On November 19, 1942, the Soviet counteroffensive began near Stalingrad

On November 19, 1942, the Red Army counteroffensive began at Stalingrad ( Operation Uranus). The Battle of Stalingrad is one of the greatest battles in the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War. The military chronicle of Russia has a huge number of examples of courage and heroism, the valor of soldiers on the battlefield and the strategic skill of Russian commanders. But even in their example, the Battle of Stalingrad stands out.

For 200 days and nights on the banks of the great rivers Don and Volga, and then at the walls of the city on the Volga and directly in Stalingrad itself, this fierce battle continued. The battle took place over a vast area of ​​about 100 thousand square meters. km with a front length of 400 - 850 km. More than 2.1 million soldiers took part in this titanic battle on both sides at different stages of the fighting. In terms of significance, scale and ferocity of hostilities, the Battle of Stalingrad surpassed all previous battles in world history.

This battle includes two stages.

First stage- Stalingrad strategic defensive operation, it lasted from July 17, 1942 to November 18, 1942. At this stage, in turn, we can distinguish: defensive operations on the distant approaches to Stalingrad from July 17 to September 12, 1942 and the defense of the city itself from September 13 to November 18, 1942. There were no long pauses or truces in the battles for the city; battles and skirmishes went on continuously. For the German army, Stalingrad became a kind of “graveyard” for their hopes and aspirations. The city crushed thousands of enemy soldiers and officers. The Germans themselves called the city “hell on earth,” “Red Verdun,” and noted that the Russians were fighting with unprecedented ferocity, fighting to the last man. On the eve of the Soviet counteroffensive, German troops launched the 4th assault on Stalingrad, or rather its ruins. On November 11, 2 tank and 5 infantry divisions were thrown into battle against the 62nd Soviet Army (by this time it consisted of 47 thousand soldiers, about 800 guns and mortars and 19 tanks). By this point, the Soviet army was already divided into three parts. A hail of fire fell on the Russian positions, they were flattened by enemy aircraft, and it seemed as if there was nothing alive there anymore. However, when the German chains went on the attack, Russian riflemen began to mow them down.

German soldier with Soviet PPSh, Stalingrad, spring 1942. (Deutsches Bundesarchiv/German Federal Archive)

By mid-November, the German offensive had run out of steam in all major directions. The enemy was forced to decide to go on the defensive. This completed the defensive part of the Battle of Stalingrad. The Red Army troops solved the main problem by stopping the powerful advance of the Nazis in the Stalingrad direction, creating the preconditions for a retaliatory strike by the Red Army. During the defense of Stalingrad, the enemy suffered heavy losses. The German armed forces lost about 700 thousand people killed and wounded, about 1 thousand tanks and assault guns, 2 thousand guns and mortars, more than 1.4 thousand combat and transport aircraft. Instead of maneuver warfare and rapid advancement, the main enemy forces were drawn into bloody and furious urban battles. The German command's plan for the summer of 1942 was thwarted. On October 14, 1942, the German command decided to transfer the army to strategic defense along the entire Eastern Front. The troops were given the task of holding the front line; offensive operations were planned to continue only in 1943.

Stalingrad in October 1942, Soviet soldiers fight at the Red October plant. (Deutsches Bundesarchiv/German Federal Archive)

Soviet soldiers advance through the ruins of Stalingrad, August 1942. (Georgy Zelma/Waralbum.ru)

It must be said that the Soviet troops also suffered huge losses in personnel and equipment at this time: 644 thousand people (irrecoverable - 324 thousand people, sanitary - 320 thousand people, over 12 thousand guns and mortars, approximately 1400 tanks, more than 2 thousand aircraft.

October 1942. A Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber over Stalingrad. (Deutsches Bundesarchiv/German Federal Archive)

Ruins of Stalingrad, November 5, 1942. (AP Photo)

Second period of the Battle of the Volga- Stalingrad strategic offensive(November 19, 1942 – February 2, 1943). The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command and the General Staff in September-November 1942 developed a plan for the strategic counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad. The development of the plan was led by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky. On November 13, the plan, codenamed "Uranus", was approved by Headquarters under the chairmanship of Joseph Stalin. The Southwestern Front, under the command of Nikolai Vatutin, received the task of delivering deep attacks on enemy forces from bridgeheads on the right bank of the Don from the Serafimovich and Kletskaya areas. The group of the Stalingrad Front under the command of Andrei Eremenko advanced from the Sarpinsky Lakes region. The offensive groups of both fronts were supposed to meet in the Kalach area and take the main enemy forces near Stalingrad into an encirclement ring. At the same time, the troops of these fronts created a ring of external encirclement in order to prevent the Wehrmacht from releasing the Stalingrad group with attacks from the outside. The Don Front, under the leadership of Konstantin Rokossovsky, launched two auxiliary strikes: the first from the Kletskaya area to the southeast, the second from the Kachalinsky area along the left bank of the Don to the south. In the areas of the main attacks, due to the weakening of secondary areas, a 2-2.5-fold superiority in people and a 4-5-fold superiority in artillery and tanks was created. Due to the strictest secrecy of the development of the plan and the secrecy of the concentration of troops, strategic surprise of the counteroffensive was ensured. During defensive battles, the Headquarters was able to create a significant reserve that could be thrown on the offensive. The number of troops in the Stalingrad direction was increased to 1.1 million people, about 15.5 thousand guns and mortars, 1.5 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns, 1.3 thousand aircraft. True, the weakness of this powerful group of Soviet troops was that about 60% of the troops were young recruits who had no combat experience.

The Red Army was opposed by the German 6th Field Army (Friedrich Paulus) and 4th Panzer Army (Herman Hoth), the Romanian 3rd and 4th Armies of Army Group B (commander Maximilian von Weichs), which numbered more than 1 million. soldiers, about 10.3 thousand guns and mortars, 675 tanks and assault guns, more than 1.2 thousand combat aircraft. The most combat-ready German units were concentrated directly in the Stalingrad area, participating in the assault on the city. The flanks of the group were covered by Romanian and Italian divisions, which were weaker in terms of morale and technical equipment. As a result of the concentration of the main forces and means of the army group directly in the Stalingrad area, the defensive line on the flanks did not have sufficient depth and reserves. The Soviet counter-offensive in the Stalingrad area would be a complete surprise for the Germans; the German command was confident that all the main forces of the Red Army were tied up in heavy fighting, were bleeding and did not have the strength and material means for such a large-scale attack.

The advance of German infantry on the outskirts of Stalingrad, late 1942. (NARA)

Autumn 1942, a German soldier hangs the flag of Nazi Germany on a house in the center of Stalingrad. (NARA)

On November 19, 1942, after a powerful 80-minute artillery barrage, Operation Uranus began. Our army launched an offensive with the aim of encircling the enemy in the Stalingrad area. A turning point in the history of the Great Patriotic War and the Second World War was beginning.

At 7 o'clock 30 min. With a salvo of Katyusha rocket launchers, artillery preparation began. The troops of the Southwestern and Don Fronts went on the attack. By the end of the day, the Southwestern Front units advanced 25-35 km; they broke the defenses of the 3rd Romanian Army in two areas: southwest of Serafimovich and in the Kletskaya area. In fact, the 3rd Romanian was defeated, and its remnants were covered from the flanks. On the Don Front the situation was more difficult: Batov’s advancing 65th Army met fierce enemy resistance, by the end of the day it had advanced only 3-5 km and was unable to break through even the enemy’s first line of defense.

Soviet riflemen fire at Germans from behind a pile of rubble during a street battle on the outskirts of Stalingrad, early 1943. (AP Photo)

On November 20, after artillery preparation, units of the Stalingrad Front went on the attack. They broke through the defenses of the 4th Romanian Army and by the end of the day they had covered 20-30 km. The German command received news of the advance of Soviet troops and the breakthrough of the front line on both flanks, but there were virtually no large reserves in Army Group B.

By November 21, the Romanian armies were completely defeated, and the tank corps of the Southwestern Front were uncontrollably rushing towards Kalach.

On November 22, tankers occupied Kalach. Units of the Stalingrad Front were moving towards the mobile formations of the Southwestern Front.

On November 23, formations of the 26th Tank Corps of the Southwestern Front quickly reached the Sovetsky farm and linked up with units of the 4th Mechanized Corps of the Northern Fleet. The 6th field and the main forces of the 4th Tank Army were encircled: 22 divisions and 160 separate units with a total number of about 300 thousand soldiers and officers. The Germans had never experienced such a defeat during World War II. On the same day, in the area of ​​​​the village of Raspopinskaya, the enemy group capitulated - more than 27 thousand Romanian soldiers and officers surrendered. It was a real military disaster. The Germans were stunned, confused, they did not even think that such a catastrophe was possible.

Soviet soldiers in camouflage suits on the roof of a house in Stalingrad, January 1943. (Deutsches Bundesarchiv/German Federal Archive)

On November 30, the operation of Soviet troops to encircle and block the German group in Stalingrad was generally completed. The Red Army created two encirclement rings - external and internal. The total length of the outer ring of the encirclement was about 450 km.

However, Soviet troops were unable to immediately cut through the enemy group in order to complete its liquidation. One of the main reasons for this was the underestimation of the size of the encircled Stalingrad Wehrmacht group - it was assumed that it numbered 80-90 thousand people. In addition, the German command, by reducing the front line, were able to consolidate their battle formations, using the already existing positions of the Red Army for defense (their Soviet troops occupied in the summer of 1942).

German troops pass through a destroyed generator room in the industrial area of ​​Stalingrad, December 28, 1942. (AP Photo)

German troops in devastated Stalingrad, early 1943. (AP Photo)

After the failure of the attempt to release the Stalingrad group by Army Group Don under the command of Manstein - December 12-23, 1942, the encircled German troops were doomed. The organized “air bridge” could not solve the problem of supplying the encircled troops with food, fuel, ammunition, medicine and other means. Hunger, cold and disease decimated Paulus's soldiers.

A horse against the background of the ruins of Stalingrad, December 1942. (AP Photo)

From January 10 to February 2, 1943, the Don Front conducted the offensive Operation Ring, during which the Stalingrad Wehrmacht group was eliminated. The Germans lost 140 thousand soldiers killed, and about 90 thousand more surrendered. This concluded the Battle of Stalingrad.

Ruins of Stalingrad - by the end of the siege, almost nothing remained of the city. Airplane photo, late 1943. (Michael Savin/Waralbum.ru)

Samsonov Alexander

2.1. The beginning of the German offensive and the defense of the country. Early in the morning of June 22, 1941, the aggression of Nazi Germany against the USSR began. The main blow fell on the northwestern, western and southwestern regions of the country. The beginning of the war was extremely unfavorable for the Red Army. In the first three weeks, the Soviet side suffered colossal losses in manpower - 850 thousand people, and in general, as a result of the summer-autumn campaign of 1941, more than 5 million people were killed, wounded and captured. Almost all aircraft and tanks were lost at the border.

Organization of defense. On June 23, 1941, the Headquarters of the High Command headed by the People's Commissar of Defense S. K. Timoshenko(later Headquarters of the Supreme High Command led by J.V. Stalin). June 29, 1941 Martial law was introduced in the country. For operational management of military operations on June 30, 1941, it was created State Defense Committee(GKO), which was also headed by Stalin, who simultaneously took the post of People's Commissar of Defense in July. The State Defense Committee became the main authority in the country, essentially replacing the government, the Central Committee of the party, etc.

The Soviet leadership, including Stalin, managed to overcome the confusion of the first weeks of the war, called the Great Patriotic War. Activities began to organize defense under the slogan “Everything for the front, everything for victory!” On June 30, a military economic plan for the production of all types of weapons and ammunition was approved. The Red Army Food and Clothing Supply Committee, the Evacuation Council (about 2,000 enterprises were evacuated in 1941–1942), and the Main Logistics Directorate under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR were created.

Repression in the army. In the face of defeats by Soviet troops in the country, repressions did not stop: it was necessary to find the perpetrators. On July 16, 1941, the State Defense Committee issued a decree on the arrest and trial of a group of generals led by the commander of the Western Front, Army General D. G. Pavlov, shot

July 22, 1941 Measures were taken to tighten discipline in the army. For this purpose, on August 16, 1941, it was published order No. 270, declaring all those captured as traitors and traitors. In November 1941, a group of generals - teachers of the Military Academy named after. M.V. Frunze, who were accused of defeatist sentiments and “an attempt to surrender Moscow” to the Germans.

Deportations during the initial period of the war were caused by accusations against entire nations of aiding the Nazi invaders. They were subjected to forcible deportation from their territory of primary residence. By a decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces of August 28, 1941, Soviet Germans were evicted beyond the Urals - to Kazakhstan and Siberia - and their autonomy in the Volga region was eliminated. At the very beginning of the war, deportations also affected Poles and Finns.

2.2. Military operations in June – November 1941

Results of the summer offensive of German troops. The offensive of the German troops was carried out simultaneously in three directions: army groups “North”, “Center”, “South” attacked in the direction of Leningrad, Moscow and Kyiv, respectively. German troops advanced 300–600 km deep into Soviet territory. Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus were occupied, Right Bank Ukraine, Moldova. In August, the Germans took Smolensk, in September they blocked Leningrad, occupied Kyiv, and in October Odessa fell.

Resistance to the Red Army. Suffering heavy losses and receiving conflicting orders, Soviet soldiers were able to offer serious resistance to the aggressors. Sometimes pockets of resistance remained far behind the front line, which went east (Brest Fortress and etc.). The losses of the German army in the first months of the war significantly exceeded those that the Wehrmacht suffered in Western Europe in two years.

