22nd June 2014 – Operation Bagration, the Soviet summer Offensive, begins with assaults on a 450 mile front from Pskov in north Russia (near the current Estonian border) to Lwow/Lviv in western Ukraine. It is three years to the day since the commencement of Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s invasion of Russia. Stalin has secretly assembled 15 armies along the front, with the main concentration against Army Group Centre in Byelorussia (Belarus). As the Soviets advance, assisted behind the lines by Belorussian partisans, Orsha and Mogilev fall in three days and Vitebsk on the 26th. By the end of June the Red Army is beginning to encircle Minsk (now the capital of Belarus).
Raising of the siege of Imphal in Manipur, India. By 3rd July Japanese troops were forced to withdraw from the invasion of India. This was the largest defeat to that date in Japanese history, with 55,000 casualties including 13,500 dead.
Eric Brewer writes:
"We have taken some prisoners today and are know in position near main x roads near Grainville. We located an Enemy patrol but were turned back.
What a day, nothing to do except watch after this morning but have killed a couple of Gerry chickens which tasted okay. We hope to be going back tomorrow..."
(From Eric Brewer’s Diary by kind permission of Derek Brewer and his family)
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