- Hello, I'm James Holland
and I'm a historian of the second World War. History Hit is a bit like Netflix, but purely for history. We've got hundreds of hours
of historical documentaries going all the way back to classical times, right through to the Cold War and beyond. Use the word 'warstories,' all one word, for a massive discount when you join up. (suspenseful music) - [Narrator] Russia in
the late summer of 1942 was poised on the edge of an abyss. German troops had swept
across the Russian step in a seemingly unstoppable wave
of technologically advanced tanks, war planes, and highly
trained and equipped soldiers. German motivation was strong, as Hitler had convinced
his men that the Russians had been ready to strike into Germany. Operation Barbararossa,
the invasion of Russia, was therefore regarded
by the Vermar soldiers as a preemptive strike to
protect the fatherland, a European crusade against Bolshevism. Moscow and Leningrad were
in danger of being crushed by the German armies in a lethal embrace. But these towns were simply the prelude to battlefield glory. Hitler soon became
anxious to claim his most prestigious objective, the
town that bore Stalin's name, which would soon be within the
aim of the German tank sites. In disbelief and fear,
the world watched another blitzkrieg campaign unfold, This time to consume the
vast Russian hinterland with apparent ease. As the great war machine
sped eastwards towards the River Vulgar and town of Stalingrad, who could possibly imagine
that the town would become synonymous with unspeakable misery, brutality and violence on
a scale never envisaged, even under the tyranny
of Hitler and Stalin. But appearances were deceptive
and all was not proceeding as planned during Operation Blue, the advanced towards the Corus oil fields. Access to these oil fields
was vital to enable Hitler to continue reaching out for
total domination of Europe, as Germany did not possess
sufficient reserves to prosecute a modern war on the immense
scale that Hitler planned in his yearning for Liam's home. The army that had sped over
Russian territory was so vast that it had initially been
divided into three army groups, north center and south Two
subgroups then evolved army group a and army group B. It was army group B that was
to press towards Stalingrad and bring Hitler. The
symbolic defeat of Stalin. That meant more to him than
that lives of 350,000 men. Two principle German formations
had been designated the task of capturing the city, the sixth army and the fourth Panzer army. The sixth army was a highly
efficient fighting force commanded by a man whose name
carries a legacy of to this day. Many years after his death General Fri Powerless had been promoted to
the command of the sixth army by the unexpected death of general, Al his preed Sesar killed in
an air crash on his way to Berlin. A very good staff officer
powerless lacked experience in the field. He had never even commanded a division, let alone a huge organization
such as the sixth army, But for the seeming
invincibility at German forces. And Hitler's expectation that
the thrust eastwards would prove the easy superiority
of German forces over the subhuman Soviets. He would not have been a
likely choice for the command. Nonetheless, the man who was to lead the
sixth army into the furnace that Stalingrad launched his new
command with a victory over the Soviets near the river,
Dawn Confidence was high, but as usual, the pace of advance was too
slow for the fear of act. Despite launching the
invasion of Russia with almost 4 million men under arms, despite huge numbers of
Russian prisoners and captured weapons, the German forces were being
dangerously stretched by the enormous distances they needed to travel. Supply lines began to fail. So that reserves of oil
and spare parts dropped to worryingly low levels. The momentum of the German
camp pain began to falter Troops from Romania, Hungary, and Italy proved to be points
of weakness in the German front lines. The Romanians, especially fighting in a war
in which they had no interest were blamed for many of the
problems that engulfed the soldiers at Stalingrad Lacking the training and
equipment of their German allies. These unfortunate men
were cruelly, beaten, even hanged by their officer
for disciplinary failings. It is no wonder that their
defense has collapsed easily in the face of terrifying Russian onslaughts. In the opinion of field Marshall fund hu, they were completely unprepared
for warfare on the Eastern front Are worse. However, were the problems caused by
the fuel's military inadequacy already beginning to manifest themselves. Now that difficult decisions
needed to be taken. And those ever more frequently
Hitler repeatedly changed his mind lost in designing grandiose plan. He had failed to attend to the
essential practicalities of large scale war. His failings were circling
like vultures over the entire Russian enterprise, Impatient to get to the
oil fields of the CORs. He now made a fatal mistake. He decided to split the