Operation Typhoon. In the fall of 1941, the main efforts of the Nazi troops were aimed at capturing the Soviet capital. September 30th The Battle of Moscow began. The general offensive was carried out by the German troops of the Center group with attacks from Guderian's tank army in the direction of Orel - Tula - Moscow (Operation Typhoon). The Soviet defenses were broken through, and by October 7, four Soviet armies were surrounded west of Vyazma. The Nazis captured Kalinin, Mozhaisk, Maloyaroslavets. The evacuation began in the capital. October 19 A state of siege was introduced here and panic was observed. In November, the Germans approached Moscow by 30 km. Only at the end of the month, at the cost of enormous efforts and losses to the troops of the Western Front (commander G. K. Zhukov) managed to stop the advance of the Wehrmacht troops.

2.3. December 1941 – April 1942 Winter-spring counter-offensive of Soviet troops. Having stopped the new German offensive on Moscow, which began on November 15, Soviet troops under the command G. K. Zhukova December 5–6, 1941 launched a counteroffensive. 38 German divisions were defeated, the enemy was driven back 100–250 km. The defeat of the Germans near Moscow and the subsequent offensive of the Red Army in December 1941 - March 1942 contributed to the exposure of the myth of the invincibility of the German army. The most important result was the disruption of Hitler's plans for a lightning war.

2.4. Spring – autumn 1942

After the victory near Moscow and the winter campaign, the opportunity arose to stabilize the front and accumulate forces. But in the first half of 1942, in order to consolidate the victory, Stalin demanded to deploy a series of offensive operations (near Kharkov, in Crimea). This next mistake led to heavy defeats and huge losses.

New offensive of the German armies, which began after unsuccessful Soviet operations, developed to the south, which turned out to be unexpected for Stalin. Having occupied Kharkov in May-July 1942, taking possession of the entire Crimea (where the Red Army tried to go on the offensive), German troops again seized the strategic initiative. German troops occupied Donbass and reached the North Caucasus and Volga. On July 17, the defense of Stalingrad began.

This period turned out to be the most difficult for the country and people. Summer 1942 by order of NPO No. 227 (“Not a step back!”) barrage detachments were created, called upon to shoot “alarmists and cowards” on the spot in case of panic and disorderly retreat. After the summer failures of the Red Army and the performances of individual groups of representatives of a number of nationalities of the North Caucasus and the Volga region against Soviet power repressions resumed in the rear. In 1943, after the liquidation of the Karachay Autonomous Okrug, about 70 thousand Karachais were evicted, then the same fate befell the Kalmyks. In 1944, about 40 thousand Balkars and more than 500 thousand Chechens and Ingush were repressed. Crimean Tatars, Soviet Bulgarians, Greeks, and Kurds were also resettled - more than 3.2 million people in total.

2.5. Creation of an anti-Hitler coalition. The aggression of Nazi Germany against the USSR forced England and France, under pressure from the increased threat, to issue statements of support for the just struggle of peoples Soviet Union.

July 12, 1941 In Moscow, a Soviet-British agreement was concluded on joint actions in the war against Germany and its allies, which marked the beginning of the creation of an anti-Hitler coalition. In October 1941, the USSR, England and the USA reached an agreement on Anglo-American supplies of weapons and food to the USSR in exchange for strategic raw materials. In July 1942, it was supplemented by an agreement with the United States on assistance in Lend-Lease(i.e., providing the USSR with weapons, equipment, food on credit).

The United Nations Declaration played a significant role in the development of anti-fascist military-political cooperation

26 states from January 1, 1942 The treaty of alliance with Great Britain signed by the USSR in May 1942 and the agreement with the United States on mutual assistance completed the legal formalization of the allied relations of the three powers. At the same time, the main subject of diplomatic negotiations between the parties, starting in the fall of 1941, remained the issue of opening a second front in Europe (i.e., the direct participation of Great Britain and the United States in military operations against Germany in the central European direction).

Support for the just struggle of the USSR in the world. The German policy of genocide against the Slavs, as well as the Jews, caused deep protest and ardent desire to resist among the entire Soviet people. In order to organize a movement to support the USSR in the world, by the end of 1941 in Moscow, by the end of 1941, on the initiative of various circles of the Soviet public and with the consent of the authorities, the All-Slavic Committee, the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, the Anti-Fascist Committees of Soviet Women (AKSZH), Youth (AKSM), Scientists (AKSU) were created ), which, along with official Soviet propaganda, contributed to the mobilization of world public opinion in support of the USSR through radio messages, radio rallies, exchange of exhibitions, literature, etc. The result was the unfolding various countries peace campaign of humanitarian aid to soldiers of the Soviet army and victims of this war. In the conditions of occupied Europe, the main participants in the movement to support the USSR were citizens of America (North and South), Asia, countries of the East and even Africa, and Australia. Among them were a significant part of the Russian emigration representatives.

Oh, what a beautiful autumn day
And how harsh he is when there is battle.
But we fight for our land and freedom -
Against all those who have become the brown plague!

November 1, 1942. 498th day of the war. Stalingrad front. Fierce battles of formations of the 64th Army, under the command of Shumilov, were fought in the Kuporosnoye, Zelenaya Polyana area from October 25 to November 1. The offensive included the 29th Rifle Division under the command of Lieutenant Colonel A.I. Losev and the 7th Rifle Corps, commanded by Major General S.G. Goryachev. The advancing Soviet units advanced 3-4 km and captured the southern part of Kuporosnoye. Stubborn enemy resistance did not allow further advance, but this counterattack pinned down significant enemy forces. On the morning of November 1, the Germans launched a series of fierce attacks, sometimes turning into bayonet fighting.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. For two days the Cossacks fought heavy battles with enemy infantry and tanks in the Achikulak area. General Tyulenev decided to abandon the planned offensive in the Ishchersky direction and transfer the 10th Guards Rifle Corps from the 44th Army within 2 days. The 2nd and 5th Guards Tank Brigades were also coming here. In addition, 5 anti-tank artillery regiments and 3 rocket artillery regiments were concentrated in the Ordzhonikidze area. Thanks to the measures taken, the enemy's advance was slowed down, but the situation remained extremely dangerous.
Sovinformburo. During November 1, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and in the Nalchik area.

November 2, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 2 (Monday), the 62nd Army repelled repeated attacks by enemy infantry and tanks on the northern and central sectors of the front throughout the day and held its positions. Bringing reserves into battle, the enemy in some areas launched attacks up to five times, leading to hand-to-hand combat. In some cases, enemy aircraft stormed the battle formations of our troops in groups of up to 30 aircraft simultaneously. His artillery and mortars fired strong fire according to the battle formations of our units and crossings. The rifle brigades of the Northern Group of our troops fought a hard battle all day with enemy infantry and tanks advancing on the southern and northwestern outskirts of Spartanovka; during the battle, five fierce attacks were repulsed. The group holds its lines. The 138th Rifle Division repelled four enemy attacks from the STZ along the Volga bank to the south. The division held its positions. During the day, the 193rd Rifle Division repelled repeated fierce enemy attacks in the direction of the pier, which remained the only equipped pier in the entire army. The 45th Rifle Division under the command of Colonel V.P. Sokolov, having launched a counterattack on its left flank, somewhat improved its positions. All enemy attacks were repulsed. The 39th Guards Rifle Division launched a counterattack and by the end of the day was fighting at the line of the workshops; iron foundry, blooming, gauge and warehouse finished products. In the sectors of the remaining units, our troops, repelling attacks by small groups of the enemy, continued assault operations in groups and detachments. Over the course of 24 hours, over 1,200 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers, 10 tanks were destroyed, and some trophies were taken.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. By the end of the day, the Germans captured the village of Gizel, located 8 kilometers west of Ordzhonikidze. Further advance of the German troops was stopped by the approaching reserves of the Northern Group.
Sovinformburo. During November 2, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area and northeast of Tuapse. Our troops left the city of Nalchik and fought southeast of this point.

November 3, 1942. 500th day of the war. Southwestern front. The representative of the Supreme High Command Headquarters, General G. K. Zhukov, held a meeting at the headquarters of the 5th Tank Army of the Southwestern Front to work out the main issues of operational interaction between the fronts and armies under the Uranus plan.
Stalingrad front. On November 3 (Tuesday), fighters of the 13th Guards Rifle Division, trying to improve their positions, stormed important fascist strongholds in the central part of Stalingrad: the “L”-shaped house and the Railway Workers’ House.
Sovinformburo. During November 3, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 4, 1942. Southwestern Front. From November 1 to 4, the plans of the Southwestern Front were reviewed and adjusted, and then the action plans of the 21st Army and the 5th Tank Army were reviewed and coordinated in all details. During the development of the action plan at the headquarters of the Southwestern Front, representatives of the Headquarters were present: G. K. Zhukov, on artillery issues - General N. N. Voronov, aviation - Generals A. A. Novikov and A. E. Golovanov, on armored forces - General Ya. N. Fedorenko.
Don Front. On November 4, a review of the progress of preparations for the offensive of the 21st and 65th armies took place at the headquarters of the 21st Army. The command of the Don Front and the 65th Army was invited to this meeting.
Stalingrad front. A. M. Vasilevsky these days worked in the troops of the Stalingrad Front, checking the progress of preparations for the offensive of the 51st, 57th and 64th armies.
Sovinformburo. During November 4, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 5, 1942. Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. On November 5 (Thursday) in the Ordzhonikidze direction, troops of the Transcaucasian Front forced the enemy to go on the defensive. The German group on the approaches to Ordzhonikidze found itself in a difficult situation. There was a real possibility of its encirclement and destruction in the Giselle area.
Black Sea group of forces. On November 5, our troops, preparing for a new attack, temporarily stopped attacks in the Tuapse direction.
Sovinformburo. During November 5, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 6, 1942. Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. On November 6 (Friday) in the morning, the 10th Guards and 57th Rifle Brigades, the 5th Guards and 63rd Tank Brigades struck along the eastern bank of the Fiagdon River on Dzuarikau. At noon, the 10th Guards Rifle Corps, with the forces of the 4th Guards Rifle Brigade, together with the 52nd and 2nd Tank Brigades, attacked Gisel. Thanks to the successful advance of the 11th Guards Rifle Corps, the enemy was almost completely surrounded. He only had a narrow passage in the Dzuarikau area, no more than 3 km wide.
Sovinformburo. During November 6, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 7, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 7 (Saturday) Nazi troops tried to break through our defenses in the Glubokaya Balka area between the Red October and Barricades factories. After a massive artillery attack, the enemy went on the offensive. He was met with fire by machine gunners of the 95th Infantry Division. The battle lasted all day. The Nazis were unable to break through to the Volga, their attacks were repulsed.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. The German Corps "F" remained in its positions and was unable to conduct offensive operations.
Sovinformburo. During November 7, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 8, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 8 (Sunday), soldiers of the 39th Guards and 45th Rifle Divisions fought on the territory of the Red October plant. The enemy was never able to capture the entire area of ​​the plant.
Sovinformburo. During November 8, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.
On November 8, Hitler said: “I wanted to reach the Volga at one specific point... By chance this city bears the name of Stalin himself. But I didn’t go there for that reason... I went there because it was a very important point. Thirty million tons of cargo were transported through it, of which almost nine million tons were oil. Wheat flocked there from Ukraine and Kuban to be sent to the north. Manganese ore was delivered there... It was I who wanted to take it and - you know, we don’t need much - we took it! Only a few points remained unoccupied. Some people ask: why don’t you take them faster? Because I don't want a second Verdun there. I will achieve this with small strike teams."

