July 1944

Eastern Front

More than 60,000 men of the German 4th Army have fallen during repeated break-out attempts, the majority of its 40,000 survivors being captured by Soviet forces. The 4th Army has effectively ceased to exist.

The 1st and 3rd Belorussian Fronts continue to push west. Elements of the 65th Army, together with Group Pliev and part of the 28th Army, take Baranovichi after a furious battle with remnants of the German 9th army.

Operation BAGRATION has succeeded in destroying Army Group Center. The Stavka and Red Army have successfully broken the individual armies in small-scale encirclement operations before trapping the remnants in a larger cauldron thrown around Minsm. For the Ostheer the defeat eclipsed even Stalingrad, some 20 infantry, 1 security, 3 panzer grenadier, 1 panzer and 2 Luftwaffe field divisions being destroyed and 350,000 ment being lost. The German front in the central sector simply no longer exists.