December 1941

Eastern Front

Following the fall of Tikhvin, the Stavka creates the Volkhov Front under Gen Meretskov. The new front becomes operational on December 17 and incorporates the 26th Army and 59th Army in addition to its existing forces. The 26th Army will later become the 2nd Shock.

There is heavy fighting around Klin and Solnechnogorsk as the German panzer groups fight to escape the developing Soviet pincers. The 3rd Panzer Group is fighting in operational isolation around Klin, while on the southern flank, the XLVII Panzer Corps falls back upon Yepifan.

With his lines falling apart, Guderian manages to extricate the LIII Corps from its near disastrous battle around Livny, having brought this corps and the XXIV Panzer back to the line of the Don, Shat and Upa Rivers. During the heavy fighting, the 95th Infantry Division has suffered 50 percent casualties, while the 45th Infantry Division has been all but destroyed. Heavy fighting along the river lines brings the 10th Army's attack to a complete halt. The gap between the 2nd Panzer and 2nd Army, however, has widened to 85 miles, elements of the 2nd Army being cut off from the body of their force with the 2nd Panzer.