November 9, 1942. Stalingrad front. The position of the defenders of Stalingrad deteriorated sharply: severe frosts set in, ice began to freeze on the Volga, and the banks were covered with an ice crust. This complicated communications, the delivery of ammunition and food, and the dispatch of the wounded stopped. A boat crossing was organized, and in the following days, the delivery of ammunition and the removal of the wounded was carried out by armored boats.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. Particularly strong fighting broke out in the Suar Gorge, 12 km from Ordzhonikidze. In an effort to provide assistance to the 13th Panzer Division, the German command on November 9 threw the 2nd Romanian Mountain Division and the German Brandenburg Regiment into battle, supported by 60 tanks. However, they were unable to get through either the Suar Gorge or the Gizel area.
Sovinformburo. During November 9, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 10, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 10 (Tuesday) in the area of ​​the command post of the 57th Army in Tatyanovka, a meeting of representatives of the Supreme High Command Headquarters with the command of the Stalingrad Front was held to finalize the plan for the counter-offensive operation “Uranus” near Stalingrad. Before the meeting, G.K. Zhukov with A.M. Vasilevsky, the commanders of the 51st and 57th armies, N.I. Trufanov and F.I. Tolbukhin, M.M. Popov and other generals went to the areas of the troops of these armies, in order to once again inspect the area where the offensive of the main forces of the Stalingrad Front was to be launched. After the reconnaissance, issues of interaction between the front and the Southwestern Front were considered, the technique of meeting advanced units in the Kalach area, the interaction of units after the completion of the encirclement, and other problems of the upcoming operation were linked. After this, army plans were reviewed, which were reported by army commanders and corps commanders.
Sovinformburo. During November 10, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 11, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 11, 1942 (Wednesday) At 6:30 a.m., after air and artillery preparation, the enemy went on the offensive. The offensive front, about five kilometers wide, went from Volkhovstroevskaya Street to the Banny ravine. The 138th Rifle Division, with the attached 118th Guards Regiment of the 37th Guards Rifle Division, repelled attacks by infantry and tanks with aviation support from six hours and 30 minutes in the morning. The troops of the Northern Group of Forces, by order of the army commander, from 10 a.m. with the support of the Volga Flotilla went on the offensive from the railway bridge at the mouth of Mechetka to the Tractor Plant. Despite strong enemy resistance, we slowly moved forward. There were continuous battles between our aviation and the enemy in the air. The 95th Rifle Division repels enemy attacks with up to two infantry divisions with tanks. At 11:30 a.m., the Nazis brought reserves into battle and reached the Volga at a front of 500-600 meters. The soldiers of our division are fighting stubbornly in their previous positions, repelling the fierce attacks of the enemy. The 45th and 39th Guards Rifle Divisions repelled two enemy attacks on the Red October plant. On Mamayev Kurgan, Batyuk’s division fought oncoming battles with the advancing enemy. The 284th Rifle Division repelled enemy attacks on Mamayev Kurgan. In the sector of the 1045th Infantry Regiment, the enemy managed to break into the regiment's battle formations, but a counterattack by reserves restored the situation. At the front of the 13th Guards Rifle Division, attacks by small enemy groups were repulsed. By the end of the day, the enemy managed to occupy the southern part of the Barrikady plant and here also reach the Volga.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. Firmly holding the corridor, the Germans left the Gisel bag at night.
Sovinformburo. During November 11, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 12, 1942. Stalingrad front. At 12 noon, the Nazis resumed attacks along the entire front of the 62nd Army. Sailors from the Far East joined the battle, joining Gorishny's rifle division. The Red Navy, having repulsed the attacks, went on the offensive themselves. Gas tanks on Tuvinskaya Street changed hands several times. An equally fierce struggle took place in the workshops of the Red October and Barricades factories and on Mamayev Kurgan. Due to the onset of freezing on the Volga and strong winds, on November 12, the boat crossing of the 62nd Army ceased its work.
Transcaucasian front. Northern Group of Forces. The Nalchik-Ordzhonikidze operation ended. Soviet troops defeated the enemy's Gisela group and drove its remnants across the river. Fiagdon. With the defeat of the German troops on the approaches to Ordzhonikidze, their last attempt to break through to the Grozny and Baku oil regions, as well as in Transcaucasia, failed.
Sovinformburo. During November 12, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 13, 1942. On November 13 (Friday) at a meeting of the State Defense Committee (GKO), generals G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky reported a revised plan for a counteroffensive in the Stalingrad direction (Operation Uranus). The plan was finally approved and the start date for the operation was determined. Zhukov, Georgy Konstantinovich: “The main provisions of our report were as follows. Regarding the balance of forces, both qualitatively and quantitatively, we pointed out that in the areas of our main attacks (Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts) it is still mainly Romanian troops who are defending. According to the prisoners, their overall combat effectiveness is low. In quantitative terms, we will have a significant superiority in these directions if the German command does not regroup its reserves here by the time we go on the offensive. But so far our intelligence has not discovered any regroupings. Paulus's 6th Army and the main forces of the 4th Tank Army are located in the Stalingrad area, where they are pinned down by the troops of the Stalingrad and Don Fronts. Our units, as provided for in the plan, are concentrated in designated areas, and, apparently, enemy reconnaissance did not detect their regrouping. We have taken measures to ensure even greater secrecy of the movements of forces and assets. The tasks of the fronts, armies and military formations have been worked out. The interaction of all types of weapons is linked directly to the terrain...
A. M. Vasilevsky and I drew the attention of the Supreme Commander to the fact that the German high command, as soon as a difficult situation in the area of ​​​​Stalingrad and the North Caucasus sets in, will be forced to transfer part of its troops from other areas, in particular from the Vyazma area, to help the southern group . To prevent this from happening, it is urgent to prepare and carry out an offensive operation in the area north of Vyazma, first of all to defeat the Germans in the area of ​​the Rzhev salient. For this operation, we proposed to attract troops from the Kalinin and Western fronts... The Stalingrad operation has already been prepared in all respects. Vasilevsky can take over the coordination of the actions of troops in the Stalingrad area, I can take over the preparation of the offensive of the Kalinin and Western fronts.”
Stalingrad front. For three days from November 10 to 13, day and night, the troops of the 62nd Army waged fierce battles, leading to mass hand-to-hand combat. In three days the enemy advanced only 400 m in the Mezenskaya area. He had no success on other sectors of the front.
Sovinformburo. During November 13, our troops fought against the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 14, 1942. Stalingrad front. The front of the 62nd Army, dismembered by fascist German troops, held three main centers of defense: in the Rynok-Spartanovka area, the group of Colonel S.F. Gorokhov, isolated from the main forces since October 14, fought; in the eastern part of the Barrikady plant, on a narrow bridgehead, the 138th Infantry Division of I. I. Lyudnikov continued to stubbornly defend itself; then, after the section of the Volga bank captured by the Nazis, the main front of the army went 500-600 m away - from “Red October” to the pier, where the 13th Guards Rifle Division of A.I. Rodimtsev defended the positions on the left flank. The depth of defense of the troops of the 62nd Army from the bank of the Volga to the front edge was 200-250 m in the zone of the 13th Guards Rifle Division and up to 1.5 km in the defense zone of the 284th Rifle Division. On November 14 (Saturday), our army repelled enemy attacks throughout the day and fought to restore the situation on its right flank. Our units repulse enemy attacks in their previous positions. The division is experiencing an acute shortage of ammunition, food and medicine. Ice drift completely interrupted communication with the left bank in the area of ​​crossing "62". The northern group is conducting a firefight in its previous positions. The 95th Infantry Division (95th Infantry Division) is conducting intense battles with the goal of restoring a continuous front line and establishing an elbow connection with units of the 138th Infantry Division. The battle continues in the area of ​​the gas tanks. The left flank units of the division are fighting in their previous positions. The remaining units, defending their previous lines, repel attacks by small groups of infantry and conduct fire combat.
Sovinformburo. During November 14, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 15, 1942. On November 15 (Sunday), an order was issued from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General G.K. Zhukov, to grant him authority to set the timing of the transition of the troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts to the offensive:
“To Comrade Konstantinov. Only in person. You can set the day of relocation of Fedorov and Ivanov at your discretion, and then report to me about it upon arrival in Moscow. If you have the idea that any of them should begin relocation earlier or later by one or two days, then I authorize you to resolve this issue at your discretion. Vasiliev. 13 hours 10 minutes 11/15/42.” G.K. Zhukov, after talking with A.M. Vasilevsky, set the deadline for going on the offensive for the Southwestern Front and the 65th Army of the Don Front on November 19, for the Stalingrad Front on November 20. The Supreme approved this decision.
Stalingrad front. The 62nd Army continued to repel enemy attacks along the entire defensive line, with especially intense fighting taking place in the area of ​​the gas storage facility. The troops launched a series of counterattacks to restore the situation in the Mezenskaya area. In the sector of the 64th Army, the enemy tried to return the lost part of Kuporosny, but was unsuccessful. Stubborn street fighting is taking place in the center of Kuporosny.
Sovinformburo. During November 15, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeastern Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 16, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 16 (Monday), throughout the day the enemy continued repeated attacks on the positions of the 62nd Army in the area of ​​the Barricades plant, to Volkhovstroevsk to the southeast and from Mezenskaya to the north with the goal of completely encircling the 138th Infantry Division. The enemy, suffering heavy losses, brought up fresh forces twice during the day. Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy and the extremely difficult conditions of the division, the attacks were repulsed. The 138th Rifle Division holds its defense sector (300 m north of the gas storage facility) measuring 400x900 meters, called “Lyudnikov Island.” During the night, from among the cargo dropped by planes, the division received 4 bales of food, 2 bales of shells, 45 mm and 2 bales of 82 mm mines; it is urgently necessary to supply medicines, a PPSh cartridge and hand grenades.
The 95th Infantry Division continued counterattacks in the Mezenskaya area with the task of restoring the situation. The battle reached hand-to-hand combat with extensive use of grenades. The battle at the Mezenskaya line continues. In other sectors of the front, units, repelling attacks by enemy infantry groups, hold their previous positions. During the night, ammunition, food and reinforcements collected from the rear of the army were transported and delivered.
Sovinformburo. During November 16, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 17, 1942. November 17 (Tuesday) G.K. Zhukov was summoned to Headquarters to develop the operation of the troops of the Kalinin and Western fronts. Representatives of the Supreme Command Headquarters, Generals A. M. Vasilevsky and N. N. Voronov, verbally reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the readiness of the fronts of the Stalingrad direction for a counter-offensive between the Don and Volga rivers.
Stalingrad front. The troops of the 62nd Army are fighting bloody battles, holding their line of defense. A particularly difficult situation is developing on “Lyudnikov Island” - the defense sector of the 138th Infantry Division.
Sovinformburo. Hitler's criminal clique is destroying the cultural wealth of the Soviet Union... The Hitlerites are destroying and plundering the cultural treasures of the peoples of the USSR. They plunder and destroy scientific values, works of art and literature, and ancient monuments. They want to destroy and eradicate Russian national culture and the national culture of other peoples of the Soviet Union. They set as their goal not only materially, but also spiritually to disarm the peoples of the USSR, so that it would be easier to Germanize Soviet people and turn them into dumb slaves of the German barons. Soviet people will never forget the atrocities committed by Hitler's scoundrels on our land... The punishing hand of the Soviet people will overtake all burglars and robbers, wherever they are, and will reward them in full for all their crimes.
During November 17, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 18, 1942. Stalingrad front. On November 18 (Wednesday), 1942, the 62nd Army repelled enemy attacks on its right flank throughout the day. The northern group, having repelled attacks by enemy infantry and tanks on the Market and the western outskirts of Spartanovka, part of its forces launched a counterattack. After a stubborn battle, the enemy was driven out of the northwestern outskirts of the village. The market situation has been completely restored. During November 17 and 18, 1942, 800 soldiers and officers, 11 tanks were destroyed, 9 of them were burned. The 138th Infantry Division repelled enemy attacks with a force of up to two battalions with tanks. In the 138th Infantry Division, by November 18, the division had already accumulated about 400 wounded. Attempts to establish supplies using aircraft were unsuccessful. Due to the limited size of the bridgehead on which the division was defending, cargo parachutes with ammunition and food dropped from aircraft fell mainly into the river or to the enemy. The intense fire from the enemy's anti-aircraft batteries and the heavy weapons of his infantry did not allow for a better hit of cargo by reducing the flight altitude of the aircraft. Then, despite all the difficulties, the boat route was opened. But the main part of the task of restoring communications with the left bank was solved by the ships of the Volga military flotilla. The 95th Infantry Division repelled enemy attacks in the Benzobaki area with forces exceeding a battalion. 90 SP holds the Gas Tank area, where it is consolidated. 241 joint ventures and 685 joint ventures are fixed at the edge of the ravine, which is 150 m northeast of Mezenskaya. The 45th Infantry Division and the 39th Guards Infantry Division in their previous positions are fighting with small groups of infantry to improve their positions. Operation of the crossing: in one trip the steamship "Pugachev" and BC No. 11, 12, 61 and 63 transported reinforcements of 167 people, food and ammunition for units. 400 wounded people were evacuated. According to incomplete data, during November 18, 1942, the enemy lost over 900 soldiers and officers killed and wounded. The defensive period of the Battle of Stalingrad, which lasted from July 17 to November 18, ended.
Sovinformburo. During November 18, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, northeast of Tuapse and southeast of Nalchik.

