July 1944

Eastern Front

The Karelian and Leningrad Fronts have forced the Finnish armies of Karelia and the Southeast back to their own borders and inflict more than 60,000 casualties.

Elements of the 51st Army smash their way through the exposed German lines west of Riga and reach the Baltic coast, isolating the 16th and 18th Armies in Latvia and Estonia. Army Group North hastily organize for a breakout attempt.

Kaunas falls to the 5th Army, the defending IX Corps losing more than 40,000 killed and captured in the battle. Seidlice also falls to the 47th Army after fierce fighting.

Leading elements of the 2nd Tank Army break into Ottwock, entering the Praga suburb of Warsaw but encounter strong German resistance. However, 2nd is under continued heavy attack at Wolomin. The 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, Herman Göring Para Panzer and 19th Panzer Divisins are all attacking the depleted 2nd Tank Army.

The Soviet armies in the center are in urgent need of rest and refit following their month-long offensive against Army Group Center. Teh 1st Baltic Front has lost 41,000 killed and 125,000 wounded of its 359,000 men, while the 3rd Belorussian has lost 45,000 killed and 155,000 wounded of its 580,000 men. The smaller 2nd Belorussian Front, with 320,000 men, lost 26,000 killed and 90,000 wounded, while the 1st Belorussian Front (with 1,070,000 ment) lost 65,000 killed and 215,000 wounded.

Despite moving up 2 panzer, 1 infantry, 4 Volksgrenadier and 1 security division into the combat line during July the disastrous battle have cost the Ostheer 1 motorized, 28 infantry, 1 SS grenadier and 2 Luftwaffe divisions withdrawn or lost from its order of battle. It now deploys 20 panzer, 8 panzer grenadier, and 108 infantry divisions.

After its catastrophic defeats, the high command begins to scrape together a re-formed 17th Army in the Krakow area.