December 1941

Eastern Front

There is heavy fighting inside Tikhvin as 2 rifle divisions break through the German defenses. With Tikhvin on the brink of capture, Hitler agrees to allow the 18th Army to pull back to the Volkhov but it is too late, the I Corps being forced back under pressure.

The danger to the 3rd Panzer Group of encirclement increases as the 30th Army pushes past Klin from the north, cutting the Moscow-Kalinin road. The 1st Shock Army progress is much slower than expected, but its attacks toward Klin make steady progress. The 16th and 20th Armies continue to strike near Krasnaya Polyana, forcing the Germans back. Elements of the 16th Army push west toward Istra, hitting the 4th Panzer group. Bitter fighting rages at Snegiri, where the 2nd SS Division Das Reich is fiercely attacked by the 9th Guards Rifle Division.

On the southern wing, the 50th Army launches strong attacks around Tula but is held back by the 296th Infantry and 3rd Panzer Divisions. New attacks by the 3rd Army toward Yefremov strike the XXXIV Corps hard. The 150th Tank Brigade separates the 45th and 95th Infantry Divisions north of Yelets and exploits the gap, the 55th Cavalry Division storming into the rear of the 2nd Army. Timoshenko prepares to commit the new 61st Army between the 10th and 3rd Armies. Group Belov also joins the attack, striking the Germans northeast of Tula.