Russian army forces are encircled at key cities across the Soviet Union.
Panzergruppe
July 3, 1941
Panzergruppe 2 and 3 now form up as part of General Gunther von Kluge's 4th Panzer Army
Gurderian
July 9, 1941
Gurderian's army moves south towards Mogliev.
Soviet Defenses
July 9, 1941
Soviet defenses at Brest-Litovsk, Bialystok, Volkovysk, Gorodishche and Minsk fall to the invading German Army.
Soviet Army
July 13, 1941
The Soviet 20th Army arrives in Smolensk
Marshal Timoshenko
July 16, 1941
Marshal Timoshenkko and his 4th and 13th Armies near the Sohz River counterattack the Germans at Smolensk
The German Army
July 17, 1941
The German Army begins to tighten the noose around the encircled Soviet forces numbering some 25 divisions.
A High Command German
July 19, 1941
gives directive calls for the army to complete the destruction of Soviet forces around Smolensk and then head South to tackle forces in Kiev instead of marching on Moscow herself - this decision is viewed as the turning point to Germany's defeat in Russia.
The drive to Smolensk
August 5, 1941
The drive nets a total of 600,00 Russian prisoners of war, 5,700 tanks and 4,600 artillery pieces.