Editing Case Blue (section)

==The offensive==

===Opening phase===
[[File:Eastern Front 1942-05 to 1942-11.png|thumb|300px|The German advance from 7 May to 18 November 1942.
{{legend|#fff8d5|to 7 July}}
{{legend|#ffd2b9|to 22 July}}
{{legend|#ebd7ff|to 1 August}}
{{legend|#ccffcd|to 18 November}}]]
The German offensive commenced on 28&nbsp;June 1942, with Fourth Panzer Army starting its drive towards Voronezh. Due to a chaotic Soviet retreat, the Germans were able to advance rapidly, restoring ''Wehrmacht'' confidence for the upcoming major offensive.{{sfn|Beevor|1999|p=75}}

[[Close air support]] from the Luftwaffe also played an important role in this early success. It contained the [[Red Air Force]], through [[air superiority]] operations, and provided interdiction through attacks on airfields and Soviet defence lines. At times, the German air arm acted as a spearhead rather than a support force, ranging on ahead of the tanks and infantry to disrupt and destroy defensive positions. As many as 100 German aircraft were concentrated on a single Soviet division in the path of the spearhead during this phase. General Kazakov, the Bryansk Front's chief of staff, noted the strength and effectiveness of the Axis aviation.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=135}} Within 26 days, the Soviets lost 783 aircraft from the [[2nd Air Army|2nd]], [[4th Air Army|4th]], [[5th Air Army|5th]] and [[8th Air Army|8th]] Air Armies, compared to a German total of 175.{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=60 |ps=. list of Red Air Force [[order of battle]] indicates these units were mainly in combat during ''Blau'', pp. 49–50.}}

By 5&nbsp;July, forward elements of Fourth Panzer Army had reached the [[Don River (Russia)|Don River]] near Voronezh and became embroiled in the [[Battle of Voronezh (1942)|battle to capture the city]]. Stalin and the Soviet command still expected the main German thrust in the north against Moscow, and believed the Germans would turn north after Voronezh to threaten the capital.<ref name=A40/> As a result, the Soviets rushed reinforcements into the town to hold it at all costs and counterattacked the Germans' northern flank in an effort to cut off the German spearheads. 5th Tank Army, commanded by Major General [[Alexander Liziukov|A.I. Liziukov]], managed to achieve some minor successes when it began its attack on 6&nbsp;July, but was forced back to its starting positions by 15&nbsp;July, losing about half of its tanks in the process.{{sfn|Glantz|House|2009|pp=149–153}} Although the battle was a success, Hitler and [[Fedor von Bock]], commander of Army Group South, argued over the next steps in the operation. The heated debate, and continuing Soviet counterattacks, which tied down Fourth Panzer Army until 13&nbsp;July, caused Hitler to lose his temper and dismiss Bock on 17&nbsp;July. As part of the second phase of the operation, on 9&nbsp;July, Army Group South was split into Army Group A and Army Group B, with Wilhelm List appointed as commander of Army Group A and Army Group B commanded by Maximillian von Weichs.<ref name=A40/>

Only two weeks into the operation, on 11&nbsp;July, the Germans began to suffer logistical difficulties, which slowed the advance. The German Sixth Army was continually delayed by fuel shortages. Eight days later, on 20&nbsp;July, shortages of fuel were still undermining operations, leaving many units unable to execute their orders. The [[23rd Panzer Division]] and [[24th Panzer Division]] both became stranded during the opening phase. Once again, as it had done during the [[Norwegian Campaign]] in April 1940, and ''Barbarossa'' in 1941, the Luftwaffe's [[Junkers Ju 52]] transport fleet flew in supplies to keep the army going. The situation remained difficult with German troops forced to recover fuel from damaged or abandoned vehicles, and in some cases, leave behind tanks and vehicles with heavy fuel consumption to continue their advance. This undermined the strength of the units, which were forced to leave fighting vehicles behind. Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe flew in 200 tons of fuel per day to keep the army supplied.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=142}} Despite this impressive performance in keeping the army mobile, Löhr was replaced by the more impetuous and offensive-minded Richthofen.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=143}}

===Splitting of Army Group South===
[[File:Przeprawa wojsk niemieckich przez Don (2-747).jpg|thumb|right|German motorcycle infantry cross the Don River on a timber bridge, July 1942. Abandoned Soviet vehicles and supplies are seen in the background.]]

