December 1942

Eastern Front

Tomorsin falls to the 5th Shock Arm as Group Hollidt begins to collapse. The Germans reconstitute their XXIX Corps around Morozovsk from German, Italian and Rumanian remnants.

Since November 19 the Southwest Front has lost 64,600 killed and missing and 148,000 wounded in the fightiing around Stalingrad while the Stalingrad Front has lost 43,000 killed and missing and 58,000 wounded. In the Caucasus, since September 1 the Northern and Black Sea Groups have lost 132,000 killed and missing and 163,000 wounded, 990 tanks, 5,000 arty pieces and 644 aircraft.

With their Don frong is tatters the Germans begin the evacuation of the Caucasus, the XL Panzer Corps beginning the withdrawal from the Terek. The XL Panzer deploys 2 panzer divisions (3rd and 13th), elements of the 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking and 3 infantry divisions (111th, 370th, and 50th). The 1st Panzer Army also includes the III Panzer Corps at Ordzhonikidze and the LII Corps at Mozdok while the 17th Army comprises the XLIV Corps near Maikop, the XLIX Mountain Corps near Elbruz and the V Corps near Novorossiysk. The South Front deploys 393,000 men and the Transcaucasus Front 685,000 against Army Group A.

During 1942 the Soviet Union produced 24,446 tanks, 127,000 arty pieces, 30,400 motor vehicles and 25,436 aircraft.

German production during 1942 included 6,180 panzers and assault guns, 23,200 arty pieces, 58,049 motor vehicles and 15,556 aircraft. These weapons had to be distributed between the African Front, defense of the occupied territories and the Eastern Front. German oil production stood at 6.6 million tons of natural oil and 4.6 million tons of synthetic oil while 7.305 million tons were consumed.

The Red Army and Navy lost 515,508 killed and missing in action and 941,896 wounded during the final quarter of 1942.

German deployment on the Eastern Front at the end of December stood at 177 divisions (21 panzer, 14 panzer grenadier and 142 infantry). The 22nd Panzer Division was disbanded following heavy casualties while the 269th Infantry Division was withdrawn. In return the 6th and 7th Panzer Divisions and the 304th, 306th and 321st Infantry and 5th Luftwaffe Field Divisions entered the line.

Across the entire line the Germans had only 495 operational panzers and assault guns against 8,500 Soviet tanks and Su's. The Ostheer was short of over half a million men while the allied armies had largely been swept away. Only the Hungarian 2nd Army remained intact.