Air Operations, Mediterranean

There are more British air raids on Sicily with Augusta being the target.

Eastern Front

The High Command orders the 23rd Army to pull back to a shorter line between Lake Pukya and Lake Vuoksa.

The Germans launch strong attacks upon Tallinn, making slow progress into the Soviet defensive lines.

Reinhardt's XLI Panzer corps pushes toward Krasnogvardievsk, drawing the German ring around Leningrad tighter. The 8th Panzer and SS Polizei Divisions, together with the 269th and 96th Infantry Divisions isolate the remnants of the Luga Group. In ferocious fighting 6 rifle, 2 militia and 1 tank divisions are destroyed, costing the Soviets 30,000 men, 120 tanks and 400 artillery pieces.

Akimov's shattered 48th Army pulls back from Chudovo after being heavily attacked by the 21st Infantry Division of the I Corps. The loss of the town severs the Moscow-Leningrad railway line. German forces reach the Volkhov and prepare to push north to isolate Leningrad from the southeast. Despite the weakness of Akimov's 48th Army, having been reduced to just 6,200 men, the Northern Front orders it to hold the line from Lyuban to Gruzino and halt the German advance along the Volkhov.

The 13th Army falls back to the line of the Sudost River.

The 18th Army has retired to the west bank of the Dniepr near Lopatikha and begins its evacuation to the east bank, while the 9th Army is in the process of pulling back across the river at Kherson.

Occupied France

French Police Round Up Jews. Paris, France, August 20, 1941

Mediterranean

• The British submarine Unique sinks the Italian troopship Esperia (11,398t) 11 miles north of Tripoli. 31 troops are lost on the ship, 1,139 are rescued.
• The British submarine Upholder sinks the Italian steamer Enotria (852t) 6 miles northwest of Cape St Vito, Sicily.

Occupied Yugoslavia

These sixteen blindfolded Yugoslav Partisans about to be shot on this date at Smederevska Palanka.

Execution of Yugoslav Partisans