by Josh Rush

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by Josh Rush
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• In the early months of 1942, the mighty German
  war machine's main objective was to drive the
  Soviet forces out of the Southern Steppes and the
  Caucasus region. Reasons for this are that Axis
  forces could have direct access to the Middle
  East and be able to have the military capability
  for a final annihilating sweep Northward behind
  Soviet lines to Moscow. Also this region held an
  abundant supply of natural mineral wealth,
  especially oil, a key ingredient for Germany's
  war machine.

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On April 5, 1942, Hitler ordered Army Group A
and B to sweep east to Stalingrad, south to
Astrakan, Grozny, and to the Caspian Sea. This
huge military offensive was called Operation
Blue. The Soviet forces began to be very alarmed
by the heavy build up of German forces in the
southern sector of the Soviet Union. They knew
that the capture of Stalingrad would be
catastrophic for their ability to withstand the
German army. Soviet forces would be completely
cut off from their own oil supply.
Unfortunately, Stalin refused to shift forces
away from Moscow, fearing that the city would be
vulnerable for German attacks. As a result, the
German army captured Rostov and other key cities
in the Crimean region. They were now poised to
take Stalingrad.
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On July 1942, the odds were heavily on the side
of the Axis forces. Stalin still was being very
stubborn in refusing to shift forces away from
Moscow. He kept the bulk of his forces north to
protect Moscow from attack. As a result, 250,000
troops from Germany, Hungry, and Italy poured
into the outskirts of Stalingrad. Army Group B
moved across the Don River north of the city.
Soviet resistance was folding, collapsing, and
retreating across the entire Southern Front.
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The German 6th Army, commanded by Field Marshal
Friedrich Paulus broke through the Soviet lines
and began to enter the city from the west. In the
meantime, Stalin realizing the importance of the
situation moved the 64th and the 62nd Armies to
take positions eight miles from Stalingrad.
Soviet forces were able to hold off the German
advance for the time being.
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On August 19, Friedrich Paulus commander of the
German 6th army mounted the first assault on
Stalingrad, with the support of the 4th Panzer
army. The attack proved disastrous for the Red
Army. By August 23, German forces had reached the
Volga River north of Stalingrad. Stalin was
growing very weary about the situation, he
ordered Marshall Zhukov to command Soviet forces
at the Southern front. He worked frantically to
stabilize German assaults on the beleaguered city.
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• Soviet Pursuit After Stalingrad January 13 -
  March 26, 1943 
• By the time the German 6th Army surrendered at
  Stalingrad, the Red Army aggressively pursued the
  remnants of former Army Group Don, now renamed
  Army Group South, further west. Soviet units
  recaptured Kharkov and were approaching the
  Dniepr River. However, the commander of Army
  Group South, F.M. von Manstein marshaled forces
  for a counterattack in March 1943 that stabilised
  the southern wing of the Eastern Front until the
  Battle of Kursk in July 1943.   

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THE END