September 1941

Eastern Front

The Germans strike Soviet forces on the approaches to Lake Ladoga, 300 aircraft bombing the 1st NKVD Division before Schlusselberg. Ground attacks follow, the XXVIII and XXXIX Panzer Corps hitting the Soviet unit on a narrow front.

Hitler orders Leeb to encircle and starve Leningrad into submission rather than storm the city.

Elnya falls to the 24th Army. Other units of the army press forward to the Desna. This relatively minor action is hailed in Moscow as a great victory, proving to the world that the Germans can be beaten, even if only through the use of sheer attrition to wear down their armies. From this victory the first Guards units are created. The 24th Army, which conducted the directed assault on Elnya, suffers 10,000 killed and missing and 21,000 wounded. With the Elnya offensive coming to a close, the Red Army counts the cost of their victory. Of 103,000 men committed, 32,000 became casualties. Since July 10 the Western Front armies suffer 310,000 killed and missing and 159,600 wounded. In addition the Reserve Front lost 45,700 men killed and missing and 57,000 wounded since July 30. The Bryansk Front has suffered 51,000 men killed and missing and a further 28,600 wounded since August 16. The Soviets have also lost 1,350 tanks, 9,300 artillery pieces and 900 aircraft.

Group Ermakov is isolated on the southern wing. Stalin allows Eremenko to pull his force back but criticizes him bitterly as he does so. The 21st Army, having become separated from the main part of the Bryansk Front, is transferred to the Southwest Front command, thereby forming the northern wing alongside the recently raised 40th Army.