forces advancing Eastwood on Stalingrad into two entities Holtz. Fourth Panzer army was siphoned off to hasten the push to the south. He then withdrew the 40th
Panzer core from the sixth army, leaving them to press
on alone to the vulgar. As a result, the advance was transformed
into a slow frontal assault. Increasing Soviet counter
attacks began to bite into the speed of the advance Field. Marshall fund B was angrily
frustrated at such a dangerous watering down of forces and
was dealt with in the same peremptory fashion as were
all critics of the leadership, Hitler dismissed him and
continued to frustrate his commanders through his Medling To the Russian defenders in
the middle of July. However, the German onslaught still
looked like plea to hit the city of Stalingrad at any
time in the near future. By the 24th RO off on the river, Dawn had fallen the German
tanks and a Julen Hitler was unaware that he was about to
send his troops into one of the worst and most bloody nightmares
that the Eastern front had to of His refusal to listen to anyone. But himself was to turn Stalingrad
into a self replenishing graveyard, tragically renowned for heroic
endurance and pit savagery Towards the end of July in stifling, temperatures of 53 degrees
and choking dust clouds, fun powerless, and the German sixth army
were steadily approaching the river Dawn west of starting grad and, and Stalin nervously realized
that a showdown was imminent. The Soviet forces retreating
before the sixth army were facing disintegration. If powerless were to
reach the vulgar force, the country would be split
into Hitler would have reached his goal. Stalin issued his notorious
order. Number 2 27, often referred to as not one step back, anyone who surrendered was
now labeled a trait to the motherland and special
detachments were formed who would follow the initial line of
attacking troops and combat cowardice and desertion by
shooting any soldiers who showed signs of hesitating. But there were very few
Russian survivors of the German offensives with which
Hoffins Shooks overhead. Some troops such as the
13,000 men of the 181st rifle division were wiped out
by the German advance. Only 105 escaped back
across the river. Dawn, As the situation became
more desperate for Stalin, a man who was to, to
become a legend in Russia, arrived at the Stalingrad
front headquarters. On the 16th of July,
his name was VLY Coff. One of the most ruthless of a
new breed of Soviet commander, determined to avenge and
reverse the red arm is humiliations. His 64th army was now to
bear the brunt of the German advance, which by mid-July was embroiled
in terrifying battles with the red army message Schmidt
one oh nines to through the skies engaged in vicious dog
fights with the Soviet star fighter pilots. Now beginning to gain respect
on both sides for their schools on the ground. The German tanks had made a
similar experience with the realization that the Russian T
34 was virtually impenetrable from a distance. Their weakness was more
human and technical. It lay in the appalling lack
of tactical ability displayed by commanders a and to chew
cost dismay the total failure of the tank and aviation arms
to coordinate their efforts. Soon, general F toin was noting that
Russian forces were pouring towards Stalingrad from all directions. And whilst the German soldiers, their morale beginning to
waiver in the face of increased casualties from the red army
assaults looked forward to reaching the town and
catching up on their leave. The moment of no return was
fast approaching Hitler. She owes this moment to once again, reverse his orders to
the fourth Panzer army and sent them back towards Stalingrad. It was too late for such a
futile gesture by weakening the initial attack. Hitler had allowed the Soviet
forces to stave off the final assault on Stalingrad just
long enough to organize its defenses On August. The 21st general font side
sent his men across the river. Dawn, Nothing now laid between them
and the city on the vulgar except open step At Dawn on the 22nd, they began their historic At this vital stage in the operation. Powerless took one of the most
controversial decisions that was made during the
entire invasion of Russia. He halted the advance of the
sixth army in order to regroup, Whilst powerless is
troops were stationary. The Russians were also regrouping. Stalin had appointed Marshall
Zoff as deputy Supreme commander with absolute control
of Stalingrad operations. His Mercs command had saved
Len grad during the first siege winter. Now he was to do the same for Stalingrad Army group B headquarters were
urging powerless to move on, but when he did so his
advantage had been squandered. The red army defenders had
escaped the sweeping German P attack out on the step and
were now inside the city. August the 23rd was the day
that Stalingrads nightmare exploded into bloody reality. Li H commander of the fourth
air fleet was in the sky. Once more, this time with some 1,200 lift
buffer aircraft squadrons of junkers 88 and Hele one 11
