October 1942

Eastern Front

Fighting flares in Stalingrad as the Germans being the power station, still producing electricity for the factories to the north, under heavy artillery and air attack.

The Red Army continues its preparations for the counteroffensive from the Don and Sarpa lakes. The Southwest Front, still not publicly in existence, receives the I and XXVI Tanks Corps and the 8th Cavalry Corps plus as tank brigade, 3 rifle divisions and 16 artillery regiments. The Stalingrad Front has received the XIII Tank, IV Mechanized and IV Cavalry Corps, 2 rifle divisions, 6 rifle and 3 tank brigades, 6 anti-aircraft and 2 anti-tank artillery regiments, while the Don Front has taken in 3 new rifle divisions. Movement of reinforcements is carried out at night and elaborate measures are taken to hide the build up from the Germans. During the day, the new forces are skilfully hidden and radio traffic forbidden so as not to alert the enemy. Even so, hiding a force of half a million men is a difficult task.