Battle of Stalingrad Offensive Operations

Stavka = Decision-making body for the Soviet military German troops = Ill-prepared for offensive operations during the winter Zhukov = Highlighted German operational blunders and poor intelligence Axis flanks = Pressed for support during the siege

Hungarian 2nd Army = Tasked with defending a 200 km section of the front north of Stalingrad Italian Army = Part of the armies protecting Army Group B's flanks Romanian armies = Part of the armies protecting Army Group B's flanks German and allied armies = Lacked effective anti-tank weapons during the siege

15 Armies = Operated on several fronts during the campaign German and allied armies = Redeployed elsewhere on the southern sector of the Eastern Front Soviet soldiers = Engaged in a major counter-offensive near Stalingrad Axis flanks = Requested support from their headquarters during the siege

Thin defensive line = Resulted from the Hungarian 2nd Army's task of defending a 200 km section Single platoon defense = Occurred in some sectors where very thin stretches were being defended Lack of effective anti-tank weapons = Affected forces protecting the Axis flanks Pressing headquarters for support = Done by the German and allied armies protecting Army Group B's flanks

Zhukov = Responsible for strategic planning in the Stalingrad area Vasilevsky = Concentrated forces in the steppes to the north and south of the city Paulus = Requested permission to withdraw the 6th Army behind the Don Nikolay Vatutin = Commanded the attacking Soviet units during Operation Uranus

Operation Uranus = The Soviet counter-attack at Stalingrad Axis forces = Neglected to consolidate their positions along the natural defensive line of the Don River Double envelopment = Plan used by Zhukov to achieve victory at Khalkhin Gol three years before Bridgeheads = Retained by Soviet forces on the right bank for offensive operations

Hungarian and Romanian units = Defended the northern flank often in open positions on the steppes Romanian 4th Army = Held the front southwest of Kotelnikovo 16th Motorised Infantry (German division) = Covered 400 km beyond the Romanian 4th Army Soviet forces = Allowed to retain bridgeheads on the right bank for offensive operations

Request to withdraw behind the Don = Rejected by higher authority Poor organisation noticed by Zhukov = Insisted on a one-week delay in the start date of planned attack Total focus on the city by Axis forces = Neglected to consolidate positions along the natural defensive line of the Don River Concentration of forces in the steppes by Soviet leaders = Preparation for Operation Uranus and Operation Mars

Stalingrad region = German forces were surrounded due to weakly defended flanks being punched through Kotelnikovo = Held by Romanian 4th Army on the southern flank of Stalingrad sector Natural line of defence, Don River = Never properly established by the German side Khalkhin Gol = Where Zhukov had used a double envelopment to achieve victory three years before

19 November 1942 = Red Army launched Operation Uranus 10 November = Paulus requested permission to withdraw the 6th Army behind the Don Autumn = Forces were concentrated in the steppes to the north and south of Stalingrad 1,000 kilometres northwest of Stalingrad = Operation Mars was launched directed at Army Group Center