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Historically Operation Wirbelwind was supposed to be part of the campaign in 1942 to clean up the Rzhev salient and shorten the line that was to take place in August, but the Soviet offensive from July 30th-September against Rzhev slowly bled off forces earmarked for the attack leading to it being postponed and then cancelled. What if 11th army instead of being sent north to try and taken Leningrad was used in early August to complete the operation? It would have been more than the forces that were pulled off by the Rzhev fighting, so enough to successfully complete the operation and shorten the line while cutting off and wiping out 3 Soviet armies, while at the same placing a threat to the flank of the Soviet advance against Rzhev. This could then open up a potential offensive counter to the Western Front bashing away at 9th army: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rzhev,_Summer_1942#31_July_.E2.80.93_6_August_1942