December 1942

Eastern Front

Kantemirovka falls to the XVII Tank Corps as Garibaldi's forces disintegrate. The Soviet 6th Army marches hard to catch up with the tanks. More than 15,000 Italians are encircled at Vertyakhovski and suffer heavy losses under concentrated Soviet fire. As the attack gains momentum the Stavka transfers command of the 6th Army to the Southwest Front and orders the 1st Guards to capture Millerovo. The collapse of the I Rumanian Corps, on Hollidt's left wing, threatens the rear of the Chir line and of Army Group Don. Units of the 3rd Guards penetrate toward Morozovsk. On the Chir, the 11th Panzer Division attacks the Soviet motorized corps at Nizhne Kalinovski. In heavy fighting the Germans destroy large numbers of tanks, inflicting severe casualties.

The 6th Panzer Division reaches the Myshkova River, only 30 miles from Paulus' 6th Army. With the relief force so close, Manstein issues the code word 'Thunderclap', ordering Paulus to break out and link up. Gen Schmidt, Paulus' chief of staff, informs Hitler of the order and Paulus is told to hold. Despite the fact that the relief force can see the lights from the fighting at Stalingrad on the horizon, the 6th Army remains where it was.