Believing that the main Soviet threat had been eliminated, desperately short of oil and needing to meet all the ambitious objectives of Case Blue, Hitler made a series of changes to the plan in ''Führer'' Directive No. 45 on July 23, 1942:
* reorganized Army Group South into two smaller Army Groups, A and B;
* directed [[Army Group A#Eastern Front, 1942|Army Group A]] to advance to the Caucasus and capture the oil fields ([[Operation Edelweiß]]);
* directed [[Army Group B#Eastern Front|Army Group B]] to attack towards the Volga and Stalingrad ([[Operation Fischreiher]]).<ref name=A40/>

There is no evidence Hitler was opposed by, or received complaints from [[Franz Halder]], Chief of the General Staff, or anyone else, about the directive until August 1942. The new directive created enormous logistical difficulties, with Hitler expecting both Army Groups to advance along different routes. Logistics lines were already at breaking point with ammunition and fuel shortages most apparent and it would be impossible to advance using the conservative supply rates he demanded. The divergence of the Army Groups would also open a dangerous gap between the Armies, which could be exploited by the Soviets. The [[Alpini|Italian Alpine Corps]], of the [[Italian Army in the Soviet Union]], did not arrive in the Caucasus Mountains with Army Group A, instead remaining with Sixth Army. Army Group A was expected to operate in mountain terrain with only three mountain divisions and two infantry divisions unsuited to the task.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|pp=147, 149}}

The splitting of Army Group South enabled the launching of Operation Edelweiss and Operation Fischreiher, the two main thrusts of the Army Groups. Both groups had to achieve their objectives simultaneously, instead of consecutively.<ref name=A40/> The success of the initial advance was such that Hitler ordered the Fourth Panzer Army south to assist the First Panzer Army to cross the lower Don river.<ref name=G119>{{harvnb|Glantz|1995|p=119}}.</ref> This assistance was not needed and Kleist later complained that Fourth Panzer Army clogged the roads and that if they had carried on toward Stalingrad, they could have taken it in July. When it turned north again two weeks later, the Soviets had gathered enough forces together at Stalingrad to check its advance.{{sfn|Liddell Hart|1948|pp=204–205}}

===Army Group A: Caucasus===

====Breaking into the Caucasus====
{{main|Battle of the Caucasus}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-217-0494-34, Russland-Süd, Schützenpanzer.jpg|thumb|left|German troops and a [[Sd.Kfz. 251]] armored half-track on the Russian steppe, August 1942]]
With air support from the Ju 87s of ''[[Sturzkampfgeschwader 77]]'', List's Army Group A recaptured Rostov, the "gate to the Caucasus", on 23 July 1942 relatively easily.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=145}} The ''Luftwaffe'' had air superiority in the early phase of the operation, which was of great help to the ground forces.{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=67}} With the Don crossing secured and Sixth Army's advance flagging on the Volga front, Hitler transferred the Fourth Panzer Army to Army Group B and sent it back to the Volga.{{sfn|Antill|2007|p=41}} The redeployment used enormous amounts of fuel to transfer the army by air and road.<ref name=H156>{{harvnb|Hayward|2001|p=156}}.</ref>

After crossing the Don on 25 July, Army Group A fanned out on a {{convert|200|km|abbr=on}} front from the [[Sea of Azov]] to Zymlianskaya (today Zymlyansk).{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=152}} The German Seventeenth Army, along with elements of the Eleventh Army and the Romanian Third Army, manoeuvred west towards the east coast of the Black Sea, while the First Panzer Army attacked to the south-east. The Seventeenth Army made a slow advance but the First Panzer Army had freedom of action. On 29 July the Germans cut the last direct railway between central Russia and the Caucasus, causing considerable panic to Stalin and Stavka, which led to the passing of [[Order No. 227]] "Not a step back!".<ref name="Glantz 1995, p. 121">{{harvnb|Glantz|1995|p=121}}.</ref> [[Salsk]] was captured on 31 July and [[Stavropol]] on 5 August.<ref name=A49/> Although the army group made a quick advance, by 3 August the vanguard comprised only light mobile forces and most of the tanks lagged behind, due to lack of fuel and supply breakdowns, despite the efforts of 4th Air Corps, which flew in supplies around the clock.<ref name=H156/>

On 9 August, the First Panzer Army reached Maikop in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains, having advanced more than {{Convert|480|km|mi|sp=us}} in fewer than two weeks. The western oil fields near Maikop were seized in a commando operation from 8–9 August, but the oil fields had been sufficiently destroyed by the Red Army to take about a year to be repaired. Shortly afterwards [[Pyatigorsk]] was taken.<ref name=A49/> On 12&nbsp;August, [[Krasnodar]] was captured and German mountain troops hoisted the Nazi flag on the highest mountain of the Caucasus, [[Mount Elbrus]].<ref name=A39>{{harvnb|Antill|2007|p=39}}</ref>

