December 1941

Eastern Front

The I Corps completes its withdrawal to the Volkhov and, together with the XXXVIII Corps, fights to prevent the Red Army from crossing the river. Despite their efforts, the Soviet gain a bridgehead south of Lake Ladoga, threatening to break the ring around Leningrad.

After a bitter battle, the Germans are forced back into Kalinin, fierce street battles erupting as the 29th and 31st Armies push into the town. Klin falls to the 365th and 371st Rifle Divisions of the 30th Army and 348th Rifle Division, 50th and 84th Rifle Brigades of the 1st Shock Army after running battles during the night. The 3rd Panzer Army is retreating in disarray. Farther south the II Guards Cavalry Corps, operating ahead of the 5th Army, cuts the German line of retreat west of Zvenigorod, forcing the 4th Panzer Group to accelerate the pace of its withdrawal.

The battle around Klin had virtually destroyed the cohesion of the panzer forces north of Moscow. Amid terrible winter conditins, with engines frozen solid and weapons inoperable, the Germans could not counter the Soviet attacks. Never had a modern Western army encountered such difficult conditions and yet the Wehrmacht fought on, the struggle having taken on a brutality that forbade any quarter.