November 19, 1942. Southwestern Front. On November 19 (Thursday) the offensive operation of Soviet troops began in Battle of Stalingrad under the code name "Uranus". The enemy's defense was broken through simultaneously in several areas. The weather was foggy, so when breaking through the defense we had to abandon the use of aviation. At 7 o'clock 30 min. With a salvo of Katyusha rocket launchers, artillery preparation began. Firing at previously scouted targets, the artillery inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. 3,500 guns and mortars destroyed the enemy’s defenses. The crushing fire inflicted heavy damage on the enemy and had a terrifying effect on him. However, due to poor visibility, not all targets were destroyed, especially on the flanks of the attack group of the Southwestern Front, where the enemy offered the greatest resistance to the advancing troops. At 8 o'clock. 50 min. The rifle divisions of the 5th Panzer and 21st armies, together with tanks for direct infantry support, went on the attack.
The first echelon of the 5th Tank Army included the 14th and 47th Guards, 119th and 124th Rifle Divisions. Despite the disorganization of the defense of the Romanian troops by powerful artillery fire, their resistance was not immediately broken. Therefore, the advance of the 47th Guards, 119th and 124th Rifle Divisions of the 5th Tank Army was initially insignificant. By 12 o'clock, having overcome the first position of the enemy's main defense line, they advanced 2-3 km. Other connections also moved slowly. The 14th Guards Rifle Division, operating on the right flank of the army, encountered stubborn resistance from unsuppressed enemy firing points. Under these conditions, the army commander decided to bring into battle the success development echelon - the 1st and 26th tank corps. The tank corps went forward, overtook the infantry and with a powerful blow finally broke through the enemy’s defenses in the center between the Tsutskan and Tsaritsa rivers.
The 1st Tank Corps, under the command of Major General Tank Forces V.V. Butkov, interacting with the 47th Guards and 119th Rifle Divisions and the 157th Tank Brigade of the 26th Tank Corps, immediately captured the Klinov farm. During the first day of the offensive, the 1st Tank Corps advanced 18 km. The 26th Tank Corps, moving in four columns to the left of the 1st Tank Corps, had two tank brigades at its head. When the 157th Tank Brigade approached state farm no. 2, and the 19th Tank Brigade - to the northern slopes of height 223.0, the corps met with stubborn resistance from units of the 14th Romanian Infantry Division. It was especially strong in the sector of the 19th Tank Brigade, which operated on the left flank of the 124th Infantry Division. Having passed the front line and overtaken its infantry in the area of ​​enemy artillery positions, the right group encountered serious fire resistance. The tankmen of Colonel Comrade Ivanov attacked the firing positions of Hitler’s artillery head-on, after going around the flank and going behind enemy lines, the Nazi artillerymen, abandoning their guns, fled. A sudden and daring attack by tanks from the front and rear was successful. The rear line was overcome on the move, also by bypassing and enveloping the resistance nodes. The mobile group of the 5th Tank Army - the 1st and 26th Tank Corps - by the middle of the first day of the offensive, completed the breakthrough of the enemy's tactical defense and deployed further actions in the operational depth, paving the way for the infantry. The 8th Cavalry Corps was introduced into the resulting breakthrough neck (16 km along the front and in depth) in the second half of the day. Active offensive operations were launched by the infantry, the 47th Guards Rifle Division in cooperation with the 8th Guards Tank Brigade and the 551st Separate Flamethrower Tank Battalion, overcoming stubborn enemy resistance along the way, by 14:00. 00 min. captured the settlement of Bolshoy and a height of 166.2. Continuing to tirelessly pursue the retreating enemy, the 8th Guards Tank Brigade with a landing force of 200 riflemen of the 47th Guards Rifle Division by 16:00. 00 min. approached Blinovsky, who at 20 o'clock. 00 min. was completely liberated, the 124th Rifle Division, interacting with the 216th Tank Brigade, overcoming enemy resistance and repelling his counterattacks on its left flank, approached Nizhne-Fomikhinsky by the end of the day and started a battle here. During the first day of the offensive, the 5th Tank Army inflicted significant losses on the enemy. The 21st army, advancing from the Kletskaya area, delivered the main blow at a front 14 km from Kletskaya to height 163.3 east of Raspopinskaya. In the first echelon of the army, the 96th, 63rd, 293rd and 76th rifle divisions attacked. The enemy tried to hold their positions here too; the 96th and 63rd rifle divisions advanced slowly. The 293rd and 76th rifle divisions operated more successfully in the direction of the main attack.
To speed up the advance of the infantry and ensure that the advancing troops reached the operational depth, the commander of the 21st Army, Major General I.M. Chistyakov, also used his mobile formations to complete the breakthrough of the enemy defense. A mobile group consisting of the 4th Tank and 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps, located on the left flank of the army, at 12 o'clock. 00 min. entered the breakthrough, the 4th Tank Corps under the command of Major General of Tank Forces A.G. Kravchenko moved in two echelons, along two routes. The right column of the 4th Tank Corps, consisting of the 69th and 45th Tank Brigades, on the night of November 20 (at 1:00 a.m.) reached the area of ​​farm No. 1, the Pervomaisky state farm, Manoilin, having fought 30- 35 km. By the end of November 19, the left column of the corps, consisting of the 102nd tank and 4th motorized rifle brigades, had advanced to a depth of 10-12 km and reached the area of ​​Zakharov and Vlasov, where it encountered stubborn enemy resistance. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps under the command of Major General I. A. Pliev, fighting with the retreating enemy, advanced in the direction of Selivanov, Verkhne-Buzinovka, Evlampievsky, Bolshenabatovsky. On the line of the villages of Nizhnyaya and Verkhnyaya Buzinovka, the enemy, trying to hold back the advance of our units, opened strong artillery and mortar fire. General I. A. Pliev decided to bypass Nizhne-Buzinovka from the south with units of the 6th Guards Cavalry Division and attack the enemy from the rear. Units of the 5th and 32nd Cavalry Divisions, together with T-34 tanks, advanced from the front to the enemy trench line. The battle lasted two hours. After the 6th Guards Cavalry Division struck from the rear, the enemy’s defenses were penetrated to the full depth.
Don Front. The troops of the Don Front also went on the offensive on November 19. The main blow was delivered by formations of the 65th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General P.I. Batov. At 7 o'clock 30 min. regiments of heavy guards mortars fired the first salvo. Artillery preparation was carried out against pre-selected targets. At 8 o'clock. 50 min. rifle divisions went on the attack. The first two lines of trenches on the coastal hills were taken immediately. A battle broke out for the nearest heights. The enemy's defense was built according to the type of individual strong points connected by full-profile trenches. Each height is a strongly fortified point. The ravines and hollows are mined, the approaches to the heights are covered with wire and Bruno spirals. Units of the 27th Guards Rifle Division, cooperating on the right with the 76th Rifle Division of the 21st Army, were advancing well. In the center of the 65th Army, where the 304th Rifle Division of Colonel S.P. Merkulov was advancing, the enemy forced the attackers to lie down with heavy fire. The troops of this division and the 91st Tank Brigade, with a breakthrough front width of 2.5 km, advanced in the Kletskaya, Melo-Kletsky sector.
Soviet divisions had to overcome stubborn enemy resistance in terrain inaccessible to the attackers. By 16:00, the triangle of altitudes in the direction of the main attack (135.0, 186.7 and Melo-Kletsky) was finally cracked. Units and subunits of the 304th, 321st and 27th Guards Rifle Divisions continued to engage in fierce battles with the stubbornly resisting enemy. By the end of the day, the troops of the 65th Army with their right flank advanced into the depth of the enemy’s position up to 4-5 km, without breaking through the main line of his defense; the 304th Infantry Division of this army occupied Melo-Kletsky after a stubborn battle. The enemy retreated in the direction of Tsimlovsky.
Sovinformburo. ATTACK ON A GROUP OF GERMAN-FASCIST FORCES IN THE AREA OF VLADIKAVKAZ (ORDZHONIKIDZE) Multi-day battles on the approaches to Vladikavkaz (Ordzhonikidze) ended in the defeat of the Germans. In these battles, our troops defeated the 13th German tank division, the Brandenburg regiment, the 45th bicycle battalion, the 7th engineer battalion, the 525th anti-tank defense division, the battalion of the 1st German mountain rifle division and the 336th separate battalion. Serious losses were inflicted on the 23rd German tank division, the 2nd Romanian mountain division and other enemy units. Our troops captured 140 German tanks, 7 armored vehicles, 70 guns of various calibers, including 36 long-range, 95 mortars, of which 4 six-barreled, 84 machine guns, 2,350 vehicles, 183 motorcycles, over 1 million rounds of ammunition, 2 ammunition depots, a warehouse food and other trophies. The Germans left over 5,000 corpses of soldiers and officers on the battlefield. The number of wounded Germans is several times higher than the number of killed.
During November 19, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area and northeast of Tuapse.

November 20, 1942. Southwestern Front. At dawn on November 20 (Friday), the 26th Tank Corps of the 5th Tank Army reached Perelazovsky, a large populated area and highway junction. The 157th Tank Brigade, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel A.S. Shevtsov, attacked the northern outskirts of Perelazovsky, and the 14th Motorized Rifle Brigade struck the enemy’s flank. The actions of the motorized infantry were covered by artillery and tank fire. As a result of a decisive blow, Perelazovsky was captured, and the headquarters of the 5th Romanian Army Corps located there was destroyed. The 26th Tank Corps also occupied the settlements of Novo-Tsaritsynsky. Varlamovsky and by 16:00 entered Efremovsky with a fight. The 19th Tank Brigade, operating on the left flank of the corps, together with the 119th Rifle Division repelled a counterattack by units of the 1st Romanian Tank Division from the Zhirkovsky area. On this day, units of the 4th Tank Corps reached the Mayorovsky area. Having defeated the opposing units of the 1st Romanian and 14th German tank divisions, the 26th and 4th tank corps advanced in the direction of Kalach. The 1st Tank Corps fought stubborn battles with the German 22nd Tank Division in the Peschany area. The 47th Guards Rifle Division, the 55th Cavalry Division of the 8th Cavalry Corps and the 8th Motorcycle Regiment, which arrived here, also joined the battles. On the afternoon of November 20, the enemy was forced to withdraw from the village of Peschany. The commander of the 5th Tank Army assigned Major General of Tank Forces V.V. Butkov the task of quickly advancing the 1st Tank Corps in a southwestern direction, bypassing fortified enemy defenses. Their liquidation was entrusted to the rifle divisions and the 8th Cavalry Corps, commanded by Major General M.D. Borisov. During the night of November 21 and the entire next day, the 1st Tank Corps continued to engage in fire combat with the entrenched enemy. Following the tank corps, cavalry formations, infantry and artillery of the first echelon moved, consolidating the successes achieved. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps of General Pliev, operating as part of the troops of the 21st Army, advanced on Evlampievsky, a large enemy defense center where there was an airfield. At ten o'clock in the morning the enemy launched a counterattack. The cavalrymen had to dismount and fight under the cover of their tanks. After four hours of battle, the enemy began to run out of steam. Pliev ordered Nakonechny to assemble a regiment and rush to the airfield in Evlampievsky at a gallop. 18 aircraft and other rich trophies were captured at the airfield. By 2 p.m. 00 min. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps reached the “height 208.8 - Platonov” line, where it met stubborn resistance from units of the 7th, 13th and 15th Romanian Infantry Divisions, reinforced by tanks of the 14th German Tank Division, defending at the “Tsimlovsky” line - Platonov."
Stalingrad front. On November 20, the troops of the Stalingrad Front went on the offensive.
In the 57th Army, commanded by Major General F.I. Tolbukhin, artillery preparation was supposed to begin at 8 o'clock. But in the morning the fog intensified, and visibility deteriorated sharply. It started snowing. The front commander, Colonel General A.I. Eremenko, postponed the start of artillery preparation by one hour, then by another hour. But the fog began to gradually dissipate. The signal was given to begin artillery preparation at 10 o'clock. After a salvo of heavy “eres” - M-30 rocket mortars, a general cannonade of guns and mortars began, which lasted up to 75 minutes. The 57th Army, with the forces of the 422nd and 169th Rifle Divisions, broke through the enemy’s defenses on the front between lakes Sarpa and Tsatsa, striking to the south and southwest. The enemy was forced to retreat to the line Tonenkaya gully, Shosha gully, 55th km crossing, Morozov gully. Having completed the immediate task, the troops of the 57th Army turned in the direction of the collective farm named after. March 8 and further to the northwest, covering the Stalingrad enemy group from the southwest.
At 8:30 a.m., after artillery preparation, the 51st Army went on the offensive under the command of Major General N.I. Trufanov. The 51st Army with its main forces advanced from the inter-lake region of Tsatsa and Barmantsak in the general direction of Plodovitoe, Verkhne-Tsaritsynsky, and Sovetsky. Supporting the actions of the main forces from the north, the 15th Guards Rifle Division of the 51st Army struck the enemy from the Sarpa, Tsatsa interlake area in the direction of the Privolzhsky state farm.
Units of the 64th Army under the command of Lieutenant General M.S. Shumilov went on the offensive at 14:20. The 64th Army went on the offensive with formations of its left flank - the 36th Guards, 204th and 38th Rifle Divisions. Having broken through the enemy’s defenses on the front south of Elkha, the troops of the 64th Army by the end of the day advanced 4-5 km, clearing the village of the enemy. Andreevka. In the afternoon of November 20, when the shock groups of the Stalingrad Front broke through the enemy’s defenses in all three sectors of the offensive, mobile formations were introduced into the gaps formed - the 13th Tank and 4th Mechanized Corps under the command of Colonel T.I. Tanaschishin and General Major of Tank Troops V.T. Volsky and the 4th Cavalry Corps under the command of Lieutenant General T.T. Shapkin. Mobile front troops rushed deep into enemy defenses in the northwestern and southwestern directions. The 13th Tank Corps of the 57th Army was introduced into the breakthrough at 16:00 in two echelons and moved in two columns in the general direction of Nariman. By the end of the day he had covered a distance of 10-15 km. The 4th Mechanized Corps of the 51st Army entered the breakthrough at 13 o'clock in one echelon in the offensive zones of the 15th Guards and 126th Rifle Divisions, the 4th Cavalry Corps entered the breakthrough at 22 o'clock following the 4th Mechanized Corps, developing attack in a western direction. Under the blows of the advancing Soviet troops, the 6th Romanian Army Corps operating here withdrew to the Aksai area with heavy losses.
Sovinformburo. During November 20, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, southeast of Nalchik and northeast of Tuapse.

