Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, Episode 138,

Trading Punches.

Army Group North.

Last time a desperate Soviet counterattack, just west of Lake Ilman, had finally held

up the advancing Germans.

To this point, Field Marshal Leibs, men, and panzers had dashed forward some 450

kilometers, or 270 miles, stomping mostly of their own volition to crush pockets of

resistance to their rear.

But now, even though the German 8th Panzer Division had won here, almost half of some of

the units tanks were wrecked halls.

This, along with stomping other Panzer units from crossing the Luga River to the northwest

of the battle, meant that Leibs men were now slogging their way forward, and were still

some 100 kilometers from Leningrad.

Stalin's eyes, the counterattack, had failed, but that's only because, as a military novice,

he was hoping all the German forces near Lake Ilman would be pushed back.

But that's not how most victories go.

The 8th Panzer Division had lost many tanks, and were now crawling forward, to Zoukoff's

experienced dies, compared to what had been happening.

This was a victory, yet Zoukoff was not in charge of the country.

So within days of the counterattack, Stalin had called the chief of army general staff,

and General Vorsilov, responsible for the northern front, to his presence, to berate

them for their lack of toughness.

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