December 1941

Eastern Front

At 0300 hours the 31st Army begins attacking the 9th Army force south of Kalinin, penetrating their defenses. Lead units are involved in bitter fighting at Turginovo. During the morning, at 1100 hours, the 29th Army attacked north of Kalinin. By early afternoon both armies have established limited bridgeheads across the Volga. At 1600 hours the 5th Army of West front launches probing attacks against the German forces to the south.

With the termperature on the Moscow axis down at minus 30 degrees Centigrade, a meter of snow lying on the ground and the Red Army launching ferocious attacks north of Moscow, Hitler reluctantly agrees to the suspension of Operation TYPHOON. He blames the failure to reach Moscow on the unusually early onset of winter. He instructs the Ostheer to go onto the defensive but calls for the field armies to hold their positions and halt the Soviet attacks.