January 1942

Eastern Front

On the shores of Lake Ladoga, the 18th Army struggles to hold off fierce Soviet attacks, being pushed out os Schlusselberg. With this minor victory the Red Army creates a narrow corridor through to Leningrad. The corridor, however, is barely half a mile wide and under continuous German artillery fire and aerial attack.

To the south, the 16th Army falls back upon Toropets following its defeat at Andreapol, both the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies extending their attacks into the German flank, threatening to unhinge the junction of Army Groups North and Center. The remnants of the Andreapol garrison reach Toropets after a harrowing march. Barely 40 men from the original force have survived the bitter cold and incessant Soviet attacks during the retreat.

The Soviets make another attempt to disrupt the rear of Army Group Center by landing 450 paratroopers between Yukhnow and Vyazma, near Znamenka-Zhelanie. 2 battalions of the 201st Airborne Brigade, totalling 1,600 ment, land 25 miles south of the town over the next 4 days. The majority of the men are lost during the drop, fewer that 400 surviving to fight on.

The Southwest and South Fronts launch new attacks as the 38th Army attacks toward Kharkov and the 6th, 57th, 9th and 37th Armies push upon Krasnograd and Pavlograd. The 2 fronts attack with 204,000 men.

In the Crimea, the 11th Army flushes out those elements of the 44th Army that remain in Feodosia.

Following the death of Field Marshal von Reichenau, von Bock is appointed to command the forces of Army Group South. Bock, only recently relieved from command of Army Group Center after being blamed by Hitler for the failure to reach Moscow, is tasked with halting the Soviet attacks around Kharkov and the stabilization of the German line on the Donets and Mius.