January 1943

Eastern Front

Chertkovo falls to the Soviets after a bitter struggle.

In the Stalingrad pocket 6th Army struggles to survive. Over half the pocket and 10,000 prisoners have fallen to the Red Army, leaving 6th Army in possession of only one of the six airfields. Supplies now have to air dropped and many containers fall into deep snow. Of those dropped in the correct areas, many can not be recovered becaust of the physical exhaustion of the German soldiers. The battle so far has cost the Don Front dear. Pausing to regroup, Rokossovsky again offers 6th Army the opportunity to surrender but yet again Paulus refuses, as instructed by Hitler.

In the Caucasus 47th Army joins the Soviet offensive.