THE FIRST BATTLE OF SMOLENSK was a battle during the opening stage of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, in World War II.

It took place around the city of Smolensk between 10 July and 10 September 1941, about 400 km (250 mi) west of Moscow. The Wehr-macht had advanced 500 km (310 mi) into the USSR in the 18 days after the invasion on 22 June 1941. During the battle the German army encountered unexpected resistance, leading to a severe delay in their advance on Moscow.

Three Soviet armies (the 16th, 19th and the 20th army) were encircled and destroyed just to the south of Smolensk, though significant numbers from the 19th and 20th armies managed to escape the pocket. Some historians have asserted that the losses of men and materiel incurred by the Wehr-macht during this drawn-out battle and the two-month delay in the march towards Moscow, led to the defeat of the Wehrmacht by the Red Army in the Battle of Moscow of December 1941.

Prior to the German attack, the Soviets launched a counter-of-fensive; on 6 July, the 7th and 5th Mechanized Corps of the Soviet 20th Army attacked with about 1,500 tanks near Lepiel. The result was a disaster, as the offensive ran

directly into the anti-tank defenses of the German 7th Panzer Division and the two Soviet mechanized corps were virtually wiped out.

On 10 July, Guderian’s 2nd Panzer Group began a surprise attack over the Dnieper, his forces overran the weak 13th Army and by 13 July, Guderian had passed Mogilev, trap-ping several Soviet divisions. His spearhead unit, the 29th Motorised Division, was already within 18 km (11 mi) of Smolensk. The 3rd Panzer Group had attacked, with the 20th Panzer Division estab-lishing a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Dvina river, threatening Vitebsk. As both German panzer groups drove east, the 16th, 19th and 20th armies faced the prospect of encirclement around Smolensk. From 11 July, the Soviets tried a series of concerted counter-attacks. The Soviet 19th Army and 20th Army struck at Vitebsk, while the 21st and the remnants of the 3rd Army attacked against the southern flank of 2nd Panzer Group near Bobruisk.

Hoth’s 3rd Panzer Group drove north and then east, parallel to Guderian’s forces, taking Polotsk and Vitebsk. The 7th Panzer Division and 20th Panzer Division reached the area east of Smolensk at Yartsevo on July 15. At the same time, the 29th Motorized Division, supported by the 17th Panzer Divi-sion broke into Smolensk, captured

the city except for the suburbs and began a week of house-to-house fighting against counter-attacks by the 16th Army. Guderian expected that the offensive would continue towards Moscow as its main focus and sent the 10th Panzer Division to the Desna River to establish a bridgehead on the east bank at Yelnya and cleared that as well by the 20th. This advanced bridgehead became the center of the Yelnya Offensive, one of the first big coor-dinated Soviet counter-offensives of the war.

On July 27, Bock held a confer-ence at Novy Borisov, which was also attended by Commander-in-Chief Walther von Brauchitsch, the head of the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH), the Supreme High Command of the Wehr-macht. The generals were required to sit without an opportunity to comment, while a memorandum was read to them by one of Brau-chitsch’s aides, instructing them that they were to strictly follow Fuhrer Directive 33 and were under no circumstance to try to push further east. All the officers who took part in the conference were of the opinion that this was incor-rect”. After returning to his post, Guderian conspired with Hoth and Bock to “delay the implementa-tion” of Directive 33, in defiance of the orders of the Fuhrer and OKH. Guderian hastily put together a plan

of attack for his and Hoth’s forces for August 1, the Roslavl-Novozy-bkov Offensive Operation.

The Soviets transferred additional troops from newly formed armies into the region around Smolensk, namely the 29th, 30th, 28th, and 24th Armies. These newly built formations would, immediately upon arrival, start a heavy coun-ter-attack against the German forces around the Smolensk area from 21 July on. This put a heavy strain on the overextended Panzer forces, which had to cover a large area around the perimeter. However, poor coordination and logistics on the part of the Soviets allowed the Germans to success-fully defend against these offensive efforts, while continuing to close the encirclement. The Soviet attacks would last until 30 July, when the Germans finally repelled the last of them.

Finally, on 27 July, the Germans were able to link up and close the pocket east of Smolensk, trapping large portions of 16th, 19th, and 20th Armies. Under the leader-ship of 20th Army, Soviet troops managed to break out of the pocket in a determined effort a few days later, assisted by the Soviet offen-sive efforts along the Smolensk front line. In the end, about 300,000 men were taken prisoner when the encirclement was re-established and the pocket eliminated.

02The People’s Chronicle | www.thepeopleschronicle.in

Imphal, Thursday, January 05, 2017

WithDiane Keaton American actress

Your Birthday ProfileF Your Sun Sign is:

CapricornF Your personal ruling planets are:

Saturn and Mercury.F Your lucky colors are:

green.F Your lucky gems are:

Emerald, Aquamarine or Jade.F Your lucky days of the week are:

Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays.F Your lucky numbers and years of important change are:

5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50, 59, 68, 77.

