August 1943

Eastern Front

Rokossovsky's Central Front unleashes a new offensive aimed at breaking through Wiess' relatively intact 2nd Army and reaching Poltava and the Dniepr. For this operation the Central Front employs 579,600 men. Elements of the 65th And 60th Armies pound the German positions, but the defending XIII Corps puts up fierce resistance. The main thrust of the Soviet attack is toward Sevsk and Novgorod-Seversky. Unfortunately for Rokossovsky the 2nd Army has concentrated much of its strength before Sevsk. Yet again though, Soviet strength overcomes the skilful German defense and their positions south of the town begin to crack. Weiss is unable to prevent Chernyakhovsky's 60th Army from pushing through his front, having no reserves with which to pluc the gap. This attack ultimately threatens the entire southern flank of Army Group Center, pressing it away to the north and creating a gap betwen the junctions of Army Group Center and South.