Maps of the Eastern Front
1941-42
Marcks Plan
The initial German military proposal for an invasion of the Soviet Union which feature called for two army groups and primary strikes in the direction of Moscow and Kiev with a secondary attack toward Leningrad. The northern army group would push southward after reaching Moscow, linking up with the southern group at Kharkov.
OKH Plan
The revised German Army High Command proposal for an invasion of the Soviet Union added weight to the attack toward Leningrad and called for a separate army group for this purpose. It also anticipated further eastward exploitation, independently, by the central and southern army groups.
Final Plan
After consultations with Hitler, the final plan for Operation Barbarossa called for the diversion of forces from the central army group, after the capture of Smolensk, to support the northern army group in attacking Leningrad and only after achieving this would the central army group continue operations toward Moscow. The objectives of the southern army groups essentially remained the same.
Order of Battle on the Eve of Operation Barbarossa June 21, 1941
Three German army groups faced three Soviet fronts. The German forces had effective superiority at the center of the front. Soviet forces held a numerical advantage on the northern and southern flanks.
Operation Barbarossa: June 22 - September 1, 1941
German armed forces achieved strategic surprise and made substantial progress towards their initial objectives. Army Group Center reached Smolensk by July. Large Soviet military forces were surrounded as a result. An operational pause ensued at the center of the front while armored forces from Army Group Center struck south to link up with forces striking northward from Army Group South. This move destroyed a substantial concentration of Soviet armed forces around Kiev.
Operation Typhoon: September 30 - December 5, 1941
German armed forces regrouped in September, after the destruction of Soviet military forces around Kiev, with the intention of launching a final offensive against Moscow (Operation Typhoon) before winter. The attack began with promise but the autumn rains made it impossible to continue the operation until the winter frost arrived. By this time, German military units were exhausted and the Soviet defenders were demonstrating increasing resistance.
Soviet Counteroffensive: December 6, 1941 - April 30, 1942
As the German drive to capture Moscow faltered, the Soviets launched a devastating counteroffensive that created a crisis in the German military command. The depleted German armed forces were ordered by Hitler to hold at all costs and they attempted to do so. Soviet military operations expanded in scope as the counteroffensive progressed.
Winter 1941-42 on the Eastern Front
After the German offensive toward Moscow was called off on December 5, 1941 the Soviets launch a counter-offensive that recovered substantial territory by the end of April 1942. Soviet forces, however, did not achieve their strategic objectives and were relatively depleted by that time. German strength, meanwhile, was growing as was their confidence.