Eastern FrontSOUTHERN SECTORBalck's 11th Panzer Div counterattacks at Lissinski and wipes out the Soviet bridgehead. Moving northwest the division then attacks the force at Nizhne Kalinovski but fails to destroy this bridgehead. At 0515 hours Group Hoth begins Operation WINTER-STORM. With limited air support and a brief artillery barrage, the LVII Panzer Corps punches through the 51st Army near Kotelnikovo and pushes northeast. Despite stubborn resistance the 51st is forced to retreat. Due to terrible weather conditions Group Hot only manages and advance of 12 miles. The heavily laden supply vehicles struggle across the steppe. Eremenko places Zakharov in command of the forces facing the German attack group and orders the XIII Tank Corps to reinforce the 51st Army and to halt the 23rd Panzer Division. Volskii's IV Mechanized moves to stop the 6th Panzer, deploying at Verkhne Kumski. |
| [ December 11th - December 13th] |