January 1943

Eastern Front

The Don Front prepares to begin Operation KOLTSO. The Don Front has 281,000 men, 257 tanks and nearly 10,000 arty pieces against 6th Army's 191,000 effectives, 7,700 arty pieces and mortars and 60 panzers. At the time of the attack the temperature is -35 degrees.

In the period since November 23 Paulus has lost 40,000 killed or missing, suffered 29,000 wounded while 7,000 specialist troops have been flown out of the pocket. No longer able to feed his own men adequately, Paulus orders all captives to be returned to the Soviet lines. Many, fearing NKVD and OGPU retribution, remain behind the German lines, shunned by both armies.