In August the dispute between Hitler and Brauchitsch became acute. Hitler insisted on his own strategy. On 15th August he ordered Army Group Centre to go over to the defensive, while Army Group North was to be reinforced with armour and to press ahead to capture Leningrad: the resumption of the offensive against Moscow cannot be considered until that has been done. On 18th August Brauchitsch submitted his views. Hitler replied tersely on 21st August that the Army's proposal of 18th August for the further conduct of operations in the east is not in accordance with my intentions; and he gave his own orders. The most important aim to be achieved before the onset of winter, he wrote, is not to capture Moscow, but to seize the Crimea and the industrial and coal region on the Donets, and to cut off the Russian oil supply from the Caucasus area. In the north, the aim is to cut off Leningrad and to join with the Finns. In order to achieve these results Army Group Centre was to stay on the defensive in front of Moscow, and to lend its right flank to a concentric movement, with Army Group South, to push the Russian 5th Army back across the Dnieper River and occupy the Crimea. Its left flank was similarly to join with the right wing of Army Group North. Only by cutting off Leningrad, joining the Finns, and annihilating the Russian 5th Army, will proper conditions be created, and enough forces liberated to attack the Timoshenko Army Group with good prospects of defeating it, as envisaged in the Supplement To Directive No. 34 of 12th August. Having thus imposed his will, Hitler issued his Directive No. 35.