losing 1 of his artificial legs.

Eastern Front

Stalin takes over as Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet armed forces.

Under Stavka instructions, the Red Army introduces Akimov's 48th Army around Novgorod. It fields one militia, three rifle and one tank division and one mountain brigade.

On the Baltic coast the Germans reach Kunda, slicing Ivanov's 8th Army in two. The X Rifle Corps falls back into Tallinn while the XI retreats toward Narva.

The Stavka allocates the 49th Army to the Reserve Front.

The 6th and 12th Armies launch a final effort to break free but fail. Barely 11,000 men escape the pocket during the battle.

Hitler, von Brauchitsch and Halder

Hitler studies a Russian war map with Field Marshal von Brauchitsch, left, German Commander-in-Chief, and Chief-of-Staff Col-Gen Franz Halder on 7 August 1941.

With the threat to its rear now acute, the 18th Army begins to fall back toward the east, fighting their way against roving German armor and infantry forces.

Far East

Japan denies aggressive designs against Thailand.

Italy, Home Front

Bruno Mussolini, second son of the Italian leader, dies in an air accident near Pisa.

Mediterranean

Dutch submarine O-24 sinks the Italian coastal steamer Margherita Madre (296t) 15 miles off Anzio.