January 1942

Eastern Front

The Germans bring the LIX Corps forward to Vitebsk in an effort to rebuild the shattered left flank of Army Group Center. The 33rd Army recaptures Veriya. Zhukov directs the 5th Army toward Gzhatsk and the 33rd to Vyazma. The German 4th Army has pinned its defenses upon these two locations. To the rear, Soviet paratroopers effect a junction with elements of the 49th Army near Myatlevo, other units of this army capturing Kandorovo. More Soviet paratroops land in the rear of the 9th and 4th Armies near Vyazma.

The 2nd Panzer begins a counterattack against the left wing of the 10th Army with the 208th Infantry and the 4th and 18th Panzer Divisions, the eventual aim being the relief of Sukhinichi. Heavy fighting rages around Lyudinovo, where the Germans force the 322nd Rifle Division out of the town.

Koniev issues new orders to his armies, ordering the 22nd to secure the right wing and rear of the 39th and 29th Armies, the 29th to take Rzhev, the 39th to destroy the Germans at Sychevka, the 31st to puch toward Zubtsov, the 3rd Shock to advance on Velikiye Luki and the 4th Shock on Velizh.

Stalin begins to interfere in the conduct of offensive operations. The Northwest Front is instructed to hand over the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies to the Kalinin Front; the 1st Shock Army is moved up from the West Front area of operations to the Northwest Front at Staraya Russa, to be ready to take the offensive on February 6. The Northwest Front will also receive 2 rifle divisions and 2 brigades to aid the assault east of the town. Kurochkin argues to retain the 3rd Shock but fails to change Stalin's mind.