Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, Episode 154,

The Spires of Moscow.

To the north of Stalin's latest defensive line before Moscow, Army Group North was dealing

with the Russian November weather as best they could, while keeping Leningrad surrounded,

and they were about to deal with a lot more.

As it was clear the Germans were gambling everything on taking Moscow, Stalin ordered a massive

counterattack to hit Army Group North's most eastern advance at Tikhon, some 35 miles

or 56 kilometers southeast of Lake La Doga, and then to just keep driving west.

The ultimate goal for the attacking Soviet forces immediate future was to reopen a direct

land route to Leningrad, just below the large lake, and destroy the German forces in that

area, helping to surround the city.

Leningrad would be resupplied, it would not fall.

Yet this was a gamble for the Soviet premiere.

He could have used those very same forces to approach Tikhon and then turn south to get

in behind the Germans who were threatening his capital.

But Stalin for better or worse was not willing to lose the city of Leningrad.

If for no other reason, to the north of it was where the Allied goods were making their

way in to Soviet Russia.

Of course this meant risking the capital, but by November the bet had been placed.

The Russian counterattack to the north started on November 19th.

The Soviet forces before Moscow would just have to hold out on their own.

To the far south by November 22nd, and yes we will go back and cover the exploits of

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