Mercury adds a changeable streak to your nature that would otherwise confer on you the much more stable influence of Saturn. You are swift, curious and very inventive by nature. You like to know the whys and wherefores of everything. You are always on the move and may move simply for the sake of moving. Try to spend a little bit of time in one place.

Profile: Diane Keaton was born on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. A versatile film actress, Keaton shot to fame in the 1970s for her work in several Woody Allen films, including Annie Hall, which earned her an Oscar for best actress. In addition to her comedic work in films like Father of the Bride, The First Wives Club and Something’s Gotta Give, Keaton’s decades-long career has included memorable dramatic roles in films such as The Godfather series, Reds and Mar-vin’s Room.

Janet Jackson welcomes first child

Singer Janet Jackson and her husband Wissam Al Mana are bless-ed with a son, whom they have named

Eissa Al Mana.The baby was born on Tues-

day, reports femalefirst.co.uk.Jackson’s representative said

in a statement: “Janet Jackson and husband Wissam Al Mana are thrilled to welcome their new son Eissa Al Mana into the world. Janet had a stress-free healthy delivery and is resting comfortably.”

Gosling pays tribute to Debbie Reynolds

Actor Ryan Gosling paid tribute to late actress Debbie Reyn-olds at the Palm Springs International Film Festival

awards gala.The event took place on Mon-

day, reports eonline.com.Gosling’s “La La Land” was

honoured with the Vanguard Award at the annual ceremony. As he picked up the prize along-side director Damien Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz, he thanked Reynolds for inspiring his work on the movie with her performance in iconic film “Singing in the Rain”.

Ridley Scott not a fan of superhero movies

Hollywood director Ridley Scott, known for his sci-fi films like “Alien”, “Blade Run-ner” and “The Martian”,

is not a fan of movies based on superheroes.

Scott says he has turned down the chance of working on a comic book blockbuster “several times” before, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“Superhero movies are not my kind of thing, that’s why I’ve never really done one. I’ve been asked several times, but I can’t believe in the thin, gossamer tight-rope of the non-reality of the situation of the superhero,” Scott told Digital Spy magazine.

1) Closer The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey

2) One Dance Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla

3) Can’t stop the feeling! Justin Timberlake

4) Starboy The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk

5) Don’t Let Me Down The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya

6) This Is What You Came For Calvin Harris Featuring Rihanna

7) 7 Years Lukas Graham

8) Stressed Out twenty one pilots

9) Heathens twenty one pilots

10) Cheap Thrills Sia Featuring Sean Paul

Rogue One (3 week) Weekend $49.6M, Gross $425.0M

Sing (2 weeks) Weekend $42.9M, Gross $166.5M

Passengers (2 weeks) Weekend $16.2M, Gross $61.3M

Moana (6 week) Weekend $11.0M, Gross $210.0M

Why Him? (2 week) Weekend $10.0M, Gross $34.6M

Fences (3 weeks) Weekend $10.0M, Gross $29.7M

La La Land (4 weeks) Weekend $9.6M, Gross $34.3M

Assassin’s Creed (2 weeks) Weekend $8.7M, Gross $39.7M

Manchester by the Sea (7 weeks) Weekend $4.2M, Gross $28.5M

Collateral Beauty (3 week) Weekend $4.2M, Gross $25.8M

BATTLE OF SMOLENSK 10 JUL–10 SEP 1941 (GERMAN INVASION OF THE SOVIET UNION) Major Battles of

World War II

Natalie Portman open to Marvel return

ACTRESS NATALIE PORTMAN is hoping to return to the Marvel universe one day. Portman may not be reprising her role as

Thor’s love interest, scientist Jane Foster in “Thor: Ragnarok”, but says that it doesn’t mean the character is being retired forever, reports deadline.com.

“Yeah, well hopefully, one day I figure it out,” Portman said.

Portman, who is expecting her second child with husband Benjamin Millepied, is keen

to return to the role because she finds filming with such extensive visual effects “really challenging”.

“It is really an incredible thing to get to be part of. As an actor, it is like a completely different scale. Because when you are making those movies you are working with so much blue screen and so much fantasy, your imagination has to be so much larger. It is really challenging for me that and I don’t feel like I have gotten it yet,” she said.

ACTOR WOODY HARRELSON is reportedly in talks to essay “Star Wars” character Han Solo’s

mentor in the upcoming “Star Wars” spin-off.

The film stars Alden Ehrenreich.

The ensemble has already begun filling with rising stars, but executive producers wanted Han Solo’s role to go to an actor with considerable clout, and started meeting with actors over the past several weeks, reports variety.com.

Kathleen Kennedy and Allison Shearmur are producing the film, which is expected to begin produc-

tion in January. The movie is slated to hit theaters on May 25, 2018.

Other confirmed cast members include Donald Glover, who will play a young Lando Calrissian, and Emilia Clarke as Han Solo’s love interest.

The plot will focus on the early years of the notorious space smugglers.

Harrelson and Shearmur have worked together in “The Hunger Games”.

The film is being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

The movie will be set prior to “Star Wars: A New Hope,” like the other “Star Wars” standalone project “Rogue One”.

