January 1943

Eastern Front

Paulus is promoted to Field Marshal. This move on Hitler's part is intended to force Paulus' hand, Hitler relying on the fact that no German Field Marshal has ever been take prisoner. It is therefore expected that Paulus will commit suicide rather than be take by the Soviets. However, soldiers of the 38th Motorized Rifle Brigade enter the Univermaag building and at 0715 hours capture Paulus and his staff. Paulus' surrender effectively ended resistance in the southern pocket, the IV Corps laying down its arms. Only XI Corps remains to continue the battle. Hitler is furious at Paulus' capitulation.

Kremennaya falls to the 1st Guards Army as the 19th Panzer Division is forced back to Lisichansk, Krasny Liman falls. To bolster the line the Germans move up the 7th Panzer Division (with 35 tanks) up to Slavyansk and 3rd Panzer Division to its east to halt the Soviet advance.

In the Caucasus the rearguard of the 1st Panzer Army, XL Panzer Corps, reaches Bataisk. The corps continues to fall back, marching across the frozen Azov Sea to Taganrog.

With the German 6th Army all but destroyed the Soviets could reflect upon the fact that they had also wiped outhe the Hungarian 2nd Army and the greater part of the German 2nd Army. The total number of casualties in this battle had risen to 90,000 captured, 80,000 killed and 60,000 wounded by the end of January.

The condition of the Panzerwaffe also reached a new low. as the first month of the New Year ended, the Ostheer had fewer thatn 500 operational panzers in the field. Army Group A had fewer than 40 operational tanks, Army Groups B and Don a combined force of just under 300 operational machines, Army Group Center nearly 170 and Army Group North only 3 panzers in action.

Despite their declining strength, the number of divisions actually increased to 19 panzer, 15 panzer grenadier and 149 infantry. 1 motorized, 1 infantry and 7 Luftwaffe field divisions joined the line but many were below establishment, the Luftwaffe divisions particularly being of dubious fighting quality. 3 divisions left the line for a comprehensive refit.