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Close Combat
FRANCE
LUX
BELGIUM
Paris
Scheldt River
NETHERLANDS
Rhine River
Moselle River
GERMANY
M
euse River
S
a™
n
e
R
iv
er
Y
on
n
e R
iver
Seine River
Loire River
ITA
Antwerp
Luxemborg
SaarbrŸcken
Strasburg
Colmar
Auxerre
Troyes
SWITZE
Bern
The Collapse of
Festung Europa
StÐL™
Cherbourg
Close Combat
Game Area
Allied
Forces
While the Allies are
breaking out in
Normandy, more Allied
troops came ashore in
Operation Anvil, a
landing in the south of
France. These forces
(Seventh Army) drive
north through the Rhone
river valley to link up
with the forces from
Normandy. By late
August, leading units are
closing on Grenoble. On
September 11 units of the
Seventh Army link up
with the Third Army
near Dijon.
The Red Army Marches To Vengeance
By April 1944, the Soviets have been on the offensive for four months. On the
southern portion of the front, the German armies are destroyed. In the far north,
the Red Army drives relentlessly from Leningrad. Hitler expects the Russians to
overextend their resources; other commanders expect the spring “season of mud”
to slow the Soviet advance. Neither occurs
the Red Army slows only to gather
itself for the next strike west.
On the morning of June 23, the Red Army begins attacking Army Group Center;
the Soviet intent is to crush the last major force on the Eastern front. The Germans
face 1,200,000 Soviet troops supported by 31,000 guns and mortars, 5,200 tanks,
and 5,000 airplanes. By July 4, most of the German forces are surrounded or
retreating; by July 20 the surrounded forces have been destroyed. Throughout the
battle, German commanders request permission to withdraw to save their units,
but Hitler orders positions held to the last round and the last man. His order
ensures the destruction of 17 divisions, and another 50 divisions lose half their
strength. By the end of August the Red Army has pushed into Poland and
East Prussia.