1942 28th June
Battle of Kursk
Sweeps forward to the south of Kursk
Second World War · permanent subject timeline
Friedrich Paulus
Commander of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad. This page combines historical context with 14 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database World War II battle archive.
Historical context
Friedrich Paulus: overview and significance
What happened?
Friedrich Paulus commanded the German Sixth Army during the campaign toward Stalingrad and the subsequent urban battle. After Operation Uranus encircled the army, Hitler ordered it to remain in the pocket.
Why was it important?
Paulus's surrender in early 1943 became inseparable from the catastrophe at Stalingrad. His experience illustrates the conflict between operational realities and Hitler's increasingly rigid command decisions.
World History Database records
Friedrich Paulus timeline
The records below are selected from the 797-record World War II battles archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1942
1942 July
Battle of Stalingrad
Helps capture Kalach near Stalingrad
1942 July
Battle of Stalingrad
Placed in full charge of capturing Stalingrad after the dismissal of Bock
1942 23rd August
Battle of Stalingrad
The 6th Army reach the Volga north of Stalingrad
1942 24th August
Battle of Stalingrad
After the Luftwaffe attack Stalingrad & kill 40,000 Pauluss 6th Army attack
1942 12th November
Battle of Stalingrad
Most of Stalingrad is captured but the 6th Armys flanks are exposed
1942 22nd November
Battle of Stalingrad
The 6th Army is completely encircled by the Red Army
1942 23rd November
Battle of Stalingrad
The south west & Stalingrad fronts link up, 330,000 Germans are encircled. Hitler orders "Where the German Soldier sets his foot, there he remains"
1942 25th December
Battle of Stalingrad
Zhukov drives the Germans back from the north & sth. Supply lines can no longer reach Paulus on land
1943
1943 8th January
Battle of Stalingrad
Rokossovsky sends in a request for the German 6th Army to surrender, this is refused
1943 21st January
Battle of Stalingrad
The last German airfield at Gumrak is captured
1943 24th January
Battle of Stalingrad
The Russians offer Paulus the chance to surrender but Hitler rejects the offer
1943 30th January
Battle of Stalingrad
Hitler promotes Paulus to Field Marshal because no Field Marshal has ever surenderred
1943 31st January
Battle of Stalingrad
The Germans have lost 600,000 & the Russians 400,000. Paulus surrenders the 6th Army at the Battle of Stalingrad
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database Second World War records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
Imperial War Museums · National WWII Museum · Australian War Memorial
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