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In the planning for Western Front's summer offensive against the eastern face of the Rzhev salient at least one map-solution was prepared in June for a prospective offensive by 49th, 33rd and 5th Armies to seize Vyasma, although this came to nothing.
The battles took place in the northeast of Smolensk Oblast and the south of Tver Oblast, in and around the salient surrounding Rzhev. Due to the high losses suffered by the Red Army, the campaign became known by veterans and historians as the "Rzhev Meat Grinder" (Russian: Ржевская мясорубка, romanized: Rzhevskaya myasorubka).
The formation of the Rzhev Salient, January 1942. The closing stages of the Battle of Moscow saw the formation of the Rzhev salient.The Soviet counter-offensive had driven the Wehrmacht from the outskirts of Moscow back more than 100 miles (160 kilometres), and had penetrated Army Group Centre's front in numerous places. [11]
Rzhev salient 1941-1942. Note positions of 30th and 29th Armies. The first Rzhev-Vyazma offensive began on January 8, 1942, based on a directive from the STAVKA of the previous day, which stated the objective "to encircle, and then capture or destroy the enemy's entire Mozhaysk – Gzhatsk –Viaz'ma grouping".
Beginning on January 8, 1942, the Army took part in the Sychyovka-Vyasma Offensive Operation, which was planned "to encircle, and then capture or destroy the enemy's entire Mozhaisk - Gzhatsk - Vyasma grouping", that is, what later became known as the Rzhev salient.
The 186th, now in Kalinin Front, took part in the winter counteroffensive which drove a huge salient into the German lines around Toropets, and created the Rzhev salient. By February 1942 the offensive had bogged down, and the following months saw attacks and counterattacks on the west side of the salient, during which the division was ...
On March 2, as Army Group Center put its evacuation of the Rzhev salient, Operation Büffel, into effect, 31st Army began its role in the difficult and costly pursuit until the end of the month. [14] On May 13 General Oleshev was moved up to command of the 36th Rifle Corps , being replaced by Col. Usman Minibaevich Sakaev.
Although plans were made for 49th Army to take a role in the summer offensives around the Rzhev salient these proved abortive. [32] The 217th spent the summer and fall holding its lines on the salient's southeastern shoulder, rebuilding from the winter battles and in August it was again transferred, now to 16th Army, still in Western Front. [33]