General Keating reports as follows:
"Attacks all along the line but still the objectives refuse to fall. The Soviet defence is getting desperate and the river line seems to be finally cracked with a lot of Axis losses. Hopefully the Axis forces will be across the river on turns 13/14 and heading East after a lot of messing around. The Soviet incursion in the North is not going to cause a lot of trouble but I have moved further forces into that vicinity to stop any foolish losses."
I sympathize with Keating’s sense of frustration. DEMIDOV held out this turn, despite a maximum odds assault. However, Keating finally seems to be across the river in sufficient strength that he can’t be repelled, (see above) and most of Trout’s men will probably have to retreat. Keating can also be pleased that he’s already crunching through the outer ring of strongpoints at SMOLENSK (see below).
Comrade General Trout is in almost full retreat from the Dnepr (see below).
Some comrades have doubtless volunteered to stay behind in ORSHA and MOGILEV in order to defy the fascist beasts for one more day. SMOLENSK looks almost undefended (see bottom) but this can’t really be the case. North of SMOLENSK, Trout killed another two German units, who were just too keen to get to their jackboots into the Kremlin. This triumph will somewhat pacify Trout’s superiors, who won’t be too pleased with his retreat orders, no matter how sensible they were.
