August 1941

Eastern Front

The Karelia Front takes up blocking positions near Kastenga with its 14th and 7th Armies, aiming to halt the Finnish Army of Karelia. The advancing Finnish Southeastern Army successfully crosses the Gulf of Vyborg with its 8th Infantry Division and isolates Vyborg and 3 rifle divisions. The Finns move the 18th and 12th Divisions of the IV Corps up from the east and inflicts heavy losses upon the Soviets.

At Tallinn, the Soviets pull back into the city. German infantry penetrate Pirita and move up to Minna Harbor, forcing the Soviets to commit their last reserves. During the night, the Germans overrun Paldiski after fierce hand-to-hand fighting, bringing them to within 6 miles of Tallinn.

Reinhardt's XLI Panzer Corps reaches Krasnogvardievsk, only 20 miles from Leningrad and is involved in fierce action with the XLI Rifle Corps. On the middle Luga, Luga city falls to the L Corps. Since the beginning of the German offensive toward the Luga, the North Front has lost 55,000 of the 153,000 men engaged.

Schmidt's XXXIX Panzer Corps, the 12th Panzer and the 18th and 20th Motorized Divisions, complete its deployment alongside the I and XXVIII Corps, its target being the envelopment of Leningrad from the southeast. The 4th Panzer Group and the 18th Army are to push on to the city from the south and west, while the bulk of the 16th Army holds south of Lake Ilmen and along the line of the Volkhov. Popov attempts to hold the western approaches to the city with the 8th Army, the southeastern approaches with the 48th Army and Volkhov positions with the Novgorod Group of 2 rifle divisions and 1 mountain brigade.

The LVII Panzer Corp makes gradual progress toward Velikiye Luki throughout the day, lead units of the assault force penetrating to within a mile of the city.

On the southern wing the XXIV Panzer Corps captures Novo Sybkov, while the 21st Army launches a counterattack near Gomel, striking the 2nd Army. The recent fighting between the Central Front and 2nd Panzer Group has cost the Soviets 80,000 men captured.