II. Operation Blau

I. Background

On 22 June 1941 Germany and its Axis allies invaded the Soviet Union, quickly advancing deep into Soviet territory. Having suffered defeat after defeat during the summer and autumn of 1941, Soviet forces counter-attacked in the Battle of Moscow in December 1941. The exhausted German forces, ill-equipped for winter warfare and with overstretched supply lines, were stopped in their drive towards the capital and in some cases driven back.

The Germans stabilized their front by spring 1942. Plans to launch another offensive against Moscow were discarded, however, as Army Group Centre had been too heavily weakened. Part of the German military philosophy was to attack where least expected, so that rapid gains could be made. An attack on Moscow was seen as too predictable by some, most notably Hitler. Along with this, the German high command knew that time was running out for them as the United States had entered WWII following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Hitler wanted to end the fighting on the Eastern Front or at least subdue it to a minimum before the US had a chance to get deeply involved in the war in Europe.

For all of these reasons new offensives in the north and south were considered. A drive into the southern USSR would secure control of the oil-rich Caucasus, as well as the Volga River, a backbone of Soviet transportation from Central Asia. Another resource desired by Germany in this area was agricultural production.

1. When did the Soviet forces suffer defeat after defeat letting the Germans advance into Soviet territory?

2. When did the situation at the front change? Why?

3. Why were the Germans’ plans to launch another offensive against Moscow discarded?

4. Why was it important for Hitler to subdue the fighting on the Eastern Front to a minimum?

5. What were the reasons for launching new offensives in the south?

II. Operation Blau

Army Group South was selected for a sprint forward through the southern Russian steppes into the Caucasus to capture vital Soviet oil fields. The summer offensive was code-named Fall Blau ("Case Blue"). It was to include the 6th and 17th Armies and the 4th and 1st Panzer Armies. In 1941, Army Group South had conquered Ukraine, and was positioned at the area of the planned offensive.

Hitler intervened however, in the strategic planning, ordering the Army Group to be split in two. Army Group South (A), under the command of Erich von Manstein and Ewald von Kleist, was to continue advancing south towards the Caucasus as planned. Army Group South (B), including Friedrich Paulus's 6th Army and Hermann Hoth's 4th Panzer Army, was to move east towards the river Volga and the city of Stalingrad.

The capture of Stalingrad was important to Hitler for several reasons. It was a major industrial city on the banks of the river Volga (a vital transport route between the Caspian Sea and northern Russia). Its capture would secure the left flank of the German armies as they advanced into the Caucasus. Finally, the fact that the city bore the name of Hitler's arch enemy, Joseph Stalin, made the city's capture an ideological and propaganda coup.

1. What was Army Group South to capture?

2. What area of the Soviet Union did it capture in 1941?

3. What two groups was it split into? Why?

4. Why was it important for Hitler capture Stalingrad?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16