November 21, 1942. Southwestern Front. On November 21, the tank corps of the Southwestern Front, followed by rifle and cavalry formations, continued to develop a successful offensive, the 26th Tank Corps, refueling vehicles, replenishing ammunition and pulling up lagging units, at 13:00. 00 min. again stepped forward to complete the tasks facing him. Units of the corps fought to occupy the settlements of Zotovsky, Kalmykov, and the Rozhki farm, breaking enemy resistance and smashing the rear of groups of enemy troops fighting with the 21st Army. On the night of November 21, the corps fought to the Ostrov region, Plesistovsky village (35 km northwestern Kalacha) and continued to launch offensive operations.
The 1st Tank Corps with the 89th Tank Brigade reached Bol by dawn on November 21. Donshchinka, where he met strong fire resistance. All attempts to take Bol on the move. Donshchinka were not successful. Rifle formations of the 5th Tank Army advanced towards the river. Chir. Pursuing the retreating enemy, the 14th Guards and 159th Rifle Divisions, together with the 8th Guards Tank Brigade, by 24 hours. 00 min. occupied Gorbatovsky. On the same day, the 47th Guards Rifle Division, also cooperating with the 8th Guards Tank Brigade, cleared Stary Pronin, Varlamovsky of the enemy and advanced to Chernyshevskaya. The enemy tried in every possible way to delay the advance of units of the 5th Tank Army to the river. Chir, organizing particularly stubborn resistance in the areas of Bol. Donshchinka, Korotkovsky, Zhirkovsky - against the center and left flank of the 5th Tank Army. The 4th Tank Corps, operating on the left flank of the 21st Army, moved from the Manoilin, Mayorovsky area, with the task of reaching the Don on November 21 in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bheights 174.9, 178.4, the "Red Cattleman" state farm, the Lipologovsky farm and capture the river crossings. On the same day, having broken the resistance of the German 14th Tank Division, the corps reached the Golubinsky area.
The 21st Army continued to crush enemy defenses in the Verkhne-Fomikhinsky, Raspopinskaya sector. The 96th, 63rd and 333rd rifle divisions advancing on the right flank of the army fought to encircle and destroy the Raspopin group - formations of the 4th and 5th Romanian army corps, the 293rd rifle division continued to advance in a southern direction, 76- By the end of the day, the rifle division had advanced to the Verkhne-Buzinovka area.
Stalingrad front. November 21 did not bring any changes in the city. There was still slush along the Volga. The crossings did not work. Fog, snow. The fighting in the defense zone of the 62nd Army continued with the same ferocity, but our reconnaissance did not observe any enemy concentrations for intensified attacks.
In the offensive zone of the 51st Army, on the left wing of the front’s attack group, General Volsky’s 4th Mechanized Corps was moving ahead of other advancing formations. At dawn on November 21, an unexpected attack from a tank unit of the corps control captured the station. Abganerovo, which was transferred to the approaching units of the 4th Cavalry Corps. At the same time, units of General Volsky fought to occupy the station. Tinguta. Thus, in the area of ​​Art. Tinguta - st. Abganerovo units of the 4th Mechanized Corps cut the Stalingrad-Salsk railway. The work of the main highway through which the Stalingrad enemy group received reinforcements, ammunition and weapons, and other equipment was disrupted.
During November 20-21, formations of the 51st, 57th and 64th armies defeated the 1st, 2nd, 18th Romanian infantry divisions and inflicted heavy losses on the 20th Romanian infantry division and the German 29th motorized division. As a result of two days of offensive battles, the 13th Tank Corps and the rifle formations of the 57th Army that followed it reached the Nariman line, the collective farm named after. On March 8, Colonel Tanaschishin's 13th Tank Corps continued to move northwest, interacting with General Volsky's formation. The troops of the 64th Army, in cooperation with the troops of the 57th Army, occupied the village on November 21. Gavrilovka, and formations of the 57th Army liberated the village. Varvarovka. In the battles for these settlements, the enemy suffered great damage. By nightfall on the 22nd, the Popov farm was occupied by troops of the 64th Army. The troops of the 64th Army were entrenched on the eastern bank of the Karavatka gully, and the troops of the 57th Army were at the line southeast of the village. Tsybenko, s. Rakotino and southwest of the Bereslavsky farm. The German command took measures to disrupt our offensive. Having repelled the fierce onslaught of the enemy, the 38th Infantry Division was forced, due to heavy losses, to withdraw to the area of ​​height 128.2 by the end of the day.
Sovinformburo. SUCCESSFUL ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS IN THE AREA OF THE MOUNTAINS. STALINGRAD. The other day, our troops located on the outskirts of Stalingrad went on the offensive against the Nazi troops. The offensive began in two directions: from the northwest and from the south of Stalingrad. Having broken through the enemy’s defensive line 30 kilometers long in the north-west (in the Serafimovich area), and 20 kilometers long in the south of Stalingrad, our troops advanced 60-70 kilometers in three days of intense fighting, overcoming enemy resistance. Our troops are occupied by the mountains. KALACH on the eastern bank of the Don, station KRIVOMUZGINSKAYA (Sovetsk), station and town ABGANEROVO. Thus, both railways supplying enemy troops located east of the Don were interrupted. During the offensive of our troops, six enemy infantry and one tank divisions were completely destroyed. Heavy losses were inflicted on seven enemy infantry, two tank and two motorized divisions. In three days of fighting, 13,000 prisoners and 360 guns were captured. Many machine guns, mortars, rifles, vehicles, and a large number of warehouses with ammunition, weapons and food were also captured. Trophies are counted. The enemy left more than 14,000 corpses of soldiers and officers on the battlefield. The troops of Lieutenant General Comrade ROMANENKO, Major General Comrade CHISTYAKOV, Major General Comrade TOLBUKHIN, Major General Comrade TRUFANOV, and Lieutenant General Comrade BATOV distinguished themselves in battles. The offensive of our troops continues.
During November 21, our troops fought with the enemy in the Stalingrad area, southeast of Nalchik and northeastern Tuapse.

November 22, 1942. Sovinformburo. During November 22, our troops conducted a successful offensive from the northwest and south of the city of Stalingrad. Our troops occupied the city of Kalach on the eastern bank of the Don, the Krivomuzginskaya station (Sovetsk), the station and the city of Abganerovo.
Southwestern Front. On the night of November 21-22, when the 26th Tank Corps fought to occupy the settlements of Dobrinka and Ostrov, the corps commander, Major General A.G. Rodin, decided to take advantage of the darkness to suddenly capture the bridge crossing over the Don. At 3 a.m. on November 22, the advance detachment began moving at high speed along the Ostrov-Kalach road. Lieutenant Colonel G.N. Filippov led a detachment of cars and tanks with their headlights on. The Nazis mistook them for their training unit, equipped with captured Russian tanks, and the German defense was passed through without firing a single shot. At 6 o'clock, having approached the crossing unhindered, part of the detachment passed in vehicles across the bridge to the left bank of the Don and signaled the rest with a rocket to act. In a short battle that was unexpected for the enemy, the bridge guards were killed. The detachment occupied the bridge, and then made an attempt to capture the city of Kalach on the move. The detachment of Lieutenant Colonel G.N. Filippov, surrounded by the enemy, took up a perimeter defense and staunchly repelled all attacks by superior enemy forces, holding the bridge until the corps units arrived. On November 22, the main forces of the 26th Tank Corps fought at the line of the state farm "Victory of October" (15 km west of Kalach) and "10 Years of October", where the enemy, relying on a pre-prepared anti-tank area, stubbornly resisted the advance of corps units to the crossing, The 157th Tank Brigade fought a heavy battle in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bheight 162.9. By 2 p.m. 00 minutes, having made a roundabout maneuver, the brigade, after a stubborn battle, captured heights 162.9 and 159.2. The 19th Tank Brigade of Colonel N.M. Filippenko, breaking strong enemy resistance, by 17:00. 00 min. On November 22, part of the tanks reached the crossing of the river. Don, which was held by the advanced detachment of the corps. By 20 o'clock. 00 min. The full brigade crossed the Don and concentrated in the forest north-eastern Kalacha. The 159th and 47th Guards Rifle Divisions, the 8th Guards Tank Brigade and the 21st Cavalry Division of the 8th Cavalry Corps advanced in the direction of Bokovskaya and Chernyshevskaya, creating a support front for the shock group of the Southwestern Front along the eastern bank of the river . Chir. 47th Guards Rifle Division at 15:00. 00 min. occupied Chernyshevskaya, Chistyakovskaya, Demin and consolidated on the achieved line, the 159th Rifle Division with the 8th Guards Tank Brigade captured Kamenka and advanced to Bokovskaya, smashing the rear of the 9th Romanian Infantry Division, the 21st Cavalry Division, striking at the rear The 9th and 11th Romanian infantry divisions approached Nizhny Maksai, but then were turned south with the task of reaching the Chernyshevskaya area and southeast. The 55th Cavalry Division of the 8th Cavalry Corps fought with units of the German 22nd Panzer Division in the Bol area. Donshchinki. The 124th Rifle Division captured Verkhne-Fomikhinsky by storm and continued to advance east to connect with units of the 21st Army. On the night of November 23, units of the 96th and 63rd Rifle Divisions occupied heights 131.5 and Izbushensky. After this, the enemy group in the area of ​​Bazkovsky, Raspopinskaya, Belosoin was completely surrounded. In the ring of rifle formations of the 21st and 5th tank armies there were divisions of the 4th and 5th Romanian corps (5, 6, 13, 14th and 15th infantry divisions). On the same night, from November 22 to 23, south of Golovsky, part of the forces from the encircled group capitulated. By 3 o'clock. 00 min. the enemy was knocked out of Bazkovsky and Belosoin, but continued to resist in Raspopinskaya, repeatedly launching counterattacks.
Stalingrad front. Early in the morning of November 22, the 36th Guards Rifle Division launched a vigorous offensive and by the end of the day captured the Karavatka gully. The 204th Rifle Division captured Yagodny. Units of the 57th Army occupied Nariman and Gavrilovka. Units of the 4th Mechanized Corps, having reached the Verkhne-Tsaritsynsky, Zeta area, continued to fight their way towards the troops of the 5th Tank Army of General P. L. Romanenko. On the afternoon of November 22, they captured the station in battle. Krivomuzginskaya and the Sovetsky farm. At this time, other formations of the Stalingrad Front - the 51st Army and the 4th Cavalry Corps, advancing on the outer flank of the encirclement of the enemy group, advanced in the direction of Kotelnikovo. The troops of the 64th Army were entrenched on the eastern bank of the Karavatka gully, and the troops of the 57th Army were at the line southeast of the village. Tsybenko, s. Rakotino and southwest of the Bereslavsky farm. By the end of November 22, formations of these armies covered the enemy’s Stalingrad group from the south and southwest at the 64th Army - village line. Elkhi, Popov farm, Karavatka gully; 57th Army - along the southwestern bank of the river. Chervlenaya.
The troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts were separated by a distance of only 10-15 km after the 26th and 4th tank corps entered the Kalach area, and the 4th mechanized corps entered the Sovetsky area. The enemy threw the 24th and 16th tank divisions from Stalingrad to Kalach and Sovetsky, trying to prevent the connection of troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts. The advancing troops steadfastly repelled all enemy counterattacks.
German Army Group B. On November 22, at 6 p.m., Paulus radioed to the headquarters of Army Group B: “The army is surrounded... Fuel reserves will soon run out, tanks and heavy weapons in this case will be motionless. The ammunition situation is critical. There will be enough food for 6 days.” Paulus asked to be given freedom in his decision to leave Stalingrad. Hitler immediately responded to this attempt by Paulus. He replied: “The 6th Army will take up a perimeter defense and wait for a relief attack from the outside.”
On November 22, the fascist dictator of Romania, Antonescu, worriedly reported to Hitler: “General Lascar, the commander of a group consisting of four encircled divisions, reports that he has no ammunition, although he was promised it, and that the last moment has come when he could try to escape from an environment with some chance of success. He has orders from Army Group B to hold, but he is asking for a direct order from me.” Hitler replied to Antonescu that he had given instructions for the Romanian divisions to leave the encirclement.