The length of the German advance created chronic supply difficulties, particularly of petrol; the Black Sea was judged too dangerous and fuel was brought by rail through Rostov or delivered by air, but panzer divisions were sometimes at a standstill for weeks. Even petrol trucks ran out of fuel and oil had to be brought up on camels.{{sfn|Liddell Hart|1948|pp=201–203}} With the Soviets often retreating instead of fighting, the number of prisoners fell short of expectations and only 83,000 were taken.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=147}} As Hitler and OKH began to concentrate on Stalingrad, some of Kleist's mobile forces were diverted. Kleist lost his flak corps and most of the ''Luftwaffe'' supporting the southern front, only reconnaissance aircraft being left behind. The [[Soviet Air Forces|Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily]] (VVS) brought in about 800 bombers, a third of which were operational. With the transfer of air cover and flak units, Soviet bombers were free to harass the German advance.{{sfn|Liddell Hart|1948|p=202}} The quality of the Soviet resistance increased, with many of the forces used coming from local levies, who Kleist thought were willing to fight harder for their homeland.{{sfn|Liddell Hart|1948|p=202}} German units were especially bogged down by fighting Georgian alpine and mountain troops, who greatly contributed to stalling their advance.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Battle of Caucasus: Case for Georgian Alpinists|last=Javrishvili|first=K.|year=2017}}</ref> The quantity of replacements and supplies the Soviets committed increased, and faced with these difficulties, the Axis advance slowed after 28 August.<ref name=A49/>{{sfn|Glantz|1995|p=120}}<ref name="Glantz 1995, p. 122">{{harvnb|Glantz|1995|p=122}}.</ref>

====Battle for the oilfields====
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-031-2417-09, Russland, Kaukasus, Gebirgsjäger.jpg|thumb|German ''Gebirgsjäger'' in the Caucasus]]

In the south-east, the ''Wehrmacht'' headed in the direction of Grozny and [[Baku]], the other important petroleum centers. More installations and industrial centers fell into German hands, many intact or only slightly damaged during the [[Russia]]n retreat. From August–September, the [[Taman Peninsula]] and a part of the [[Novorossiysk]] naval base were captured.{{sfn|Antill|2007|pp=13–14}} The Germans continued towards [[Tuapse]] on the Black Sea coast and in the east [[Elista]] was taken on 13 August.{{sfn|Schramm|1963|p=583}} In the south, the German advance was stopped north of Grozny, after taking [[Mozdok, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania|Mozdok]] on 25 August.{{sfn|Schramm|1963|p=639}} German paratroopers assisted an [[1940–1944 insurgency in Chechnya#German support|insurgency in Chechnya]], operating behind Soviet lines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/bilder_dokumente/00863/index-17.html.de |title='Die Brandenburger' Kommandotruppe und Frontverband |last1=German Federal Archives |language=de |publisher=German Federal Archives |access-date=13 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110212057/http://www.bundesarchiv.de/oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/bilder_dokumente/00863/index-17.html.de |archive-date=10 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> German mountain troops failed to secure the Black Sea ports and the advance fell short of Grozny as supply difficulties arose once more. The Soviets dug in the 9th and 44th armies of the North Transcaucasian Front along the rocky [[Terek River]] bank in front (north) of the city. The ''Luftwaffe'' was unable to support the [[Nazi Germany|German]] army that far forward and Soviet aviation attacked bridges and supply routes virtually unopposed. The Germans crossed the river on 2 September but made only slow progress.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=167}} At the beginning of September, Hitler had a major argument with the High Command and specifically List, as he perceived the advance of the German forces as too slow. As a result, Hitler dismissed List on 9 September and took direct command of Army Group A himself.{{sfn|Wegner|1990|pp=942–953}}

Axis ships transported 30,605 men, 13,254 horses and 6,265 motor vehicles across the Black Sea from Romania, from 1–2 September. With the reinforcements, the Germans captured most of the Black Sea naval bases but were held up at Novorossiysk, where the Soviet 47th Army had prepared for a long siege.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=169}} The port fell on 10 September, after a four-day battle, the final German victory in the Caucasus. It left the heights south of the port and several coast roads in the hands of 47th Soviet Army. Attempts to push out of Novorossiysk were costly failures and the Axis also failed to break the defences on the coastal plain from Novorossiysk to Tuapse, having only the strength to stabilize the line. Romanian Army losses were particularly high and the Romanian 3rd Mountain Division was nearly wiped out by a Soviet counter-attack from 25–26 September.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=170}}

