August 1941

Eastern Front

The X Corps attacks toward Staraya Russa but meets strong resistance from the 11th Army. Heavy fighting rages for over a week until the Germans are able to make a break in the Soviet line.

Army Group Center continues to attack the Smolensk pocket, but the German outer ring is under heavy attack as the 30th, 29th and 24th Armies attempt to break through to the beleaguered 16th, 20th and 19th Armies. Inside the pocket Orsha falls after a bitter struggle, and to the north there is heavy fighting near Vitebsk. On the southern flank, the 21st Army counterattacks around Gomel, hitting the German 2nd Army. At the same time, Guderian unleashes his 2nd Panzer Group, ripping open the Soviet line to the north. Schweppenburg's XXIV Panzer Corps, with Farmbacher's 7th in support, advance toward Roslavl, taking it late in the day.

Potapov's 5th Army launches an unexpected counterattack from the Pripet Marshes into the flank of the 6th Army. Despite ferocious fighting around Ovruch, the Soviets are unable to break through the German line, but did succeed in drawing forces away from the fighting at Kiev. To the south, Ponedelin radios the Stavka and South Front headquarters to inform them that the encirclement of the 6th and 12th Armies is virtually complete, that no reserves are left and ammunition and fuel are running out.

In Moldavia the II Cavalry Corps and the XLVIII Rifle Corps of the 9th and 18th Armies respectively have abandoned their feeble attacks around Balta and go onto the defensive. The remainder of the 9th Army also passes to the defensive.