1941 · October 2
The main offensive toward Moscow begins
On 2 October 1941, Army Group Centre launched the main attack of Operation Typhoon against the Soviet forces defending the approaches to Moscow. German planners sought encirclements followed by a rapid advance on the capital.
Why it mattered
The offensive put Moscow in immediate danger, but early operational success did not settle the campaign. Supply, weather, exhausted formations, and Soviet resistance would all shape the struggle that followed. It is a useful reminder that winning an encirclement and sustaining an advance are different military problems.
A note on the date: The southern preliminary attack began on 30 September. Accounts therefore use either 30 September or 2 October as the start of Operation Typhoon; this anniversary marks the main offensive.