Further east, the Axis enjoyed greater success and on 1 September, the Germans took {{interlanguage link|Khulkhuta|ru|Хулхута}} (Хулхута́), halfway between Elista and [[Astrakhan]].{{sfn|Schramm|1963|p=667}} During August and September, German patrols raided the railway around [[Kizlyar]], north-east of Grozny, marking the farthest advance of the German forces towards the Caspian Sea.{{sfn|Schramm|1963|pp=639, 671}} In the south, the First Panzer Army advance on Grozny was stopped by the Red Army and the [[14th Air Army]]. By late September, supply failures and the resistance of the Red Army slowed the Axis advance.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=171}} The Germans took Nakchik on 26 October.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1970-033-04, Russland, Kaukasus, Gebirgsjäger.jpg|thumb|German ''[[Gebirgsjäger]]'' operating a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun in the Central Caucasus near [[Teberda]], September 1942]]
On 2 November 1942, Romanian mountain troops (''[[Vânători de munte]]'') under the command of Brigadier General [[Ioan Dumitrache]] took [[Nalchik]], the capital of [[Kabardino-Balkaria]] and also the farthest point of Axis advance into the Caucasus. This victory earned the Romanian General the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wm_YDAAAQBAJ&q=dumitrache&pg=PA1422 Spencer C. Tucker, ''World War II: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection (5 volumes)'', ABC-CLIO, 2016, p. 1422]</ref> Up to 10,000 prisoners were captured in two days, before the advance toward Grozny was stopped again west of the city at [[Vladikavkaz]].{{sfn|Schramm|1963|p=65}}{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=174}} On 5 November, Alagir was seized and the [[Alagir]]–[[Beslan]]–[[Malgobek]] line reached became the farthest German advance in the south.<ref name=rosite>{{cite web |last1=Pusca |first1=Dragos |last2=Nitu |first2=Victor |title=WorldWar2.ro&nbsp;– Romanian Armed Forces in the Second World War&nbsp;– The 3rd Army in the Caucasus – 1942 |url=http://www.worldwar2.ro/operatii/index.php?article=11 |access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=January 2021}}{{sfn|Schramm|1963|pp=719–723}} By this time, the gap between Army Groups A and B had left them vulnerable to a counter-offensive. Only the [[German 16th Motorized Infantry Division]] remained inside the gap, guarding the left flank of the First Panzer Army by securing the road towards Astrakhan.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=172}} On 22 November, after several Soviet counter-attacks, Hitler appointed Kleist as Group commander with orders to hold his position and prepare to resume the offensive if [[Stalingrad]] could be taken.<ref name=rosite/>{{self-published inline|date=January 2021}}

====Luftwaffe oil offensive====
In the first week of October 1942, Hitler came to recognize that the capture of the Caucasus oil fields was unlikely before winter, which forced the Germans to take up defensive positions. Unable to capture them, he was determined to deny them to the enemy and ordered the ''[[Oberkommando der Luftwaffe]]'' (OKL) to inflict as much damage as possible.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|p=179}}

On 8&nbsp;October, Hitler called for the air offensive to be carried out no later than 14&nbsp;October, as he required air assets for a major effort at Stalingrad.{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=84}} As a result, on 10&nbsp;October 1942, ''Fliegerkorps'' IV of ''Luftflotte'' 4 (4th Air Corps of Fourth Air Fleet) was ordered to send every available bomber against the oilfields at Grozny. Fourth Air Fleet was in poor shape by this time – Richthofen had begun Case Blue with 323 serviceable bombers out of a total of 480. He was now down to 232, of which only 129 were combat ready. Nevertheless, the force could still deliver damaging blows. Attacks on the refineries reminded Richthofen of the attacks on Sevastopol several months earlier. Thick black smoke rose from the refineries to a height of {{cvt|5500|m}}. On 12&nbsp;October, further raids caused even more destruction. It had been a strategic mistake not to have made greater efforts to hit the oil refineries at Grozny and Baku sooner, as their destruction would have been a greater blow to the Soviets than the loss of Stalingrad, where most of the air fleet was deployed. On&nbsp;19 November, the Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad compelled Richthofen to once more withdraw his units north to the Volga and bring an end to the aerial offensive.{{sfn|Hayward|2001|pp=179–180}}

