June 1944

Eastern Front

Arty of the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian Dronts begin the bombardment of the 3rd Panzer Army. Massive air attacks accompany the ground assaults, inflicting severe German casualties even before the main reconnaissance attack has begun. Chistyakov's 6th Guards and Beloborodov's 43rd Armies hit the IX Corps hard as they begin strong probing attacks. Elements of the corps give ground, being thrown back from Sirotino on an 8-mile front. A 5-mile gap is opened near Obol. Massed tank and infantry attacks then simply overwhelm the Germans. To support the failing defenses of the IX Corps, Army Group North transfers an infantry division but it does no good. The VI Corps is also under heavy attack by the 39th Army, suffering heavy losses, as another hole opens in the German front, this time south of Vitebsk.

At the end of the day the 1st Baltic Front has forced the IX Corps back 5 miles and VI Corps has retreated 10 miles before the 3rd Belorussian Front. The disintegration of the wings of the 3rd Panzer Army threatens the LIII Corps positions in Vitebsk.