July 1942

Eastern Front

Lisichansk falls to the 1st Panzer Army while other elements reach the Aidar River at Starobelsk. Group Ruoff, with the 17th Army and Rumanian forces, launches strong attacks against the rearguards of the South Front. Heavy fighting rages on the road from Taganrog as the Soviets fight on the approaches to Rostov.

Hitler, believing the Soviets defeated on the west bank of the Don, orders the 1st and 4th Panzer Armies to converge at Kamensk and Millerovo to destroy the remainder of the South and Southwest Fronts before attacking in conjunction into the Caucasus. Believing the Red Army to have been vanquished, Hitler leaves the 6th Army to advance alone toward Stalingrad and seize the city. The 1st and 4th Panzer Armies and 17th Army push toward the oil fields. This is a break from the original plan, the German forces being sent simultaneously along separate axes of advance instead of securing the Volga before their southward drive. Hitler issues Directive 43, confirming the transfer of 4th Panzer to Army Group A and also ordering the 11th Army, which has been reduced to nothing more than the XLII Corps, to cross the Kerch strait.