November 23, 1942. Southwestern Front. On November 23, at 7 a.m., the 19th Tank Brigade of the 26th Tank Corps began an enemy attack in the city of Kalach. By 10 o'clock, Soviet tanks burst into the city, but the Germans offered stubborn resistance. With strong mortar and machine gun fire they stopped the advance of the Soviet infantry advancing on the northwestern outskirts of the city. Then units of the 157th Tank Brigade, which by this time had moved to the right bank of the Don, came to the aid of the attackers. The brigade's motorized rifle units began to cross the Don on the ice and then attacked the enemy from the southwestern outskirts of Kalach. At the same time, tanks pulled up to the high right bank of the Don opened fire from the spot at enemy firing points and a concentration of his vehicles. After this, infantry units advancing on the northwestern outskirts of the city also went on the attack. By 2 p.m. the town of Kalach was liberated. On this day, the 4th Tank Corps of the 21st Army advanced in two columns in the direction: the right column - the 45th, 69th and 102nd tank brigades - Lipologovsky, Berezovsky, across the river crossing. Don on Kamyshi and Sovetsky farm; left column - 4th motorized rifle brigade - on foot in the direction of Golubinsky, Illarionovsky, Platonov. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps fought in the Bolshenabagovsky, Luchensky area. Units of the 4th Tank Corps of the Southwestern Front, having finally broken the enemy’s resistance, moved towards Soviet, which had been held for more than a day by units of the Stalingrad Front. At 16:00, units of the 4th Tank Corps of the Southwestern Front under the command of Major General A. G. Kravchenko and the 4th Mechanized Corps of the Stalingrad Front under the command of Major General V. T. Volsky united in the area of ​​the Sovetsky farm. In that historical event The 45th and 69th tank brigades of the 4th tank corps and the 36th mechanized brigade of the 4th mechanized corps directly participated. On the same day, consolidating the success achieved, the advanced detachments of the rifle divisions of the Southwestern Front reached the Don near the city of Kalach. The troops of the 1st Guards and right-flank formations of the 5th Tank Army, advancing on the outer flank of the front’s strike group, having defeated the enemy’s cavalry and tank divisions, reached the line of the Krivaya and Chir rivers. By the end of the day on November 23, the Raspopin enemy group capitulated. At 11:30 p.m. On November 23, military operations in the Raspopinskaya area ceased. Brigadier General Traian Stanescu and the Romanian officers accompanying him surrendered at 2:30 am. November 24. During the night and then all day on November 24, columns of prisoners moved along the roads to the location of Soviet units, laying down their weapons in the places indicated to them; they then went under guard to the rear. In total, in the Raspopinskaya and Bazkovsky area, 27 thousand enemy soldiers and officers were captured, and a significant amount of weapons and other military trophies were captured.
Don Front. By the end of November 23, the right-flank formations of the 65th Army, together with the 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps of the 21st Army of the Southwestern Front, pushed the enemy group defending between Kletskaya and Sirotinskaya to the east. During November 20-23, Soviet units liberated the settlements of Tsimlovsky, Platonov, Orekhov, Logovsky, Verkhne-Buzinovka, Golubaya, Ventsy. The defeated units of the enemy's 13th, 15th, 376th Infantry Divisions and the 14th Tank Division retreated to Stalingrad.
Stalingrad. By the end of November 23, on the internal front of the encirclement, the troops of the Stalingrad Front were fighting on the coastal strip of Stalingrad and on the line: Kuporosnoye, Elkhi, Rakotino, south of Karpovka, Marinovka, Sovetsky. The troops of the Southwestern Front fought at the Illarionovsky line (northeast of Kalach), Bolshenabatovsky. The troops of the Don Front operated at the line of Golubaya, Blizhnyaya Perekopka, Sirotinskaya, Panshino, south of Samofalovka and Erzovka. On the external front of the encirclement, the troops of the Southwestern Front, advancing to the Krivaya and Chir rivers, fought at the Verkhne-Krivsky - Gorbatovsky - Bokovskaya - Chernyshevskaya line. In the sector from Chernyshevskaya to Surovikino there was no continuous front, and only units of the 1st Tank Corps reached Bolshaya Osinovka - Rychkovsky. The troops of the Stalingrad Front on the external front advanced to the line Buzinovka - Zeta - Abganerovo - Aksai - Umantsevo. The total length of the external front was over 450 km. However, in fact, only 276 km were covered by troops, including 165 km in the Southwestern Front zone and 100 km in the Stalingrad Front zone. The minimum distance between the external front and the internal one was only 15-20 km (Sovetsky - Nizhne-Chirskaya and Sovetsky-Aksai). The Nazis did not have a continuous line of defense either. A huge gap over 300 km wide was made at the enemy front (from Bokovskaya to Lake Sarpa).
Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS CONTINUES. During November 23, our troops, continuing the offensive, marched 10-20 kilometers in the northwestern direction and occupied the mountains. CHERNYSHEVSKAYA, city. PERELAZOVSKY and the town of POGODINSKY. In the south of Stalingrad, our troops advanced 15-20 kilometers and occupied the mountains. TUNDUTOVO and mountains. AKSAI...

November 24, 1942. Velikolukskaya operation. The Velikolukskaya offensive operation began with part of the forces of the Kalinin Front (3rd Shock Army and 3rd Air Army) and aviation long range, which lasted until January 20, 1943. On November 24 at 11.00 am, the forward detachments of the 357th Rifle, 9th, 46th and 21st Guards Rifle Divisions began reconnaissance in force of the enemy’s front line.
Stalingrad. On the night of November 24, the troops received a directive to dismember the encircled group and destroy it piece by piece with strikes in converging directions towards Gumrak. From November 24, meteorological conditions improved, which allowed the 17th, 16th and 8th Air Armies to launch active operations.
Don Front. The 65th Army of the Don Front also fought with the aim of encircling the enemy’s Trans-Don group. On the morning of November 24, her troops resumed the offensive, developing it in the direction of Vertyachiy and Peskovatka.
Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS CONTINUES. During November 24, our troops near Stalingrad continued to develop their offensive. On the northwestern sector of the front, our troops advanced 40 kilometers and occupied the city and Surovikino station. In the area of ​​the Don bend, our troops advanced 6-10 kilometers and occupied the settlements of Zimovsky, Kamyshinka, Blizhnaya Perekopka, Trekhostrovskaya, Sirotinskaya. South-west of Kletskaya we captured three previously surrounded enemy divisions led by three generals and their headquarters. Our troops advancing north of Stalingrad, having occupied the settlements of Tomilin, Akatovka, Latoshanka on the banks of the Volga, united with the troops defending the northern part of Stalingrad. In the south of Stalingrad, our troops advanced 15-20 kilometers and occupied the city of Sadovoe and the settlements of Umantsevo and Peregruzny.

November 25, 1942. Velikolukskaya operation. On the morning of November 25, the main forces of the Velikiye Luki group of the 3rd Shock Army went on the offensive. The 5th Guards Rifle Corps successfully advanced in the general direction to the west, turning its right wing (9th Guards, 357th Rifle Division) around Velikiye Luki. The 381st Infantry Division advanced bypassing the city from the north, which already on the first day of the offensive cut the Velikiye Luki-Nasva road.
Operation Mars. On November 25, the Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operation of the troops of the Kalinin and Western Fronts began under the code name “Mars”. The 20th and 31st armies of the Western Front attacked the eastern front of the Rzhev salient north of Zubtsov, in a 40-kilometer area along the Vazuza and Osuga rivers. At the same time, the 22nd and 41st armies of the Kalinin Front launched a counter attack from the western front of the ledge. In the zone of the 20th Army, the 247th Infantry Division of Major General G.D. Mukhin, with the support of the 80th and 140th Tank Brigades, crossed Vazuza and captured a bridgehead on its western bank. The army commander immediately threw his reserve into battle - the 331st Infantry Division of Colonel P. E. Berestov. Under heavy enemy fire, units of the 20th Army made their way forward, expanding the bridgehead. The 41st Army of the Kalinin Front, aimed at the left flank of the Rzhev group, launched an attack on the city of Bely, to the north, along the Luchesa River, the 22nd Army attacked. On the morning of November 25, the strike group of the 41st Army - the 6th Siberian Volunteer Rifle Corps of General S.I. Povetkin (it included the 150th Novosibirsk Division, 74th Altai, 75th Omsk, 78th Krasnoyarsk and 91 1st Rifle Brigade; the division had 13,754 people, brigades - 6,000 people each) and the 1st Mechanized Corps, despite a snowstorm and terrain unsuitable for an offensive, broke through the enemy’s defenses and began to bypass Bely, trying to cut the highway to Dukhovshchina. On the flanks of the army, Soviet troops managed to advance up to 5 km. During the day, the army applied unrelenting pressure on the German fortifications and pinned down the German reserves to make it easier for the large force attacking in the south.
Battle of Stalingrad. During the day, troops of the 64th, 57th and part of the forces of the 51st armies of the Stalingrad Front developed an offensive on Kotelnikovo. The 66th Army of the Don Front launched a strike from the Erzovka area in the direction of Orlovka. In the area of ​​the village of Rynok, her troops united with Gorokhov’s group.
Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS CONTINUES. During November 25, our troops in the mountains. Stalingrad, overcoming enemy resistance, continued the offensive in the same directions. On the northwestern sector of the front, our troops occupied the railway stations of Rychkovsky, Novomaksimovsky, Staromaksimovsky and the settlements of Malonabatovsky, Biryuchkov, Rodionov, Bolshaya Donshchinka, Malaya Donshchinka. In the area of ​​the settlements of Bolshaya Donshchinka and Malaya Donshchinka, previously surrounded units of the enemy’s 22nd Tank Division were defeated.

November 26, 1942. Operation Mars. At dawn on November 26, in the offensive zone of the 20th Army of the Western Front, units of the second echelon - the 8th Guards Rifle, 6th Tank and 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps began moving to the bridgehead. Two hundred tanks, 30 thousand soldiers and 10 thousand cavalrymen stretched out in long columns along two narrow roads lost in the snow leading across the river to the western bank. By mid-day, the 6th Tank Corps (170 tanks), which was commanded by Colonel P. M. Arman due to the illness of General Getman, crossed over to the bridgehead. At 15.00 the 6th Panzer Corps went on the offensive. The 6th Motorized Rifle Brigade captured the village of Kholm-Berezuisky and turned south. By the evening, the 22nd tank knocked out the German garrisons from fortified points in Bolshoye and Maly Kropotovo, and its 2nd tank battalion broke through the Rzhev-Sychevka railway to the village of Lozhki. The 200th and 100th tank brigades occupied Grinevka and Podosinovka. After an hour of artillery preparation, units of the 39th Army of the Kalinin Front began an offensive across the Molodoy Tud River at 10 o’clock. The artillerymen managed to suppress German strongholds, which yesterday caused serious damage to infantry and tanks. Units of the army crossed the river and quickly gained a foothold in the forests on far shore rivers. By nightfall, the attacking Soviet troops pushed the Germans back two kilometers from the front line and, after heavy fighting, captured the village of Palatkino. German infantry, supported by tanks, repeatedly launched counterattacks, but they were all repulsed. At dawn on November 26, after artillery preparation, units of the 22nd Army of the Kalinin Front, with the support of two Katukov tank brigades, resumed the offensive. On the banks of the Luchesa, the 280th Infantry Regiment of the 185th Infantry Division of Colonel Andryushchenko crossed the frozen river and entrenched itself on its northern bank. Unable to withstand the aggressive Soviet attack, the Germans abandoned their forward positions north of the river and retreated to the fortified village of Griva. New positions were located along the front slopes of the ridge between the Luchesa and the tributary flowing into the Luchesa from the north. In the Tolkachi sector, Colonel Karpov several times launched his 238th Rifle Division into an attack on German fortifications and captured an enemy stronghold before darkness fell. On the night of November 25-26, in the offensive zone of the 41st Army of the Kalinin Front, the infantry of General Povetkin's 6th Rifle Corps, with the support of Solomatin's advanced armored detachments, made their way through the forest east of the Vishenka River. There was little resistance. The armored vehicles slowly moved along forest paths through the positions of Vinogradov’s infantry, to the village of Spas on the Vena River, located three kilometers away. On November 26 at 10:00, Solomatin’s tanks and Povetkin’s infantry resumed their joint offensive to the east, to the Nacha River. Solomatin left the weakened 150th Rifle Division and 219th Tank Brigade on the left flank to destroy the surviving German strongholds south of Bely. In the center of the breakthrough, Vinogradov's 75th Rifle Brigade resumed the offensive, led by Major Afanasyev's 4th Tank Regiment and accompanied by the remaining units of Lieutenant Colonel V. I. Kuzmenko's 35th Mechanized Brigade. While the main part of Solomatin's corps successfully expanded the breakthrough zone, the 219th Tank Brigade of Colonel Ya. A. Davydov and the 150th Infantry Division of Colonel Gruz tried to destroy the enemy south of Bely. At the end of the day, the forces of the 41st Army resumed their attacks. Supported by the 219th Tank Brigade of Colonel Ya. A. Davydov, the 150th Infantry Division of Gruz broke the German resistance at Dubrovka and moved forward. A fierce battle continued south of Baturyn, in which the 19th Mechanized Brigade entered. Battle of Stalingrad. On November 26, the troops of the Don Front on the right flank fought to clear the western bank of the Don from the remnants of the encircled enemy group; in the center and on the left flank, together with the troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts, they continued the offensive, compressing the ring of enemy troops. The enemy, hiding behind separate detachments from the west against the 65th Army, offered fierce resistance to the advancing units of the 24th Army.
Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS NEAR STALINGRAD CONTINUES. During November 26, our troops in the mountain area. Stalingrad, overcoming enemy resistance, continued the offensive in the same directions. On the northwestern sector of the front, our troops occupied the settlements of Krasnoye Selo and Generalov. In the area of ​​the bend of the Don River, our troops occupied the settlements of Kalachkin, Perepolny, Verkhniy and Nizhny Gerasimov, Verkhniy Akatov, throwing back the remnants of enemy units in this area to the eastern bank of the Don River. To the southwest of Stalingrad, our troops occupied the settlements of Yagodny, Sklyarov, Lyapichev, Nizhne-Kumsky, Gromoslavka, Generalovsky, Darganov. South of Stalingrad, counterattacks by two enemy infantry divisions trying to break through to the southwest were successfully repelled. The enemy suffered heavy losses.

