Eastern FrontSOUTHERN SECTORBadanov's XXIV Tank Corps is isolated at Tatsinskaya as the 11th and 6th Panzer Divisions take up strong positions around the town and airfield. As a sign of the corps's achievement, Stalin redesignates it the II Guards Tank Corps. Southwest Front is instructed to make every effort to prevent Badanov's destruction. Paulus radios Hitler following the latest delivery of supplies from the Luftwaffe. Only 70 tons of supplies are flown into the pocket of the 350-ton minimum the Luftwaffe promised. Hitler merely replies that 6th Army is to fight to the last man. The LVII Panzer Corps falls back to Kotelnikovo, closely pursued by the 2nd Guards and 51st Armies. Hoth has lost another 8,000 men during the retreat, leaving him with 15,000 effectives, half his original strength. |
| [ December 25th - December 27th] |