July 1942

Eastern Front

The Germans pound the 64th Army, its junction with the 62nd Army crumbling, Chuikov attempts to restore the situation by moving armor and artillery up to the confluence of the Don and Chir Rivers. Further German attacks panic the 64th, its rear area personnel running for the bridges only to be cut down by the Luftwaffe.

Army Group A begins its offensive from the Don as the 1st Panzer and 17th Armies push into the Caucasus and the 4th Panzer Army advances toward Stalingrad. Heavy fight erupts as the 1st Panzer forces back the 37th and 12th Armies, leaving the 51st vulnerable and at risk of being enveloped on its left flank by the 4th Panzer Army. In Rostov the 56th and 9th Armies abandon their positions north of the Don, falling back across the river.

When the German attack began, the 51st, 37th, 12th and 18th Armies mustered 112,000 men, 121 tanks and 2,160 artillery pieces supported by the 130 aircraft of the 4th Air Fleet.