bombers supported by Shooks lifted into the warm air and
closed together into waves. As they headed towards
Stalin ground In the city, the air raid warning screeched
anti-aircraft batteries opened up and with people
scrambling for cover rich Turin's planes began their attack. They delivered a neverending
blanket of bombs into the terrified inhabitants of the city. Nothing, and no one was spared. The ceaseless bombing over
Stalingrad killed more than 40,000. During the first
week on the ground, the swift pants advance had
thrown the red army troops into chaos. Nonetheless, the ferocious Soviet resistance
had managed to stagger parts of the German attack and
Russian artillery continued to exact a steady toll of German armor. Despite linking up with
the fourth Panzer army at the beginning of September problems in the
sick XMI that Hitler had chosen to ignore now began to intensify. What no one foresaw once Hitler
had ordered a full scale of salt on staling grad was that the bombing, which had seemed so impressive
during the previous weeks had caused a major problem In, in the desert of rubble littering, the streets and open spaces
that had once been the city of which its inhabitants were so proud. No tank could pass unseen, no storm assault could now take place. The Germans had discarded
their advantage of blitz Creek war. Once the German forces entered
at the town Mercer street fighting was the only option left Frustrated at the lack of
progress towards the CORs in the south, Hitler became ever more
determined to take Stalingrad, whatever the cost Stalin was
equally determined to hold it. Whatever lost general CKO
understood the implications of his command perfectly Hold the
city or die in the tent Here, especially in the north, they were confronted with
fierce resistance and the first doubts that the rush forces were all, but crushed began to arise. The intense bombing had done
nothing to break the Russian's will to resist, even though they were pinned
back against the vulgar as German troops closed in from all sides. As the Germans pressed on into the city, the fighting had already taken
on the horrific pattern for which staling grad became notorious. The factories and landmarks
became the focal points for bloody hand to hand fighting
names that now have dreadful associations with pitless
assaults, death and destruction. The red October steel
works, the tractor factory, the railway stations,
the Laure chemical plant, the uni mag department store. The main station changed
hands 15 times in five days. The ground was churned by shells
that covered and uncovered mangled corpses in a grizzly
spectacle reminiscent of the trenches of world war I, The fighting began to
close in on itself battles, taking place for a single room
for control of a flight of stairs for the corner of a
building, a shell crater, the rats war had begun and the
Germans so confident a week before were now submerged in
a hell of their own making Men were pitched into hand to hand
fighting often taking each other to death simultaneously
with bare nets. Their Corps is then disintegrating
in the artillery and bombing raids that went on around them. Pilots could hardly tell who
was friend and who was faux in the chaos beneath them. Juko had ordered that his front
lines should never be more than 50 yards from the Germans
with the consequence that the German artillery shelled
its own front lines, Russian snipers were also
an ever present minister. The incautious for the ruin
city provided a wealth of excellent hideouts. Although general Rodin se
took great pride in the marksmanship of his soldiers, claiming that each guardsman
shot like a sniper. It is the name of Vaseline
Sighte that is inextricably linked with Stalingrad, where he became the most
famous sniper of his day, But a famous dual between CF
and an SS major appears to have been Russian propaganda. No SS units were deployed
during the battle at Stalingrad Deprived of food, and also fresh water since
the destruction of the water pumping station in all August, the suffering of the civilians
who remained in the city, children amongst them was
intense Russian snipers shot without mercy, any children who for a crust
of bread attempted to fill water bottles for German
soldiers or retrieve the German corpses For their part, the Germans shot. Anyone found trying to get
grain from the burned out grain elevator. As September gave way to October
German attacks intensified still further and helped to
increase enemy occupation of the city to 70%. The Russians crushed up against
the banks of the vulgar were holding on desperately fighting
for every inch of ground. The infamous Kaia rocket launches
were still operating from the east bank of the vulgar hurling, their Salvos of five foot long
rockets into the German lines From the west bank. The ma Soviet artillery continued
to hammer the German lines of communication and directed
ferocious bombardments into any troops that appeared to
be gathering for an attack Russian commanders. However soon realized that
