January 1944

Eastern Front

Pushkin and Pashovsk fall to the 42nd Army while the railway line to Narva is severed by the 2nd Shock Army.

The Soviets begin yet another offensive, this time aimed at encircling the German forces in the Cherkassy salient. The XLII Corps still holds a small section of the west bank of the Dniepr despite the retreat of the 1st and 4th Panzer Armies and is therefore in a very vulnerable position. However, Hitler had insisted that the Dniepr line be held at all costs.

The XLII Corps is attacke by the 27th Army (1st Ukrainian Front), while the 2nd Ukrainian Front throws its 4th Guards, 52nd and 53rd Armies against the XI Corps. Despite fierce resistance the German line begins to crack near Shpola.