August 1944

Eastern Front

The 3rd Panzer Army recaptures Tukums as it punches a corridor through to Army Group North. Despite the danger around the 16th and 18th Armies, Hitler still refuses to allow a withdrawal.

The fighting in Rumania intensifies. As the 52nd Army advances around Jassy, the 10th Panzer Grenadier Division counterattacks. Heavy fighting follows but the Germans are defeated and forced to retreat. Having shattered the main line of German resistance, Malinovsky commits the 6th Tank Army to the attack. Some 300 tanks run into and over the remnants of the 10th Panzer Grenadier and its supporting infantry division. In further heavy fighting the 52nd Army completes the capture of Jassy. Meith's IV Corp attempts to hold along the Bahlui River but is force back to the south by strong Russian attacks.

The Soviet offensive also strikes Wohler's 8th Army. Wohler's Rumanian units abandon their positions, forcing the remaining German units to begin falling back.

On the southern wing the 6th Army is in the process of disintegration. The 13th Panzer Divisin has been repulsed before Tiraspol and is in retreat. The XXX Corps is collapsing under the 46th and 37th Army attacks. 2 of its division have already been practically destroyed and the 13th Panzer has lost all its tanks. German counterattacks throughout the day fail to halt the Soviet advance, the 46th Army penetrating to within 10 miles of 6th Army headquarters at Tarutino. Friessner now takes it upon his own authority to order a general withdrawal to the Prut River. Hitler is furious when he finds out.