July 1942

Eastern Front

The 5th Tank Army moves into battle under Stavka direction. Over 600 tanks, many of them the modern T-34 and KV models, are committed piecemeal over the next 5 days, blunting the effectiveness of this powerful unit. Luftwaffe attacks also take a heavy toll of the Soviet armor. The XLVIII Panzer Corps crosses the Don after a severe battle with the XVII Tank Corps.

In the Crimea, the remnants of the Soviet Coastal Army surrender on the Khersonnes peninsula, ending the epic siege of Sevastopol. More than 30,000 men lay down their arms, bringing the tally of prisoners taken during the battle to more than 90,000. Material losses are also considerable, the Red Army losing 460 artillery pieces, 760 mortars and 155 anti-tank guns. Since October 1941 the fighting around the port has cost the Soviets 156,880 killed and missing and 43,601 wounded. German casualties during the June attack were 24,000 killed, wounded and missing.

The fall of Sevastopol effectively leaves the Ostheer with a spare army, which should have been committed to supporting the 17th Army in the Caucasus. Hitler will squander the 11th Army though, breaking it up along the whole front. The XLII Corps remains in the Crimea and later crosses the Kerch strait into the Kuban to join Ruoff's 17th Army, but the headquarters of the army, together with elements of the LIV and XXX Corps head north to Leningrad. Barely 4 divisions of the army remain together.

The epic siege and battle for Sevastopol had shown the true measure of Manstein's ability. Using limited forces against a well dug in enemy, he had fough a costly, but ultimately successful action. Only the sheer fanatacism of the Soviet defenders had prevented the early capture of the fortress city, yet Manstein had used all the forces at his disposal to break the Soviet defenses brick by brick. However, opportunities that arose unexpectedly, such as the crossing of Severnaya Ba, were seized upon and exploited. These skills would be put to the test later in the year as Manstein fought to prevent the destruction of the German southern wing.

With its offensive underway, the Germans reorganize the structure of Army Group South, splitting it into Groups A and B. Army Group B is commanded by Field Marshal von Bock. Its forces comprise the 6th, 2nd, 4th Panzer and 2nd Hungarian Armies. Paulus' 6th Army has the VIII Corps (3 infantry divisions), XVII Corps (3 infantry divisions), XXIX Corps (3 infantry divisions), XL Panzer Corps (2 panzer, 1 motorized and 2 infantry divisions) and LI Corps (4 infantry divisions); Group Weichs, based upon the German 2nd Army, has the LV Corps (4 infantry divisions) and Jany's 2nd Hungarian Army. The Hungarian force comprises the German VII Corps (1 German and 1 Hungarian infantry division) and the III Hungarian Corps (2 Hungarian infantry divisions). Hoth's 4th Panzer Army has the XIII Corps (3 infantry divisions), XXIV Panzer Corps (2 panzer, 1 motorized and 1 infantry division) and XLVIII Panzer Corps (1 panzer and 2 motorized divisions). The army group also includes the assembling 8th Italian Army with its II Italian Corps (3 Italian infantry divisions). Army Group B is tasked with the destruction of Soviet forces between the upper Donets and middle Don, securing a crossing of the Don near Voronezh. During the next few days this will be achieved, but the 4th Panzer Army, instead of releasing its forces to the south, remains around the city to deal with the threat posed by the 5th Tank Army. It will then push the 4th Panzer and 6th Armies into the Don Elbow, while allied units and the 2nd Army array themselves along the Don to cover the long left flank. From the Don the 4th Panzer and 6th Armies are to press east and reach Stalingad before the Red Army can prepare its defenses. From Stalingrad the 4th Panzer and part of the 6th Army will turn south to support Army Group A in the Caucasus.

Field Marshal List's Army Group A comprises 3 armies, Kleist's 1st Panzer has the III Panzer Corps (2 panzer and 1 motorized division), XIV Panzer Corps (1 panzer and 1 motorized division), XLIV Corps (4 infantry divisions) and Group Strecker with the XI Corps and the IV Rumanian Corps. The 17th Army deploys the IV Corps (3 infantry divisions), XLIX Mountain Corps (2 divisions) and the LII Corps (2 infantry divisions) and also attached a Rumanian motorized corps. Manstein's 11th Army has the XLII Corps (1 infantry division), VII Rumanian Corps (2 Rumanian infantry divisions and a Rumanian cavalry division), XXX Corps (a Rumanian mountain division and 4 German infantry divisions). In reserve the army group holds the V Corps headquarters and the LVII Panzer Corps (1 panzer and 2 infantry divisions).

Air support is provided to both army groups by the 4th Air Fleet, IV Air Corps allocated to Army Group A and VIII Air Corps to Army Group B. Richtofen has taken command of the air fleet following Lohr's appointment as commander of the German forces in Greece and Yugoslavia. The primary objective of Army Group A is the defeat of the Soviet forces on the Mius line followed by a rapid advance into the Caucasus after the successful capture of Stalingrad by Army Group B.