As August unfolded, German War effort was becoming under increasingly unsustainable strain. Finally driven to a completely defensive position, the Prussian invincibility of just two years ago had no chance against the Union with History on Her side. Even absolute genius like Marshal Rommel could not hope to have any effect on the overall conflict.
Given the circumstances, it would be understandable if the Red Fleet slowed down it's own effort, with Kriegsmarine all but eliminated and the Red Army finally approaching the Navy's level of performance.
That was not the case. If the Kriegsmarine was not coming out to play, they'd have to be flushed out. And so an attack on Bremen was ordered, as a stepping stone to take out Wilhelmshafen itself. With the Naval Infantry on the fight and Kuznetsov's fleet support, the Germans folded easily once more.
But of course, a Navy's job is first and foremost in over the seas. That means ships, and August also witnessed the commissioning of the first modern Heavy Cruiser of the USSR, built in Murmansk no less.
The Kirov arrived somewhat late to battle the Nazis, but as a ship built on a once-occupied city, it was a huge boost to Soviet spirits. The days when Finland could occupy our cities were long gone. Now we occupied the German ones, while still growing stronger by the day!
...which leads to overconfidence. Operating without escort on a supposedly clean Baltic, transports linking Copenhagen and the Main Front were ambushed by German U-boats, losing over on division worth of ships before fleeing. The ships were thankfully traveling empty, but their loss provided a major reminder that one should never allow success to make you careless.
Meanwhile, on the international front, the Americans were looking for a moral boost of their own, after the considerable loses in Belgium. They apparently chose Crete to do it, and with great success, even if the isle is by itself of no strategic value by this point in the War.
And a frightened Japan tried to learn more of the Soviet defenses in the Far-East... to no avail.
Back on the Main Front, it was time to take Warsaw.
Fearing a German trap on urban terrain, the offensive was given colossal amounts of resources. it turned out, however, the Wehrmacht wasn't even trying anymore...
Until the very last minute, the Army was afraid of an ambush of some sort. But it never came. Warsaw was under complete Soviet control on the 17th of August, and Poland's liberation drew near.
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