|
||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|||||||||
|
17388 - Stalingrad Germans 3pc Set
(Click here to go back) |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
| The German 1942 summer offense swept into
southern Russia ad sent the Soviet forces back t the Volga River.
By early September the 6th Army, under the command of Friedrich Von
Paulus had reached Stalingrad. Numerous air attacks and artillery
bombardments soon reduced the city to rubble. The 330,000 Germans
soon found it would be difficult to evict the Russian. Savage fighting
took place I cellars, sewers and behind the walls of destroyed buildings.
Block by city block the Soviets were forced back to a narrow strip
along the Volga River. Causalities mounted and supplies dwindled as
Von Paulus, under pressure from Adolph Hitler, pushed his men to the
limits of endurance. By late autumn, the Germans were facing a new
enemy - The Russian Winter.
On the morning of November 19th, Soviet General Georgi Zhukov launched a massive counter attack on the northern flank of the 6th army. Then the next day a second offense hit the southern flank and on November 23rd these attacks met completely circling the German Army. Cut off and with crucial supply problems, the German air force attempted to supply the 6th Army by flying in or dropping materials. Bad weather and Russian anti-aircraft fire reduced the flow of supplies to a trickle. Short of ammunition, food, medicine and winter clothing the German perimeter slowly shrank, the airfield soon fell and the last departing planes had men desperately hanging on the wings trying to escape. Hitler order his troop to hold their ground rather an retreat, this when his men were eating horses and rats while dropping form frostbite. In late January, the German position was hopeless and Von Paulus
opened negotiations for surrender. Fearing this, Hitler promoted
Von Paulus a Field Marshal. No German Fields Marshal has ever surrendered
and the Fuehur fully expected him to die fighting. But with concern
for his remaining 91,000 sick and starving men, Von Paulus surrendered
on January 31, 1943. The Red Army marched the survivors into a harsh
captivity where many would perish. The once proud German 6th Army
ceased to exist. |
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
