Germany · Warfare / World War, 2nd. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
Hitler laid out the elements of the plan now known as "Case Blue" (Fall Blau) in Fuhrer Directive No. 41. The directive stated the main goals of the 1942 summer campaign on Germany's Eastern Front: holding attacks for Army Group (AG) Centre, the capture of Leningrad and the link-up with Finland for AG North, and the capture of the Caucasus region for Army Group South
Case Blue is a continuation of the previous years Operation Barbarossa, intended to knock the Soviet Union out of the war, and involved a two-pronged attack against the oil fields of Baku as well as an advance in the direction of Stalingrad along the Volga
River, to cover the flanks of the advance towards Baku
The German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht) 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and 24 November 1942.
The German offensive commenced on 28 June 1942, with 4th Panzer Army starting its drive towards Voronezh. Due to a chaotic Soviet retreat, the Germans were able to advance rapidly, restoring Wehrmacht confidence for the upcoming major offensive.
Forward elements of 4th Panzer Army had reached the Don River near Voronezh and became embroiled in the battle to capture the city
As part of the second phase of the operation, on 9 July, Army Group South was split into Army Group A and B with Wilhelm List appointed as commander of Army Group A in place of von Bock
Hitler and von Bock, commander of Army Group South, argued over the next steps in the operation. The heated debate, and continuing Soviet counterattacks, which tied down 4th Panzer Army until 13 July, caused Hitler to lose his temper and dismiss von Bock
The Germans began to suffer logistics difficulties, which slowed down the tempo of the advance. The German 6th Army was continually delayed by fuel shortages. Eight days later, on 20 July, shortages of fuel were still undermining operations, leaving many units unable to execute their orders
With air support from the Ju 87s of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, Lists Army Group A recaptured Rostov, the "gate to the Caucasus"
The 6th Army crossed the Don and Army Group B established a defensive line on one of its bends.The 6th Army reached the northern suburbs of Stalingrad later that day, beginning the Battle of Stalingrad
45: reorganized Army Group South into two smaller Army Groups, A and B; directed Army Group A to advance to the Caucasus and capture the oil fields (Operation Edelweis); directed Army Group B to attack towards the Volga and Stalingrad (Operation Fischreiher)
Believing that the main Soviet threat had been eliminated, short of oil and needing to meet all the of Case Blue, Hitler makes changes to the Fuhrer Directive No.
Logistics lines were already at breaking point with ammunition and fuel shortages most apparent and it would be impossible to advance using the conservative supply rates he demanded.
The new directive created enormous logistical difficulties, with Hitler expecting both Army Groups to advance along different routes.
There is no evidence Hitler was opposed by, or received complaints from Franz Halder, the Chief of the General Staff, or anyone else, about the directive until August 1942.
After defeating the last Soviet counter-attacks, 6th Army resumed its offensive on 2 September, linking up with 4th Panzer Army the following day. On 12 September, the Germans entered Stalingrad
Hitler came to recognise that the capture of the Caucasus oil fields was unlikely before the Russian Winter forced the German forces to take up winter positions. Unable to capture them, he was determined to deny them to the enemy and ordered the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) to inflict as much damage as possible
The Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad compelled von Richthofen to once more withdraw his units north to the Volga and bring an end to the aerial offensive
3rd Romanian Army had been transferred from Caucasus on 10 September, to take over Italian positions on the Don, opposite the Soviet bridgeheads. The Romanians were understrength and had only around six modern anti-tank guns per division.
3rd Romanian Army, on the Don River west of Stalingrad, and 4th Romanian Army, south-east of Stalingrad, had been under constant Soviet attack since September.
Hitler ordered 6th Army to remain on the defensive, rather than try to break out. It was intended the army would be supplied by air, but the quantity of supplies necessary was far beyond the ability of the Luftwaffe to carry. 6th Armys strength diminished and the Soviets gained the upper hand inside the city
The Soviets launched Operation Uranus, a two-pronged counter-offensive against the flanks of 6th Army. With the battle for the city and the exhaustion of 4th Panzer Army, the flanks were mainly guarded by Romanian, Hungarian and Italian soldiers.
The bulk of the German tank reserve, the 48th Panzer Corps, consisted of about 180 tanks, half being obsolete Panzer 35(t)s. The two Romanian armies were routed and 6th Army, with parts of 4th Panzer Army, were encircled in Stalingrad.
The Case Blue offensive saw gains, with an advance into the Caucasus capturing large areas of land and several oil fields. However, the Red Army defeated the Germans at Stalingrad, following Operations Uranus and Little Saturn. This defeat forced the Axis to retreat from the Caucasus. Only the city of Kursk and the Kuban region remained tentatively occupied by Axis troops
During the German relief operation at Stalingrad, Soviet forces had been redeployed, lesser objectives substituted, and the operation renamed "Little Saturn".
Following the success of Operation Uranus, the Red Army began Operation Saturn, to cut off Army Group A and all troops east of Rostov.
Spearheaded by some of the first Tiger tanks, the offensive got within 48 km (30 mi) of the southern 6th Army front, but the Germans made no attempt to break out.
The attack fell on Eighth Italian Army and the remnants of 3rd Romanian Army, and led to the destruction of most of Eighth Army. A relief operation called Operation Winter Storm began.
The failure was followed by a siege that lasted for almost three months, during which 6th Army was destroyed
The disaster at Stalingrad was the end of Case Blue and the territorial gains had been reversed by the end of 1943, except for the Kuban bridgehead on the Taman peninsula, retained for a possible second offensive to the Caucasus, which was held until 9 October 1943
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