the machine gun and the hand grenade were the most essential
weapons in the nightmare world that Stalingrad had become. But without the inspirational, if ruthless example of
Coff commanding from the, of the fighting keeping hopes alive, when all seemed lost The story
of Stalingrad and therefore the entire Eastern front may
have been very different. The fair is brought just
enough food and ammunition to continue the defense of the city. But as the October days passed, the fate of the Russians
seemed to be inescapable. German troops had smashed
forward as a consequence of repeated the sorts and moved
to within yards of the river. Their morale had been crushed
and the seminaries behind the lines increased in size daily, but their discipline was exemplary. Stalin and Hitler were exerting
intense pressure on their respective commanders to
call and fund powerless. To end the deadlock at Stalingrad, A sudden hiatus in the fighting
led COF to suspect rightly that a major operation was
being planned by the Germans. It erupted onto the city
on the morning of the 14th of October with the
sky darkened by aircraft, including every available
Strucker from general fund rich H's fourth air fleet Stalingrad was submerged
in artillery, shells, mortars Naval there, rockets and bombs falling in
quantities, never seen before. Tanks moved across the mounds
of rubble firing at point blank range and the fighting
surged in a renewed rampage of killing above and below the
ground of the desecrated city. The left of B was never out of
the air as the stook in never ending relays. It was incomprehensible how
anyone could have survived. And yet the Russians were still
alive in the chaos of mango steel GERDs Rex heaving,
earth and bricks and stilling, every attack, The German troops pressed on
taking ground meter by meter, forcing the Soviets ever
closer to the vulgar. Despite this relentless attrition, October came to an end without
out the fall of Stalingrad and the end of misery November arrived. And with the failure of the
final attack on the red October factory on the first, the offensive broke down through
sheer exhaustion and lack of ammunition, Hitler boasted in his speech
that the city was as good as taken anyway, displaying breathtaking
hypocrisy by pretending that he didn't want a second belt down One day after his speech, the deadly Russian winter
did to engulf the men. The temperature fell to minus
18 degrees and the vulgar began to clog with groaning ice flows. The German army had not expected
that winter would find them static and still fighting
in Russian territory. Whilst the Russians were issued
with woo and great coats, fur hats and felt boots so
that their feet were protected from the snow. The Germans were left with their
summer uniforms and nothing but normal, great coats as protection
against the fierce cold. Neither was their finally
manufactured equipment made to coat with AC conditions. Tanks had to be warmed by
building fires beneath them before they could be started. One of the wisest decisions
Stalin ever made was to place all his military production
facilities behind the euros. Once the German onslaught in
Russia took whole There out of immediate reach of German forces, the industrial factories had
built up their reserves and were now beginning to produce
weapons on the scale necessary to seriously threaten German antagonism. By the end of the year, more than 2002 of tanks were
pouring from the Russian factories parallel to 15,500
planes during the final six months, Hitler's refusal to believe
that Russian factories were outpacing, the Germans
was a lethal handicap. Red army units were reduced to me, handfuls of men defending
the last yards to the petrol factories on the banks
of the vulgar where Coffs headquarters were now perched. The Soviets kept up their
desperate defensive actions with 30 rounds for each rifle and machine gun, and less than 50 grams of bread per day In the wake of heavy
snowfalls came freezing winds unknown to the Germans. The Russians had planned
a massive counter attack. It was to sound the death nail
for the sixth army and with it, the entire thrust of the German
campaign in Southern Russia, the razor edge of the offensive
was to be directed against the frontline positions
around starting grad, which were now nothing more
than a thread held together by remaining Italians and Hungarians
aware of this weakness. The Soviet authorities planned
to take full advantage of the situation with a monumental
counter attack against these German allies. When the red army attack came, the German flanks were under demand. The ambitious plan to gather
forces out on the step at the German flanks was the brainchild
of Zov who at first had to overcome the skepticism of
Stalin To Stalin's credit. Another of his advantages over
Hitler was his willingness to listen to seasoned commanders
and act on their advice. UCAS singleminded ruthless
pursuit of an objective and his exemplary planning and
implementation skills impressed his leader. Stalin was eventually persuade
