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By Tatyana Moskovchenko
Following an elaborate plan exactly, 60 years ago, at the end of November
1942, the Soviet troops encircled the German 6th Army. Hitler ordered it
to continue fighting, though its solders and officers were running out
of ammunition, food and medical help for the more than 12, 000 wounded.
General Friedrich von Paulus found it extremely difficult to maintain their
confidence in a favorable outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Instead of taking practical steps to save his army, Hitler in December
of 1942 sent Field Marshal Erich von Manstein to the Stalingrad front line
with orders to stabilize the situation there. But it was too late. The
collapse of the German 6th Army became inevitable, but it continued, though
with little success, to repel massive Russian artillery, tank and infantry
attacks. By that time the German 6th Army was fighting for more than
just another victory in the war. Its soldiers and officers were fighting
for their lives - and without any help from their Fuhrer. He was demoralized
by the situation at the Stalingrad front, as was his army. On one occasion
Friedrich von Paulus saw some of his starving men devouring raw horse
brains. The scene shocked him so much that he sent a special emissary to
the Fuhrer to give him first-hand information of the deplorable situation
the German Sixth Army found itself at Stalingrad. And again Hitler’s reaction
was merely to order his army to hold out. He even forbade von Paulus from
attempting to pierce the encirclement. A chance to save his army was lost
forever...
The German defeat at Stalingrad cannot be measured only in terms of casualties
or the number of servicemen taken prisoner. The invaders were beaten at
their own game. The Germans, supposedly masters of the art of war on land,
were outgeneraled. Hitler had scornfully called the Russians “sub-humans,”
but at Stalingrad they proved how wrong he had been...
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