72nd anniversary of Operation Bagration

As noted, today is the 75th anniversary of Germany's ill-fated invasion of Russia.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of another huge World War II military operation: Russia's great counteroffensive, Operation Bagration, which swept the German armies out of Russia, and provided the momentum for Russia's ultimate conquest of Berlin.

Operation Bagration commenced on June 23, 1944 and shattered the undermanned German armies in a defeat far worse than Stalingrad. In fact, it was the greatest military defeat for Germany during the entire war.

A personal footnote: I had a relative who was an oberst in the German 25th Panzergrenadier Division, which was all but wiped out during Bagration. Against all odds however, he met his future wife, a Russian schoolteacher, during the battle. I file their story under The Fortunes of War.