and agreed to a plan that was to turn imminent defeat for
the red army into a spectacular and uniquely crushing blow for the VE Relentlessly Soviet men, horses and armaments crossed
the vulgar and a cover of night to reinforce the three
prongs of the planned attack. For the first time, the air forces and ground
troops were coordinating in a methodical manner, signals, intelligence and reconnaissance
were working well. And after the fall of snow, white camouflage suits were issued. Raid parties took prisoners for
inter irrigation and despite the postponement of
the attack for 10 days, the Germans were still unaware
of the magnitude of what was about to happen. Soviet secrecy and diversionary
activities had worked better than expected along the whole front. There are no major changes
was the Kurt report from sixth army on the Eve of the battle With the early morning of November, the 19th came the launch
of operation Uranus. The Soviet offensive, An appalling chain of human
agony was unleashed at 5:30 AM, some 3,500 artillery pieces, KA Howards and mortars opened
fire along the sector chosen for the two main Northern thrusts. The snow and mud were churned and smashed. And after one hour as the
bombardment was retargeted at the second row of defensive
lines, rifle divisions, and T 34 tanks appeared
over the frozen step. 1 million Soviets were taking
the fight to the Germans. German Panthers were confronted
by the Soviets advancing out of the darkness whilst their
own tanks suffered electrical failures. And the narrow tracks were
unable to grip on the ice. Here was another disaster in the making The Romanians fought with the
equipment that was available to them, even managing to
repel several Soviet attacks, but inevitably they were
eventually unable to stem the tide Only at 9 45 was sixth army
headquarters informed of the onslaught. The afternoon of the same
day saw Soviet T 30 fours advancing Sowards With snow
and blizzard conditions preventing the lift buffer
from effective bombing runs and darkness setting in at about three 30. The fighting continued in the
dark in chaotic conditions. Yet astoundingly Fon
powerless did not react. This was perhaps his greatest
and most damaging failure as commander of the sixth army
Effective defense against the se attack. Would've required
powerless to disobey the fuel, his orders and this he could
never bring him, have to do. Had he removed men from
Stalingrad to meet the incoming threat. The sixth army may have had a
very different story to tell The fighting in the town was
allowed to continue unabated whilst the Deb bark out
on the step unfolded Not until 10:00 PM that
night was the order given for operations within the town to cease. Although OV had launched large
scale attacks to prevent the Germans from disengaging Hitler's insistence on controlling
all actions had produced a situation that made
swift response, impossible. Fon powerless waited for orders. The results were catastrophic On the 20th. Following the Russian Katusha
bombardments masked waves of Soviet armor and men swept away
the Romanian positions south of Stalingrad All along the line. The Soviets penetrated ever
deeper into German held territory Toiling under a pitiful lack
of accurate information fund powerless and Schmidt
were still optimistic. One day later that reinforcements
could stabilize the situation and consulted with
HT failing to see that a gigantic trap had been set. The Russians were going to
attempt complete and settlement On Sunday, the 22nd, the Russian Vanguard sped across
the step towards each other from the north and
south and joined forces. These scenes were later reenacted
for the Soviet news reels, The speed and intensity
of the attacks stunned. The Germans Stalingrad was encircled. There began a retreat towards
the stricken city unmatched in chaotic horror With barely enough food to
get through a week 300,000 men were slowly being herded together. Although in circle months had
happened before and the men initially thought that
they would be relieved. Many officers were aware that
without sufficient reserves rescue was difficult,
perhaps even unlikely Snow whipped across their faces. As they passed burnt out
vehicles and to cross the Dawn river, Some men attempted to cross
the ice and crashed through the weaker sections to be plunged
to their deaths in the icy water. Those wounded men who could not
walk were left behind in the Exodus, no one dare to
think about their fate. Their chances arrival were N
In reply to a message sent to Hitler from palace. Hitler had radioed a
message back on the 24th. He condemned the army to hold
the front line on the vulgar under all circumstances, and set out the conditions
under which as he called it Stalingrad was to be held Fanaticism and delusion had
completely replaced clear military objectivity
Had action been taken. It was perfectly feasible that
the situation could have been saved during the initial phase. When the Soviet front
line was under demand, it was not to be In scenes
