January 1945

Eastern Front

Tilsit comes under fierce attack by the 43rd Army of the 1st Baltic Front, pressing the 3rd Panzer Army back upon Konigsberg. Elements of the 70th Army take Modlin while Naselsk and Plonsk fall to the 65th Army.

Saucken's Grossdeutschland Panzer Corps deploy around Lodz, fighting elements of he 1st Guards Tank Army whose advance threaten is rear. The battered XXIV Panzer Corps retreats north from Kielce but finds strong Soviet forces barring its path. Turning west, Nehring links up with the survivors of the XLII Corps.

The 60th Army pins the 17th Army before Krakow while the 59th and 4th Guards Tank Armies push in from the north and west. Very heavy fighting ensues around the city.

The battle for Pest comes to an end after a month of bloody fighting. Between Lakes Balaton and Velencei the IV SS Panzer Corp unleashes its attack and advances rapidly toward the Danube. The Germans aim to reach the river at Dunapentele and turn north to relieve Budapest.