STALINGRAD’S ARMIES KEEP INITIATIVE (10/5/42)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 10/5/42 | Ralph Parker, Herbert L. Matthews, F. Tillman Durdin, James MacDonald

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[mowowie]

I like reading scary books.
A few years ago i read this 800+ page book on the battle of Stalingrad.
It was the scariest book i have ever read.

[mowowie]

Not just scary, HORRIFYING.
My god.....

[henkster]

Sorry about the delay but Mrs. henkster & I were on the road returning from vacation yesterday.

The “high water mark” for Germany in the sense of strategic positioning and opportunity to win the war was in 1941. In 1942, Germany had occupied her greatest extent of territory and resources, but her strategic prospects were already on the wane.

Several reasons here:

1. The Wehrmacht was a “wasting asset” in terms of manpower. The “wastage” of Winter 1941-2 was never going to be made good, as seen by the German’s reliance upon inferior satellite troops in 1942.

2. The losses in Winter 1941-2 were a result of a flawed strategic policy toward the Soviet Union to begin with. The Germans never could “defeat” the USSR in one campaign season. The distances were too great, the logistic system could not even support the army as far as it got. The Germans needed to go into the Soviet Union with the idea that it had to be a two-year campaign, and build up the armaments production accordingly. They never did convert to a “total war” economy until 1944, and by then it was far too late.

3. The fact that Germany could not adequately equip her own army in 1942 is even more telling in that she could not accomplish an Axis equivalent of “lend-lease” for her allies. Had the Germans been able to adequately equip their allies with sufficient weapons, particularly high-velocity anti-tank guns, those troops might possibly have been of use in defending their sectors along the Don instead of being vaporized by the Soviet onslaught.

4. Finally, the most important item is the entry of the United States into World War II as an enemy of Germany. Once that happened, coupled with their inability to take out the USSR, Germany’s fate was probably sealed. There was no way Germany and her satellites could match the array of resources arranged against them.

So, it’s my opinion that you should not look at December 1941 as the high water mark of German strategic position. It was really more like mid-October, when by all means the Germans should have stopped, dug in, and waited out the winter to finish the job in the spring with an undamaged army. If they had been able to knock out the USSR in 1942, they might have had a chance against the Western Allies in 1943-1944.

[Rebelbase]

At some point in the near future, isn’t the army in the Caucuses recalled to assist at Stalingrad?

[henkster]

Yes but only part of the units in the Caucasus, and only after the Soviets have sprung the trap and encircled 6th Army.

The Germans had slated 6th & 17th Panzer divisions as operational reserves to put on the Don flank behind the Romanians and Italians. But due to logistical shortcomings, they didn’t get deployed before the Soviet counter-offensive. Sixth Panzer had been refitting in France, and was equipped with 160 long-barreled Panzer IVs. Had it been in place behind the Romanians, the Soviets would not have had as easy a time of it.

As it was, 6th Panzer became the spearhead of “Winter Storm,” von Manstein’s effort to relieve Stalingrad. It would have served the Germans better if they had gotten it there earlier.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Wrong day posted above.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

October 5th, 1942

GERMANY: U-359 is commissioned.

U-430 is laid down.

U-668 and U-669 are launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine “Sch-320” of the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega Flotillas is sunk by the Finnish submarine Vetehinen (Kapteeniluutnantti Antti Leino) by ramming, in the Gulf of Finland. The Vetehinen is also damaged, but manages to get back to base for repairs. (Sergey Anisimov and Mikke Härmeinen)(69)

Joseph Stalin, premier and dictator of the Soviet Union, fires off a telegram to the German/Soviet front at Stalingrad, exhorting his forces to victory. “That part of Stalingrad which has been captured must be liberated.” (Jack McKillop)

CHINA: Chiang Kai-shek formally reincorporates Sinkiang province into China and demands that the USSR withdraw its military presence.

NEW GUINEA: Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells attack a convoy off Buna; A-20 Havocs hit AA positions at Sanananda Point and bomb the village of Sanananda; and B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb airfields at Buna and also hit airfields at Rabaul on New Britain Island. (Jack McKillop)

SOLOMON ISLANDS: An American offensive raid against the Japanese bases and shipping at Shortland Island in the northern Solomons is launched by Admiral Ghormley. The USS Hornet is moved west of the base and the aircraft are launched early. The clouds and weather of the approaching cold front impede the attack. The formation unravels n the low cloud and rain. Hornet crews claim 8 planes and two more during their withdrawal. The simultaneous raids by B-17s against Buka and the Cactus AF against Rekata Bay are also derailed by the weather.

SBD Dauntlesses of Scouting Squadrons Three and Seventy One (VS-3 and VS-71) and Marine Scout Bombing Squadron One Hundred Forty One (VMSB-141) from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, attack a Japanese convoy, damaging destroyers HIJMS Minegumo and HIJMS Murasame 150 miles (241.4 km) from Guadalcanal. (Jack McKillop)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutian Islands, 6 Eleventh Air Force B-24 Liberators, 3 P-38 Lightnings and 3 P-39Airacobras abort a bombing, weather, and photo mission over Kiska Island due to weather. (Jack McKillop)
U.S.A.: Baseball!

ATLANTIC OCEAN southwest of Iceland, a PBY-5A Catalina of Patrol Squadron Seventy Three (VP-73) based at NAF Reykjavik, Iceland, depth charges and sinks German submarine U-582 in position 58.52N, 21.42W. All hands on the sub are lost. (Jack McKillop)

U-619 (Type VIIC) is sunk southwest of Iceland, in position 58.41N, 22.58W, by 4 depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (269/N Sqdn.). 44 dead (all crew lost). (Alex Gordon)

U-68 reaches the area off Capetown, South Africa, and begins looking for shipping traffic.

While closing on convoy HX-209, U-257 is attacked by an aircraft which drops six bombs. The U-boat suffers such severe damage that it has to return to base.

U-575 loses a man overboard. [Oberbootsmaat Herbert Bühler]

U-175 sinks the SS WILLIAM A MCKENNEY. (Dave Shirlaw)