February 1944

Eastern Front

Hitler agrees to allow Army Group North to abandon the Luga position and fall back to the borders with the Baltic States.

In the Korsun pocket the 72nd Infantry Division captures Chilki, but encounters severs Soviet resistance. As casualties mount the German attacks weaken. Stemmerman knows that if the breakoud does not begin soon his corps will succumb to the relentless Russian attacks. However, with the fall of Chilki, he has established a base for the breakout and impatiently awaits Manstein's order. This is duly given, Stemmerman immediately proceeding to move the bulk of his forces to their attack sectors. Only a thin screen is left to cover his rear. Outside the pocket the III Panzer Corps continues its attacks but is simply unable to break the strengthened outer ring.