Death of the Sixth

            The month of January, 1943 saw the slow, death of the 6th due mainly to starvation. It was clear that Russian victory was inevitable; however the Germans stubbornly refused to surrender. Hitler was issuing a “stand fast” order which had proved effective the previous winter. However what Hitler failed to grasp was that he no longer had the superior army.

            Ironically it was not the Russians who bombarded the entrenched Germans in Stalingrad. The Germans still held a number of strongpoints in the city but did not have the physical or mental strength to exploit them. The Russians began to bombard German positions with artillery and advance with tanks. The Russians moved up the middle in the first week of January and continued to hammer the Germans entrenched in the center and south-west of the city. Finally, on January 14th, the Russians captured Pitomnik airfield and the Germans were forced to rely on airdrop for supplies.

Ju-52. TFS, p334

            Refusing to surrender the Germans opened up their Gumrak airfield to all planes even though it was only suited for Me-109. They lengthened the runway for the Ju-52’s which could only crash land. However the Russians soon caught onto the new use for Gumrak and began to close in with their T-34’s.

            By January 15th the 6th army was the only German presence in Stalingrad. However because of the lack of rations was now a mass of starving, pathetically weak men. By January 21 Gumrak was captured by the Russians and the 6th was completely isolated. The question became how long Hitler would allow his men to suffer.

German surrender, coutesy of http://kilroywashere.org

            It was not until January 31ststhat the 6th surrendered. They were forced to endure ten days wit no provisions and consistent bombardment by the Russians. This was just another of the many atrocities Hitler committed during his terrible life. Russia had finally won the ‘Great Patriotic War’.

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