November 27, 1942. Sovinformburo. False reports from the German command about the battles in the Stalingrad area. In the first days, the German command hid from its soldiers and the German population the fact that Soviet troops had broken through the German defense line and the huge losses of German troops in the Stalingrad area. When it became impossible to hide this fact, Hitler’s bosses cautiously, in a quarter of a voice, admitted the breakthrough of their line of defense, but to this day they hide their losses. But the Nazi command intensively began to tell Arabic tales about Soviet losses and spread all sorts of fables... Of course, the Nazis are doing this with the aim of using shameless lies to keep the German troops, who find themselves in a difficult situation, from final disintegration and in any way force them to fight. The Nazis also needed this lie in order to somehow reassure the Germans in the rear. But you won’t get far with Arabian tales! You can’t hide the truth, the truth will take its toll!
During November 27, near Stalingrad, our troops continued the offensive and occupied the settlements of Verkhne-Gnilovsky, Marinovka, Novoaksaysky, and Zarya.
Velikolukskaya operation. On November 27, the commander of the 3rd Shock Army introduced the 18th Mechanized Brigade of the 2nd Mechanized Corps into the breakthrough that had formed in the center of the enemy front. At 12.00 the enemy in the city of Velikiye Luki was surrounded.
Operation Mars. Zhukov's decision was to resume attacks in all sectors with increasing intensity. “As we speak,” Zhukov noted, “Tarasov’s mobile forces (41st Army) are rushing into the German rear near Bely, in two other important sectors the Germans are also under attack... Therefore,” he concluded, “our decision is to persistently attack in all directions at any cost." On the evening of November 27, Zhukov flew to the headquarters of the Kalinin Front. On November 27, the command of the 20th Army (Kiryukhin) of the Western Front decided to expand the bridgehead captured on the first day in the direction of Maly Kropotov. From the early morning of November 27, the 8th Guards Rifle Corps tried to expand the bridgehead to the south and southeast, attacking Zherebtsovo. At 8:00 the advanced units of the 20th Cavalry Division entered the battle and recaptured Arestovo and Kryukovo from the Germans. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Division completed the crossing and at 11:00 attacked the Germans holding the defenses of Podosinovka and Zherebtsovo. The 4th Guards Cavalry Division crossed to the western bank of Vazuza, but did not fight, however, being subjected to German air and artillery attacks.
Until the end of the day, the 6th Tank Corps remained motionless in positions along the Rzhev-Sychevka road. During the day he received ammunition and fuel to resume the offensive the next day. On the right flank of the 20th Army, the 326th, 42nd Guards and 251st Rifle Divisions continued to attack German positions from the Osuga River on Gredyakino. Ryavyakin's 1st Guards Motorized Rifle Division immediately entered the battle for enemy strongholds near Nikonovo and Maly Kropotovo.
On November 27, three rifle divisions of the 39th Army (Zygin) of the Kalinin Front (Purkaev) resumed the general offensive with the support of the 81st and 28th tank brigades. The Germans retreated from Molodoy Tud, leaving the bridgehead to the Soviet 117th Rifle Brigade. Then the German troops were driven out of Malye Bredniki. By nightfall, the Germans had once again stabilized the defense line stretching east from the southern outskirts of Malye Bredniki. Early in the morning of November 27, the 22nd Army (Yushkevich) of the Kalinin Front resumed the assault on Griva, this time only with infantry forces. The 1st Guards Tank Brigade of Colonel Gorelov and the 3rd Mechanized Brigade of Colonel A. Kh. Babajanyan crushed the enemy tank grenadier forces defending the road to Starukhi, and advanced along the southern bank of Luchesa to the very outskirts of the village. Increased German resistance forced them to stop on the outskirts. The 1319th Infantry Regiment, which followed them, captured a small bridgehead on the northern bank of the river, south of Griva. At the same time, the 49th Tank Brigade of Major B.C. Chernichenko, together with the 1st mechanized brigade of Colonel I.V. Melnikov, carried out coverage of German forces north of Karskaya. While the infantry of the 238th Rifle Division pushed the Germans back to the village, Chernichenko's tanks crossed the open space south of the village of Starukh. By the evening of November 27, the advanced units of the 65th and 219th tank brigades of the Solomatin Corps of the 41st Army (Tarasov) of the Kalinin Front reached the Bely - Vladimirskoye road, interrupting one of the two most important communications of the 41st Tank Corps of General Harpe. A gap 20 km wide and 30 km deep appeared in the German defense.
Battle of Stalingrad. By November 27, the 21st Army of the Southwestern Front crossed with its main forces to the left bank of the Don. Its 4th Tank Corps and 293rd Rifle Division reached the Marinovka - Illarionovsky line; 26th Tank Corps and 96th Rifle Division - Illarionovsky - Sokarevka - Peskovatka.
The concentration of Nazi troops began in the Kotelnikovo area. Significant reinforcements arrived from Germany, the 6th Panzer Division from France, the 23rd Panzer Division from the North Caucasus, and troops from Voronezh and Orel.
In telephone negotiations on November 27, J.V. Stalin demanded that A.M. Vasilevsky, who was in the Stalingrad area, first of all deal with the liquidation of the encircled group. “The enemy troops are surrounded at Stalingrad,” said the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, “they must be liquidated... This is a very important matter... Mikhailov (the conditional surname of A.M. Vasilevsky) must focus only on this one matter. As for the preparation of Operation Saturn, let Vatutin (commander of the Southwestern Front) and Kuznetsov (commander of the 1st Guards Army) take care of this matter, Moscow will help them.” Transcaucasian front. The offensive of the troops of the Northern Group of the Transcaucasian Front began west of the city of Ordzhonikidze against the 1st German Tank Army.

November 28, 1942.
Sovinformburo. A NEW STRIKE AT THE ENEMY. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS ON THE CENTRAL FRONT HAS BEGAN. The other day our troops went on the offensive in the area east of the city of Velikiye Luki and in the area west of the city of Rzhev. Overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, our troops broke through the enemy’s heavily fortified defensive line. In the area of ​​Velikiye Luki, the German front was broken through 30 km long. In the area west of the city of Rzhev, the enemy front was broken through in three places: in one place with a length of 20 km, in another area with a length of 17 km, and in a third area with a length of up to 10 km. In all these directions, our troops advanced to a depth of 12 to 30 km. Our troops interrupted the Velikiye Luki - Nevel, Velikiye Luki - Novosokolniki railways, as well as Railway Rzhev - Vyazma. The enemy, trying to delay the advance of our troops, is conducting numerous and fierce counterattacks. The enemy's counterattacks are successfully repulsed with heavy losses. During the offensive of our troops, over 300 settlements were liberated and 4 infantry divisions and one tank division of the Germans were defeated... The troops of Major General Tarasov, Major General Galitsky, Major General Zygin, Major General Povetkin, Colonel Vinogradov, Colonel Repin, Major Zubatov, Colonel Maslov, Colonel Mikhailov, Colonel Knyazkov, Colonel Busarov, Colonel Andryushenko distinguished themselves in battles. The offensive of our troops continues... Our troops occupied the settlements of Akimovsky, Nizhne-Gnilovsky, Kislov, Logovsky, Eritsky, Chilekov, Shestakov, Antonov, Romashkin, Kruglyakov, Nebykov, Samokhin, Zhutov 2nd, Nizhny and Verkhniy Yablochny, Chilekovo station.
Velikolukskaya operation. By the morning of November 28, the 357th Infantry Division of Colonel A.L. Kronik knocked out the Germans from the village of Mordovishche and cut the Velikiye Luki-Novosokolniki railway. In the evening of the same day, Beloborodov’s guards met with the advanced units of the 381st Rifle Division, closing the encirclement ring around the Velikiye Luki garrison - about 7 thousand people. By this time, the 46th Guards Rifle Division had reached the Chernozem station and occupied it. The 21st Guards Division of General D.V. Mikhailov advanced only 4-5 km in 4 days of fighting, and the 28th Rifle Division of General S.A. Knyazkov stormed the heights in the area of ​​the village of Polibino and repelled attacks of the 10th at Senkovo regiment of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade. Troops of the Kalinin Front surrounded part of the forces of the Velikiye Luki group of Germans in the Shiripin area. To develop the attack on Novosokolniki, the army commander decided to introduce the 18th mechanized brigade from the 2nd mechanized corps into the breakthrough.
Operation Mars. On the afternoon of November 28, the 20th Army (Kiryukhin) of the Western Front continued to expand the bridgehead on the western bank of Vazuza. The 20th Cavalry Division, in mounted formation, with its two regiments, in the first half of the night of November 28, broke through the ravine between Bolshoy and Maly Kropotovo. The 3rd Guards Cavalry Division suffered heavy losses in the breakthrough through the ravine; only one 12th Guards Cavalry Regiment broke through, and the 10th Guards Cavalry Regiment was almost completely scattered and destroyed. By morning, units of the 6th Tank Corps managed to break through the railway and connect with the units of the 20th and 3rd Guards Cavalry Divisions that had broken through. Soviet tanks They reached the German artillery positions, destroyed the artillery headquarters and two artillery regiments, cut the Rzhev-Sychevka railway and reached the line of Soustovo, Azarovo, Nikishino. By the end of the day, Soviet troops advanced another 20 km. On the night of November 28, the Germans, under pressure from the 39th Army (Zygin) of the Kalinin Front (Purkaev), were forced to withdraw the front to the Zaitsevo - Urdom - Bryukhanovo line. The Soviet 348th Infantry Division was brought into battle and Urdom soon fell. On the afternoon of November 28, the 49th Tank and 10th Mechanized Brigades of the 22nd Army (Yushkevich) of the Kalinin Front broke through the defenses of the German reserves and moved east to the Olenino-Bely highway. The commander of the 41st Army (Tarasov) of the Kalinin Front decided to take advantage of the advance of M.D. Solomatin’s corps in depth and bypass the flank of the troops defending the city of Bely. In the morning, the 91st Rifle Brigade pushed back the left flank of the 41st Motorized Regiment southeast of Belyi. After several hours of fighting in a snowstorm, the 47th Mechanized Brigade was brought into battle. I. F. Dremov's brigade was able to move north quite quickly, bypassing Bely. It was decided to transfer the 19th mechanized and 219th tank brigades to the same area. The offensive of the 1st mechanized corps of M. D. Solomatin to the east on November 28 continued. Only the 37th Mechanized Brigade advanced forward, advancing to the southeast, bypassing the Nachi line occupied by motorcyclists of the 1st Tank Division. The other two brigades that reached Nacha fought for bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the river.
Battle of Stalingrad. The headquarters of the Supreme High Command entrusted A. M. Vasilevsky with leadership of the actions of the Stalingrad and Don fronts to eliminate the encircled enemy. On November 28, the 21st, 65th and 24th armies broke the stubborn resistance of the enemy and occupied heavily fortified nodes - Vertyachiy and Peskovatka. Hitler's command To organize a counterattack in order to relieve the 6th Army of F. Paulus encircled at Stalingrad, Army Group Don was formed under the command of Field Marshal Manstein.

November 29, 1942. Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS CONTINUES
I. UNDER STALINGRAD. During November 29, our troops near Stalingrad, overcoming enemy resistance, broke through his new line of defense along the eastern bank of the Don. Our troops occupied the fortified points of Vertyachiy, Peskovatka, Sokarevka, Illarionovsky. These points were the main centers of German resistance in this line of defense. South-west of Stalingrad, our troops, pursuing the enemy, occupied the settlements of Ermokhinsky, Obilnoe, Verkhne-Kurmoyarskaya and the Nebykovsky station.
II. ON THE CENTRAL FRONT. During November 29, our troops on the Central Front, overcoming enemy resistance and repelling counterattacks by his arriving reserves, successfully continued the offensive. Counterattacking enemy units suffered significant losses. Our troops occupied a number of settlements and during the day of fighting they captured: 55 guns, 64 machine guns, 8 tanks, 15 warehouses with military equipment, ammunition and food. 49 enemy tanks were destroyed and knocked out.
Velikolukskaya operation. By 16:00 on November 29, the 18th Mechanized Brigade of the 2nd Mechanized Corps had fought its way to the Novosokolniki railway junction. On the northeastern outskirts of Novosokolnikov, a regiment of the 381st Infantry Division fought.
Operation Mars. 20th Army (Kiryukhin) of the Western Front. On the afternoon of November 29, the Soviet command continued to transport fresh forces to the gradually expanding bridgehead. At 8.00, the 6th Tank Corps, consisting of 23 T-34 tanks with the remnants of two motorized rifle brigades, attacked Maloe Kropotovo from the west and captured it by 9.00. The tanks remaining after the battle attacked with their last liters of fuel and in the captured village were immediately dug into the ground as stationary firing points. Within 30-40 minutes, a rifle regiment of the 20th Guards Rifle Division entered Maloye Kropotovo from the east. Communication between the front mobile group and units of the 20th Army was restored. On the morning of November 29, the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the 41st Army (Tarasov) of the Kalinin Front continued its offensive to the north, encountering virtually no resistance. By evening, Dremov's tankers reached the Obsha River and captured the road leading to Bely, depriving the German garrison of the main line of communications. The city was semi-surrounded; it was connected to the outside world only by a wooded area without any roads less than 10 km wide. The troops in Bely could now receive ammunition and food only by air.

November 30, 1942. Sovinformburo. THE ADVANCE OF OUR TROOPS CONTINUES
I. UNDER STALINGRAD. During November 30, our troops near Stalingrad, overcoming enemy resistance, advanced 6-10 kilometers and occupied a number of fortified points. During the battles from November 26 to 30, the enemy left up to 20,000 corpses of soldiers and officers on the battlefield.
II. ON THE CENTRAL FRONT. During November 30, our troops on the Central Front, overcoming enemy resistance and repelling counterattacks by his infantry and tanks, successfully continued the offensive and occupied several settlements.
Operation Mars. The 103rd and 124th cavalry regiments of the 20th Cavalry Division, the 12th Guards Regiment of the 3rd Guards Cavalry Division, and separate parts of two other regiments of the same division formed the so-called group of Colonel Kursakov (about 900 sabers). It switched to partisan operations and reached its own only in January 1943. Units of the 20th Army continued combat operations in the form of the consistent destruction of strongholds of the enemy’s first line of defense in the breakthrough area. Units of the 22nd Army (Yushkevich) of the Kalinin Front managed to push back the Keller group. The gap in the formation of the German troops, measured between the Keller group and the bent flank of the 86th Infantry Division, was already 12 km. On November 30, the fighting continued with the same ferocity. The last assault on Bely by the 41st Army (Tarasov) of the Kalinin Front took place on November 30. The 150th Infantry Division and the 91st Infantry Brigade, supported by the 19th Mechanized Brigade, resumed attacks on the southern and southeastern sectors of the city's defenses.
Battle of Stalingrad. During November 28-30, the fierce struggle of all three fronts continued. During these battles, the troops of the 21st, 65th and 24th armies managed to capture heavily fortified enemy resistance centers - Peskovatka and Vertyachim. In other sectors, the enemy continued to hold occupied positions. Overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, the troops of the 1st Guards and 5th Tank Armies of the Southwestern Front entrenched themselves along the lines of the Krivaya and Chir rivers. At the same time, formations of the 51st Army and the 4th Cavalry Corps of the Stalingrad Front fought in the southwestern sector of the outer front of the encirclement. Front troops reduced the area occupied by the enemy by more than half - to 1,500 km; (from west to east - 40 km and from north to south - from 30 to 40 km).
To maintain his spirit, Hitler awarded the commander of the German army Paulus the rank of colonel general.
Transcaucasian front. The troops of the Northern Group of the Transcaucasian Front began an offensive on the northern bank of the river. Terek. On November 30, the 4th Guards Kuban Corps struck the rear of the Mozdok enemy group.