ACTOR JEREMY RENNER is considering launching a career as a song-writer so that he can spend more time with

his family.The 45-year-old is

desperate to see more of his three-year-old daughter, Ava -- whom he has with his ex-wife Sonni Pacheco. So, he has already been making some pop tunes in his home-built studio after getting inspired by the late singer Amy Winehouse, songstress Adele and “Uptown funk” hitmaker Bruno Mars, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“To spend more time with my child... I’ve been doing music for years but I haven’t released anything yet. That was my ambition before I became an actor,” Renner told Metro newspaper about his New Year resolution and music aspirations.

“I’ve started recording more seriously recently and I

might put it online. I’ve been inspired by people like Adele, Amy Winehouse, Sia and Kings of Leon, Bruno Mars -- I like his pop sensibilities,” he added.

Renner said focusing on music is the ideal solution to “scratch that creative itch” while being with his daughter.

“I was thinking how do I scratch that creative itch as an artist but also stay with my child? I have a studio at home so I can write and record.

Mark Hamill pens tribute to Carrie Fisher

Woody Harrelson in talks to join ‘Star Wars’ spin-off

Jeremy Renner wants to become songwriter

ACTOR MARK HAMILL has written an emotional goodbye letter

to his “Star Wars” late co-star and friend Carrie Fisher, who passed away last week age 60.

The letter has been published by hollywood-reporter.com.

“When you were in her good graces, you couldn’t have more fun with any person on the planet… And then you could go 180 degrees opposite, where you were furious with one another and wouldn’t speak for weeks and weeks,” wrote Hamill, who played Fish-er’s onscreen brother in the “Star Wars” movies.

“But that’s all part of what makes a relation-ship complete. It’s not all one sided. Like I say, she was a handful. She was high maintenance. But my life would have been so much drabber and less

interesting if she hadn’t been the friend that she was.

“She was able to make you feel like you were the most important thing in her life,’ Hamill explained. ‘I think that’s a really rare quality,” he added.

The actor recalled the first time he met Fisher when she was 19 and he was 24. He recounted how they went for dinner the night before they began filming “Star Wars”.

“I mean she was just so instantly ingratiating and funny and outspoken.

She had a way of just being so brutally candid. She was telling me stuff about her stepfather, about her mom, about her father Eddie Fisher - it was just harrowing in its detail.

“I kept thinking, ‘Should I know this?’ I mean, I wouldn’t have shared that with some-body that I had trusted for years and years and years. But she was the opposite. She just sucked you into her world. I was just in awe of her. She was so committed to joy and fun and embracing life,” he wrote.

Helen Mirren threatened to ‘beat up’ Vin Diesel

VETERAN ACTRESS HELEN MIRREN “threatened” to beat up actor Vin Diesel if he didn’t give her a role in “Fast and

Furious”.Diesel has revealed how

desperate the 71-year-old actress was for a part in the popular film franchise, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“You know, the term action star is a relatively new concept in the history of cinema. Clark Gable in ‘Gone With The Wind’ was not an action star, although he was riding a wagon with fire blazing all around him. Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One’ might be considered an action star,” Diesel told Hashtag Legend magazine.

“I wasn’t really ever conscious of it. I’ve always approached my career with the same conviction and I

think that’s the hidden asset in the ‘...Fast’ saga.

“That’s probably why all these Oscar-winning actors have wanted to join the cast and be part of the mythology. Charlize Theron is in it. Helen Mirren, the wonderful and amazing Helen Mirren, accosted me at a Golden Globes party and basically threatened to beat me up if she wasn’t going to be in one.

“Having these actors on the films was adding another

element and dimension to what some might write off as just

another action movie,” he added.

This comes after Mirren said that she was “very nervous” about starring in “Fast and Furious 8”.

“I’m very nervous because when you’re going on to a set with people who have been doing this for (so long), basically, they all know each other,” Mirren said.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19): You have a love for someone but may not be able to express it. Why not ask a go-between to help bridge the distance between you and this person?

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20): It might be novel to try some sort of new fashion statement now for a while. Step out of your normal way of expressing yourself and explore the possibilities.

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20): This is a time when your creativity is strong and very applicable to your work or studies. Focus your attention on your work, but be sure to have fun with it.

Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 22): Your career can be costly if you don’t manage your time effectively. Be prepared for an avalanche of extra work demands.

Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22): You must focus on the potential of your life today, as this will lead to increased business and social opportunities. New avenues of fulfillment will arrive out of the blue.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22): You’re concerned about your status and security now but by doing things methodically you will come to a clever solution.

Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 22): You could succeed in your career but this will only happen by being prudent and showing due diligence and care in everything you do.

Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21): You may want a peaceful day but will have to deal with three or four problems at once.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21): Having fun and being creative are the main ingredients to improving your friendship today.

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19): You mustn’t let work dominate your life. You need a quiet hobby with no demands that will bring peace and quiet to balance the whirlwind of your professional life.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18): You could put your hand to writing because this is a way to delve deeply into your past and resolve some of the emotional complexities within you.

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20): You can be successful if you’re starting a business. Make sure you have your plan in order and you’ve had all the relevant consultations to make this a smooth process.