April 1944

Eastern Front

The encircled 1st Panzer Army is presented with an ultimatum, to surrender or be destroyed. The offer is rejected as Hube plans to break out, deploying his army in a mobile hedgehog against the Soviet forces.

The 4th Tank Army crosses the Prut River east of Chernovtsy, while on the extreme southern wing the German 6th Army attempts to fall back across the Dniestr but is hampered by the weather, a fierce storm of sleet hindering the construction of a pontoon bridge.