Eastern Front

In the southern sector, Rostov(20 or 22?) is captured by 1st Panzergruppe units after a paricularly fierce battle. The 17th Army spreads out over the industrial and mineral area of the Donetz basin.

The 4th Panzer Group, having penetrated the junction of the 5th and 33rd Armies, turn to hit the flank of the 33rd Army in an effort to cut the Naro Fominsk-Kubinka road and open up the rear of the 5th Army. The threat to the northern wing grows as the 3rd Panzer Group pounds the 16th and 30th Armies. Zhukov orders Rokossovsky to ensure that Klin and Solnechnogorsk are held, despite the fact that German attacks have already encircled Solnechnogorsk and penetrated into the outskirts of Klin. To the south, the 2nd Panzer Army advances steadily, capturing Uzlovaya with the LIII Corps after a bitter battle.

German mechanized troops rest in Stariza, Russia on 21 November 1941, only just evacuated by the Russians, before continuing the fight for Kiev. The gutted buildings in the background testify to the thoroughness of the Russians' "scorched earth" policy.

German Mechanized Troops

The 1st Panzer Army's control of Rostov is increasingly threatened by the attacks of the 9th and 37th Armies from the north. The 56th Independent Army keeps up the pressure on the III Panzer Corps, launching constant attacks from across the frozen Don. Fighting continues into and through the night. Just as Rundstedt stated before the offensive, while the 1st Panzer can conquer Rostov it can not hold the city, its own weakness and the growing strength of the Soviet forces arrayed against it are proving too much.

Italian East Africa

The Allied attacks on Kulkaber (Culquaber?) southeast of Gondar are renewed with greater force and after a stout resistance the Italian defenders, commanded by Col Augusto Ugolini, surrender. The Italians are now confined to the immediate area of Gondar.

Mediterranean

During the night and continuing into the next day, there are considerable Axis convoy operations because of the growing supply difficulties of their force in North Africa. 2 of the escorting cruisers are badly hit, the Luigi di Savoia Duca Degli Abruzzi, by a Malta-based British torpedo plane and the other, the Trieste, by the British submarine Utmost. The British Malta naval forces search for the Italian ships but cannot find them.

North Africa

Both German tank divs attack the 7th Arm Bde at Sidi Rezegh and by the end of the day the British force has about 20 tanks left out of its original 141. A break-out attempt by the Tobruk garrison is brought to a halt when the expected help from 7th Arm Bde cannot arrive. The British 4th and 22nd Arm Bdes are moving toward Sidi Rezegh.[MORE]

Norwegian Sea

The German steamer Bessheim (1774t) sinks on a mine off Hammerfest, Norway on a mine laid by the Soviet submarine K-21 on the 10th.