ABSTRACT
The formidable German Sixth Army commanded by General Friedrich von Paulus was caught in a giant Soviet encirclement west of Stalingrad. The Fuhrer's own radio message in the evening ordered Stalingrad and the Volga front to be held at all costs, requiring von Paulus and his staff to return to the Stalingrad area and Sixth Army to set up a circular defence. The new army group would halt the Soviet advance westwards and mount a counter-blow, which would also accomplish the relief of Stalingrad. Stalin, along with the Stavka officers, only realized the extent and resilience of the force trapped in the Stalingrad pocket, which would have to be broken up by sledgehammer blows—such as 2nd Guards could provide. Stalingrad was to be stormed a second time, but only slowly did it filter through the Soviet command what a formidable force had been walled in by the Soviet armies.