that were soon to be repeated. A thousand fold columns
containing hundreds of German. Prisoners of war walked out
across the snow into captivity. Ragged blankets served as
protection in place of great coats, string, and wire replaced belts. As they were shipped across the river. Russian soldiers remarked
sardonically that now the Germans were at last getting to see the vulgar Hitler finally realized that
his entire Southern Russian front was at risk. He appointed field Marshall
fund Einstein to form a new army group, Don, which included the sixth army
and the units of the fourth Panzer army. Also trapped in the pocket. The lift VA had been given
the task of supplying the shrinking pocket. Hitler had willingly accepted
the impression given by re Marshall Herman girling
that this would be possible. The enormity of the problem
rendered supplying the pocket under the prevailing circumstances
and IM impossibility, the sixth army needed
at least 700 tons a day. Girling, despite advice that 350 tons a
day was the maximum possible. And only for a limited time, then told Hitler that sufficient
supplies could be flown in to maintain the sixth army a
lie that condemned the men to a long drawn out death based
on growing's assessment. Hitler sent his reply on the 24th. The vulgar front was to be held,
whatever the circumstances, Hitler and reality were rapidly
parting company ZKO expected attack to try and relieve the sixth army. And he was right to do so its
code name was operation winter storm. The force assembled for
the attack was inadequate, almost a half hearted attempt
to be seen to do the right thing. Originally conceded as
a two-pronged assault. It was fatally watered down
until the success of the entire operation fell on the fourth Panzer army. This was the main thrust of
the attack supported by the badly shaken Romanian forces
that were still available. Even the 17th Panzer division, which was to support the fourth
Panzer army was delayed from moving into start positions
until four days after the counter attack had begun, but Einstein knew something
had to be done to help. He worked on the assumption
that the mobile elements of the sixth army would follow his
orders to break out of the pocket to the west and link
up with the advancing relief. True. Oops, a corridor
could then be formed, which would enable reinforcement
and supplies to pass through to Stalingrad and
the injured to be taken out 4,000 tons of supplies were
waiting behind the lines. Should the attacks succeed On December the 12th? There was a brief artillery
bombardment before HTS pans started out alone into the
snow towards Stalingrad from the south, Incredibly by the 19th, who thoughts Panthers were
on their way to achieving the impossible they had penetrated
to within 30 miles of the town forcing Soviet
troops to be disengaged, to confront the assault. The fighting escalated
in the pocket itself. The rumors spread like wildfire
hope that had been rushed for so long was rekindled as
the distant sounds of firing confirmed that help was on its way. Grimly. The sixth army fought on now
certain of relief Yet Hitler still refused to allow
fund powers to break out, to meet the oncoming tanks. He was fanatical in a, his insistence that no
German should leave. The city Powerless only had
about 70 tanks and enough fuel to travel 12 miles, not enough to join up with HT
and what have the weakened and starving men on foot, the injured, how could they have walked
into the blizzards over the ice to freedom when they were
hardly able to stand from the effects of frostbite and hunger
as easy prey for the Russian guns. There would've been terrible losses Faced with Hitler and
the overwhelming risk. No one made the decision to
break out the men in side staling grad were lost. Little did H realize that
another dangerous situation had arisen? The Russians had mounted and
offensive from the Northwest of staling grad operation, little sat, which within days had
overrun. The main airfield, the pocket Einstein was aware
on the 19th that the rational assault had crushed. Even the false hope. The relief operation had
engendered fund powerless was never informed of the situation. Horde received an order
on the 23rd of December, he was to withdraw immediately. No reasons were given as the
order was issued to the men and the tanks turned away. Each man knew that their comrades
in stalling grad had been abandoned Yet. Their comrades still fought
and inflicted casualties and tank losses on the Russians in
a feet of incredible tenacity and determination facing
hopeless odds and almost certain death. This is what made the Stalingrad episode. A military legend Red army control was now absolute. The vulgar had finally frozen, solid and transports were possible. Ensuring that food and ammunition
suddenly became available in quantities, only dreamt of until then some
35,000 vehicles crossed over during the next seven weeks
for the German soldiers, the Stalingrad nightmare
became a Savage fight with nature to stay alive. Frost bite turned the