Much damage was done at Grozny, but the remaining oilfields were beyond the logistical reach of the German Army as well as of the fighter aircraft of the Luftwaffe. Grozny was within range of German bombers from 4th Air Corps, based near the Terek River. But Grozny and the captured oilfields at Maikop produced only ten per cent of Soviet oil. The main fields at Baku were out of German fighter range. German bombers could have reached them, but it meant flying the most direct, thus most predictable route without protection. In August it may have been possible to carry out these operations owing to the weakness of Soviet air power in the region, but by October it had been considerably strengthened.{{sfn|Hayward|1995|pp=94–135}}

===Army Group B: Volga===

====Don bend====
{{Further|Battle of Kalach|Bombing of Stalingrad}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-218-0510-22, Russland-Süd, Panzersoldat.jpg|thumb|Advance towards Stalingrad at the Don]]

On 23 July, the main body of Army Group B started its advance toward the Don. The Germans met with increasing Soviet resistance from the new Stalingrad Front, with the [[62nd Army (Soviet Union)|62nd]] and [[7th Guards Army|64th]] Soviet Armies. On 26 July, [[XIV Panzer Corps]] broke through and reached the Don, where the new [[1st Guards Tank Army (Soviet Union)|First]] and [[20th Guards Army|Fourth]] Tank Armies conducted several futile counter-attacks by inexperienced troops.<ref name="Glantz 1995, p. 121"/> In the south, Fourth Panzer Army made better progress against [[51st Army (Russia)|51st Army]]. After crossing the Don, the Germans advanced on [[Kotelnikovo, Volgograd Oblast|Kotelnikovo]], reaching the town by 2 August. Soviet resistance convinced Paulus that Sixth Army was not strong enough to cross the Don by itself, so he waited for Fourth Panzer Army to fight its way north.{{sfn|Antill|2007|pp=44–45}} On 4 August, the Germans were still {{Convert|97|km|abbr=on}} from Stalingrad.{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=62}}

By 10 August, the Red Army had been cleared from most of the west bank of the Don, but Soviet resistance continued in some areas, further delaying Army Group B. The ''Wehrmacht'' advance on Stalingrad was also impeded by supply shortages caused by the poor state of Soviet roads. The ''Luftwaffe'' sent an ad-hoc force of 300 Ju 52 transport aircraft, enabling the Germans to advance; some bombers were diverted from operations to supply flights under the ''Stalingrad Transport Region force''.{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=62}} The Soviet defence at the Don forced the Germans to commit more and more troops to an increasingly vulnerable front, leaving few reserves to back up the Axis divisions on either flank.{{sfn|Antill|2007|p=49}} The Soviets made several counter-attacks on the northern flank of Army Group B, between Stalingrad and Voronezh. From 20–28 August, the [[63rd Army (Soviet Union)|63rd Army]] and the [[21st Army (Soviet Union)|21st Army]] counter-attacked near [[Serafimovich (town)|Serafimovich]], forcing the Italian Eighth Army to fall back. The [[1st Guards Army (Soviet Union)|1st Guards Army]] attacked near [[Novo-Grigoryevskaja]], extending its bridgehead. These and several other bridgeheads across the Don, opposed by the Eighth Italian and Second Hungarian armies, were a constant danger.<ref name="Glantz 1995, p. 122"/>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J20510, Russland, Kampf um Stalingrad, Luftangriff crop.jpg|thumb| A [[Junkers Ju 87|Ju 87 ''Stuka'']] dive bomber over Stalingrad]]

On 23 August, Sixth Army crossed the Don and Army Group B established a defensive line on one of its bends.<ref name="Glantz 1995, p. 122"/> Sixth Army reached the northern suburbs of Stalingrad later that day, beginning the [[Battle of Stalingrad]]. The Hungarian, Italian and Romanian armies were {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}} from Stalingrad, which was in range of forward air bases. [[Luftflotte 4|''Luftflotte'' 4]] attacked the city, turning much of it to rubble.{{sfn|Beevor|1999|p=106}} The Soviets reported that civilian casualties from 23–26 August were 955 dead and 1,181 wounded (a preliminary total; later reports of casualties in the tens of thousands were probably exaggerations).{{sfn|Bergström|2007|p=73}}

