August 1942

Eastern Front

The 60th Motorized Division links up with the 3rd Motorized and the 16th Panzer Divisions, while the 6 infantry divisions of the LI and VIII Corps secure the Don-Volga land bridge. Kempf's XLVIII Panzer Corps crosses the Karpovka River, just 30 miles from Stalingrad. With their lines of communication under threat, the 62nd and 64th Armies abandon their salient west of the city and fall back to the final defensive position. Hoth concentrates his forces for a rapid advance directly into Stalingrad, cutting the 62nd and 64th Armies from the Volga. The sluggishness of Paulus' attack, however, allows the Soviets to slip into the city first.

The 1st Panzer Army renews its attack toward Grozny as the XL Panzer Corp launches a ferocious attack and the LII Corps moves upoon Malgobek and Ordzhonikidze. The III Panzer Corps is ordered to cut the Batumi to Tfilis road. The 9th and 37th Armies put up fierce resistance. Heavy fighting rages around Mozdok as Kleist attempts to break the Soviet forward defenses. After bitter fighting, elements of the 13th Panzer Division force a crossing of the Terek at Ishcherskaya, securing a small bridgehead.

With the Germans once more on the move, Tyulenev's Trans-Caucasus Front is made responsible for the defense of the mountain passes which lead to the Black Sea, while Cherevichenko's Coastal Group is renamed the Black Sea Group. Maslennikov's Northern Groups incorporates the Don Group into its strength, deploying the 44th, 9th and 37th Armies on the line of the Kuma and Terek Rivers.