flesh of the hands or feet. Black men began to die
for no apparent reason. None of the doctors dared
report that starvation could be the cause. Rations had been reduced
still further half an ounce of sugar and a couple of
ounces of bread per day. The men were infested with lice, dying from typhus and dysentery
flights into the pocket decreased whilst girling still
maintained to hitless face that supplies were adequate
Hitler's new year message promising a glorious victory. The like of which had never been seen, showed what state his mind was in. Although the war still had
two years to run its course, the men's minds were as numb
as their bodies filled with delusions from lack of sleep
or food and dulled by the, the bitter of cold and the
horrors of bloody death and injury they had seen and endured
the Russians launched what was intended to be the final
assault to clear out the pocket. KATU rocket screamed across
the vulgar waves of red army soldiers streamed towards the
German Fox holes scenes of slaughter took shape out on
the step to the west of the town. As weakened men tried to rescue comrades, and those able to fight could
hardly pull the gun triggers so swollen with their hands, the Russians advanced over
the snow that was strewn with countless skeletal, German corpses. Those that did not die in the
shell fire were shot by RA Russian soldiers thirsty for
advantage yet still they're resisted infecting casualties
of over 26,000 on the Soviet forces of the Don front On
the retreat towards the town. Russian prisoners died as the
Germans forced them to do the work of tow horses. Potto airfield. The chaos
was appalling with bombs. Falling. Men rushed the transport planes, trampling comrades under foot. When Potto Nick fell lines of ragged, frozen men limping their lips
cracked and split dragged their comrades on sleds across
the open icy wastes to ack everywhere. The suffering was
indescribable in its intensity. Death was the only escape
brought by the Russian divisions close on their heels time. And again, Germans fought off sorts only
to find that they had been out flanked. The end was approaching fast When the torn and emaciated
men arrived at Gora. It was even worse than Potto
nothing but death and despair awaited them soon. Even gum
rack fell into Russian hands. Only the selfless courage of
the lift Fafa pilots enabled a few supplies to be dropped to the troops. Now being squeezed towards Stalingrad. The sellers in Stalingrad
were overflowing with sick and injured men that some
estimates put it around 40,000. The pocket had been split into two, forming a Northern and
Southern and settlement. When the Soviets crashed
through into the town, powerless and Schmidt moved
their headquarters to red square in the Southern pocket. Many officers preferred to
commit suicide rather than fall into Russian hands. Others preferred to die fighting
that they would finally be shot. Anyway, Powerless was reported to
be in a deep depression, but still played the hollow game. Sending a message to Hitler on the 29th, the Eve of the anniversary of
the few taking power reporting that the swastika still
flew over. Staling grad, maintaining that ger many
would finally be victorious. It closed with Hile. Next day, powerless was rewarded. He was made a field marshal. The implication was clear. Hitler intended that he should
commit suicide to maintain tense of a symbolic victory. German honor would be held
upright and proud even in death, no German field Marshall
had ever surrendered, Whatever fate might before
his men powerless had no intention of dying On
January the 31st 90 in 43. He surrendered to the
Russians from holes, sellers, and heaps of rubble. The red army soldiers gathered
well over 90,000 diseased and starving men. The remnants of an army that
had thought itself almost invincible, a few short months before In
the no Northern pocket fighting continued into February.
The second, until there two, the firing stopped and peace
returned to the shattered city. The suffering for the captured
men was far from over as their columns trailed
away out into the step. Once more on long marches into captivity, they were still UN certain of
life death that the hands of the Russian soldiers from exhaustion, starvation or cold was
more likely Powerless. Defected. His loyal men were forced to
work in minds and labor camps guarded by Russians who
exacted terrible revenge on the soldiers. Some 90,000 went into captivity
and many were still there. 13 years later, most of them
never earned to their homes. Only an estimated 6,000 men
survived starting grad and the Russian labor camps that
followed two inhuman tyrants had decimated their numbers
without thought or compunction. This was about that exceeded
all concepts of inhumanity. It had not been foreseen
should have been avoided and provided terrible proof of
the corrosive power of an unchecked ego. The carnage of Stalingrad and
the deaths it dragged in its wake will remain forever a
deep stain in human history. (intense music)