Sixth Army advanced from the north via [[Kalach-na-Donu|Kalach]] and Fourth Panzer Army came up from the south through Kotelnikovo. In the first few days, the XIV Panzer Corps opened a corridor between the main body of Sixth Army and the northern Stalingrad suburbs at the Volga. In the south, Soviet resistance repulsed the Fourth Panzer Army. On 29 August another attempt was made with Hoth turning his forces west directly through the center of 64th Army. The attack was unexpectedly successful and Fourth Panzer Army got behind 62nd and 64th Armies with the chance to encircle and cut off 62nd Army. Weichs ordered Sixth Army to complete the encirclement; a Soviet counter-attack held up the advance for three days and the Soviets escaped and retreated towards Stalingrad.{{sfn|Antill|2007|pp=45–51}} The rapid German advance caused a slump in morale among the Soviet troops, who retreated in chaos, abandoning the outer defences of the city.{{sfn|Beevor|1999|pp=115–118}} After defeating the last Soviet counterattacks, Sixth Army resumed its offensive on 2 September, linking up with Fourth Panzer Army the following day. On 12 September, the Germans entered Stalingrad.{{sfn|Antill|2007|p=55}}

====Battle of Stalingrad====
{{main|Battle of Stalingrad}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-617-2571-04, Stalingrad, Soldaten beim Häuserkampf.jpg|thumb|Street fighting in the destroyed city]]
The advance into Stalingrad against the 62nd Army was carried out by Sixth Army, while Fourth Panzer Army secured the southern flank. The city was a {{convert|24|km|abbr=on}} ribbon along the west bank of the Volga, which forced the Germans to conduct a frontal assault, and the ruins of the city gave the defenders an advantage. To counter ''Luftwaffe'' air superiority, the commander of the 62nd Army, General [[Vasily Chuikov]], ordered his troops to "hug" the Germans, negating German tactical mobility. The ''Luftwaffe'' suppressed Soviet artillery on the east bank of the Volga and caused many casualties during Soviet attempts to reinforce the defenders on the west bank. From mid-September until early November the Germans made three big attacks on the city and ground forward in mutually-costly fighting. By mid-November, the Soviets were penned into four shallow bridgeheads, with the front line only {{convert|180|m|yd|abbr=on}} from the river. Anticipating victory, substantial numbers of ''Luftwaffe'' aircraft were withdrawn to the Mediterranean in early November to support the Axis operations in [[Tunisia Campaign|Tunisia]]. Sixth Army had captured about 90 percent of the city.{{sfn|Antill|2007|pp=51–67}}{{sfn|Glantz|1995|pp=122–123, 149}}

On 19 November, the Soviets launched [[Operation Uranus]], a two-pronged counter-offensive against the flanks of Sixth Army. With the battle for the city and the exhaustion of Fourth Panzer Army, the flanks were mainly guarded by Romanian, Hungarian and Italian soldiers. Third Romanian Army, on the Don River west of Stalingrad, and Fourth Romanian Army, south-east of Stalingrad, had been under constant Soviet attack since September. Third Romanian Army had been transferred from the Caucasus on 10 September to take over Italian positions on the Don, opposite the Soviet bridgeheads. The Romanians were understrength and had only around six [[7.5 cm Pak 97/38|modern anti-tank guns]] per division. The bulk of the German tank reserve, the [[48th Panzer Corps]], consisted of about 180 tanks, half being obsolete [[Panzer 35(t)]]s.{{sfn|Axworthy|Scafes|Craciunoiu|1995|pp=85–89}} The two Romanian armies were routed and Sixth Army with parts of Fourth Panzer Army were encircled in Stalingrad.{{sfn|Antill|2007|pp=73–75}}

Hitler ordered Sixth Army to remain on the defensive, rather than try to break out. It was intended the army would be supplied by air, but the quantity of supplies necessary was far beyond the ability of the ''Luftwaffe'' to carry. Sixth Army's strength diminished and the Soviets gained the upper hand inside the city.{{sfn|Glantz|1995|p=134}} To stabilize the situation on the Eastern Front, [[Army Group Don]] (''Heeresgruppe Don'') under Field Marshal [[Erich von Manstein]] was created to fill the gap between Army Groups A and B.{{sfn|Nipe|2000|p=15}} On 12 December, a relief operation called [[Operation Winter Storm]] was launched from the South by fresh reinforcements of the 4th Panzer Army. The offensive surprised the Soviets and the Germans were able to penetrate the Soviet line for {{convert|50|km|abbr=on}} towards Stalingrad. Despite these gains, the Sixth Army was not allowed to attempt to break out and link up, so this led to nothing.{{sfn|Glantz|1995|pp=140–141}} The failure was followed by a siege that lasted for almost two months, during which the Sixth Army was destroyed.{{sfn|Antill|2007|p=78}}