November 19, 1942 76 years ago The beginning of the counteroffensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad (the beginning of the Stalingrad operation).

The Battle of Stalingrad (November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943) is one of the largest strategic operations of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War.

Its code name is Operation Uranus. The battle included two periods.

The first is the Stalingrad strategic defensive operation (July 17 - November 18, 1942), as a result of which not only the offensive power of the enemy was crushed and the main strike group of the German army on the southern front was bled dry, but also the conditions were prepared for the transition of Soviet troops to a decisive counter-offensive.

The second period of the battle - the Stalingrad strategic offensive operation - began on November 19, 1942.

During the operation, Soviet troops surrounded and destroyed the main forces of the German armies.

In total, during the Battle of Stalingrad, the enemy lost about one and a half million people - a quarter of their forces operating on the Soviet-German front.

The victory of the Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad had enormous political and international significance; it had a significant impact on the development of the Resistance Movement in the territories of European states occupied by the fascist invaders.

As a result of the battle, the Soviet armed forces wrested the strategic initiative from the enemy and retained it until the end of the war.

In the Battle of Stalingrad, hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers showed unparalleled heroism and high military skill. 55 formations and units were awarded orders, 179 were converted into guards units, 26 received honorary titles. About 100 fighters received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Stalingrad became a symbol of the perseverance, courage and heroism of the Soviet people in the struggle for freedom and independence of the Motherland.

On May 1, 1945, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Stalingrad was awarded the honorary title of Hero City.

4. Defense in Stalingrad from 28.9 to 21.11.1942
The division was excluded from the offensive group and took up defense along the Volga along a wide strip. The well-developed Soviet fortification system was used here. In some areas it was improved and brought into a state that would prevent a surprise attack from across the Volga. In the center of the divisional zone between the Tsarina and the Minin ravine was the 191st regiment, to the south of it was the 211th regiment, adjacent to the 371st Infantry Division, and to the north of the Tsarina was the 194th Regiment, adjacent to the 295th Infantry Division.

The time before the encirclement was used for rest and putting things in order, in fulfillment of the plans of the Wehrmacht leadership.
The following entries in the Wehrmacht diary speak better than any polemic:
“August 16, 1942. The Fuehrer's concern is that the Russians can launch their standard 1920 offensive, striking near Serafimovich in the direction of Rostov, as the Bolsheviks did against General Wrangel's White Army, and thus achieve major success. He is worried that the Italian 8th Army in this sector will not be able to hold out and therefore orders the 22nd Panzer Division to be moved to the rear of the Italian 8th Army as soon as possible.”
There is a similar kind of concern in the entries from 27.8, 9.9, 16.9, 16.10, 9.10, 14.10, 25.10. The entry dated October 26 reads:
“The Fuhrer is again extremely concerned about a Russian general offensive, possible in winter, on the sector of the Allied armies across the Don in the direction of Rostov. Active enemy movements in the area and the construction of bridges across the Don in several places give cause for concern. The Fuhrer orders that all three armies be given airfield divisions as a “corset”. This will make it possible to release German divisions from the front and use them as a reserve in the rear of the Allied armies.”
November 7, 1942: “The Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces, reporting the situation, reports that based on intelligence information received, a council of commanders was held in Moscow on November 4, at which a decision was made to conduct a general offensive on the Don or in the center.”
Based on these facts, it is absurd to believe that Hitler had a complete understanding of Russian preparations for a general offensive, but did not believe in it. The entry dated October 26 talks about the possibility of a winter offensive in the sector of the Allied armies.
Wehrmacht diary kept by General Helmut Greiner. In his book “The High Command of the Wehrmacht 1939-1943” he writes: “As the compiler of the diary, I participated in all important meetings of the command. This can be confirmed by General Warlimont and, for some time, General Jodl. I used my own handwritten notes, which I then dictated into my diary, without intervals from August 12, 1942 to March 17, 1943. I ask the reader to take note of this."
Mr. Gisevius at this time, as a representative of General Oster, the chief of staff of Canaris, was in Switzerland, maintaining contacts with the enemy. In early December he was called back to Berlin, where he was informed about the Stalingrad Putsch. According to the information presented in his book “Until the Sad End”, in Nuremberg he testified under oath as follows: “After we failed to induce the victorious generals to putsch, some chances appeared after the obvious catastrophe in Stalingrad began to develop, which in all details were predicted by Colonel General Beck back in December. We began our preparations based on mathematical calculations of the time that Paulus's army had left in order to organize a military putsch shortly before this moment. While in Switzerland, I participated in all discussions of this preparation. I can say that we have advanced very far and field marshals in the east and Witzleben in the west had to take part in this putsch. However, it happened differently and when Paulus capitulated, Kluge, instead of giving us a code signal, withdrew from the conspiracy.”
According to Gisevius, it was planned that after a code signal from Paulus, Kluge would begin to act, but he obediently canceled the events to Hitler.
In connection with the fall of the 6th Army, the following testimony of Gisevius has great weight: “The capitulation of the 6th Army was prompted by Paulus, who, despite all the possibilities, did not want to give the 6th Army back into the crazy hands of Hitler, canceling the relief offensive.”
We will remember the decision of the commander of our army after we finish this chapter with the recollection of an unknown soldier of the 191st regiment:
“Elite divisions were put into action, the assault on the 71st stopped. Not far from the southern station, near a grain elevator filled with grain, the days passed by hard. In the smoke and stench of rotting wheat, there was a struggle for every brick of every floor, along the entire stretch of the Soviet defensive position from the southern pier to the high elevator. On the night of 17 to 18.9, Marshal Chuikov left his army command post near Tsaritsa in panic, when in the middle of the day German assault groups suddenly appeared at the exit of Pushkinskaya Street. During his escape through the second exit to the Tsarina ravine, he left behind many important papers and maps of the Volga bank, which were soon taken by assault groups of the 191st regiment. On October 3, the division finally destroyed the enemy fighting in the ruins of houses and took up defense in a neighboring area.”

5. The battle in the Stalingrad cauldron from 11/22/42 to 1/31/43 and the fall of Stalingrad
At the beginning of November, nine-tenths of the city was in German hands. On November 16, the first snow began to fall. In the middle of the day on November 21, the tragedy at Kalach broke out, and the next day the enemy pincers closed around the 6th Army in the Stalingrad area.

In a jumble of orders and counter-orders, the army commander’s radio station received a radiogram from the Fuhrer’s headquarters: “The 6th Army is occupying a perimeter defense and is waiting for new orders. The commander moves his headquarters to Stalingrad. "
This order appears in most of the literature devoted to Stalingrad, as well as the radiogram received on the night of November 21: “The remaining troops of the 6th Army between the Volga and Don are the fortress of Stalingrad” and “The commander is moving his headquarters to Stalingrad. The army takes up a perimeter defense and awaits further orders.”
On November 21, at about 14.00, the commander received a report that enemy tanks from Kalch were advancing along the so-called Don Heights route to Golubinskaya. Even before the 6th Army was surrounded, its commander received orders not to confront the enemy, but to submit to fate! The army is not yet surrounded, but it is already called “Fortress Stalingrad”!
As Ferdinand Lenz says in his book “Stalingrad, the Lost Victory,” the Fuhrer could not send such a telegram himself, since from 19 to 24.11 he was not at headquarters in Vinnitsa, and he, along with Keitel and Jodl, was in Munich and Obersalzberg.
On the evening of November 22, the army was surrounded. However, its commander and chief of staff were already bound by an order received yesterday.
This is the key to understanding the telegram that Paulus sent at 18.00 on 22.11. Why neither the Fuhrer nor the commander of the 6th Army understood the seriousness of the whole situation before this is inexplicable.
From the very beginning, it was absolutely clear to the army headquarters: there was no way to supply the army by air. In the diary of the commander of the 4th Air Fleet, Colonel General von Richthofen, there is an entry dated November 21, 1942: “The 6th Army hopes that it will be supplied by air. However, even using all means, it is absolutely clear that this will not work. The command of the Luftwaffe, the Wehrmacht and the Army Group agree with this.”
On the night of November 21 to 22, another order comes from the Army Group: “The 6th Army is holding out, despite the threat of encirclement, and is taking control of the IV Army Corps and the remnants of the VI Romanian Corps. The railway should be preserved if possible. Orders regarding air supply will follow.”
In his famous report at 18.00 on 22.11, Paulus describes the situation that had developed at that time: “The army is surrounded. The entire Tsaritsa Valley, the railway from Sovetskoye to Kalach, the Don bridges, the heights on the western bank of the Don about Golubinskaya, Oskinsky and Krainy, despite heroic resistance, are occupied by the Russians. Their new forces arrive through Buzinovka from the south and, especially, from the west. The situation at Surovikino and Chir is unknown. On the northern front, there was strong activity from reconnaissance groups, attacks on the IV Army Corps and the 76th Infantry Division were repulsed. There are small wedges there. The army hopes to hold the western front west of the Don on the Goluboy River. The southern front east of the Don is still open. At the cost of weakening the northern front, a thin line of defense will be organized from Karpovka through Marinovka to Golubinskaya inclusive. The Don froze and began to cross. Fuel runs out quickly. Tanks and heavy weapons become immobile because of this. The ammunition situation is tight. There will be enough food for 6 days. The army plans to hold the remaining area from Stalingrad to the Don and is doing everything possible to achieve this. It is assumed that the formation of the southern front will be successful, the necessary supplies will be delivered by air. We ask you to give us freedom of action if all-round defense does not work out. The situation may force us to abandon the northern front and Stalingrad and strike with all our forces against the enemy between the Volga and Don on the southern front in order to establish a connection with the 4th Tank Army. The attack to the west will not be successful due to the strong enemy and difficult terrain. Signed: Paulus."
The situation, however, dictated not to carry out Hitler’s order for all-round defense, but to make a breakthrough...
We continue the memories of a soldier of the 191st regiment:
“In the second half of November 22. General Paulus and his chief of staff flew into the cauldron. At the Gumrak airfield, bunkers were prepared for his new command post. Paulus ordered the food rations for all soldiers to be cut by half and sent Giler another radiogram: “Based on the situation, I ask once again to give freedom of action!”
The soldiers in the cauldron, including officers and generals, began to receive 200 grams of bread daily and half a liter of soup twice a day. This soup contained 60 grams of muscle or bones and some horse meat. With this ration, soldiers from the bloodless divisions had to fight in the steppe, march in the snow and dig in on the icy slopes of gullies, carry cannons, machine guns, cartridges, sleds, and also pull the wounded out from under fire.
Until November 24, our regiment was located in self-built bunkers between the Minin and Tsaritsa ravines, in close proximity to the Volga and the elevator. I remember that day, when we were drinking our tinned coffee, several small-caliber bombs fell on our bunker. At about 16.00 the order to move was received. At 17.40 we moved towards Beketovka, where on Black Sunday 22.11 the Russians, after double artillery and mortar preparation, broke through the defenses of the 20th Romanian Division.
The road along the Volga led away from Stalingrad, through deep gullies, heights and steppes, under raids by enemy attack aircraft. Continuous snow fell and an icy wind blew, covering my mouth and forming lumps of ice on my eyelashes. The next evening, at about 20.00, we reached the front near Kalach and at 22.00, under the command of Lieutenant Wolf, launched a counterattack. We pushed the enemy back 500-700 meters, after which we settled down for the night right in an open field, at a temperature of -30 degrees, in an icy blowing wind. Enemy shells flew over our heads, “Stalin’s organs” roared, and in the morning, after heavy artillery and mortar fire, the Russians went on the attack again.
Despite the fact that the frost hindered any movement, we sent burst after burst of machine guns. Again we are attacked by Soviet infantry, accompanied by tanks. We do not have any anti-tank weapons and we are forced to hit tanks with close combat. This unequal battle continued all day. At dusk the next morning, all hell broke loose again as hundreds of shells began to explode. However, we were able to pin the attackers to the ground with our fire, and by mid-day the attack was repulsed. We only had one heavy and three light machine guns left when Riedel's Knight's Cross battle group arrived to the rescue with two assault guns and seven tanks. When changing positions on December 5, I was wounded and sent to the main dressing station 2/371.
Operation “Winter Thunderstorm,” as the relief strike was designated, gave us hope for salvation when, on November 27, the 6th Tank Division, transferred from France, began to arrive in the Kotelnikovo area...