Operation Uranus
Background
Operation Uranus was a significant military operation during the Second World War, conducted by the Soviet Red Army against the Axis forces in the vicinity of Stalingrad. The operation was designed to encircle and destroy the German 6th Army and other Axis units, thereby marking a decisive turning point in the war.
Planning and Preparation
The planning for Operation Uranus had begun in September 1942, under the direction of General Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army. The operation was planned to be a double envelopment, targeting the weaker Romanian armies that were protecting the German 6th Army's flanks.
The Red Army amassed nearly 1 million soldiers, over 1,000 tanks, and 1,300 aircraft for the operation. The Soviet forces were divided into two fronts: the Southwestern Front, commanded by General Nikolay Fyodorovich Vatutin, and the Stalingrad Front, commanded by General Andrei Ivanovich Yeremenko. These fronts were to attack and encircle the German forces from the north and south, respectively.
Execution
Operation Uranus commenced on 19 November 1942 with a massive Soviet artillery barrage against the Romanian 3rd Army. This was followed by a swift advance of the Soviet forces, which broke through the Romanian lines and began to encircle the German 6th Army.
On 20 November, the second phase of the operation began with an attack on the Romanian 4th Army by the forces of the Stalingrad Front. Despite fierce resistance, the Soviet forces managed to break through and advance towards the rear of the German 6th Army.
By 23 November, the Soviet forces had linked up at the town of Kalach, effectively encircling the German 6th Army and parts of the 4th Panzer Army. The encircled German forces, lacking adequate supplies and unable to break out, were trapped in what became known as the Stalingrad Pocket.
Aftermath
The encirclement of the German 6th Army marked a significant turning point in World War II. Despite desperate attempts to break out or resupply the encircled forces, the German High Command was unable to save the 6th Army. After two months of heavy fighting, the remnants of the 6th Army surrendered on 2 February 1943.
The success of Operation Uranus was a major victory for the Soviet Union and marked the beginning of a series of offensive operations that would eventually drive the Axis forces out of the Soviet Union and push them back to Germany.
Impact
Operation Uranus had a profound impact on the course of World War II. It marked the first major defeat of the German Army and shattered the myth of German invincibility. The operation also demonstrated the effectiveness of the Soviet strategy of deep operations, which involved the use of large-scale encirclements to trap and destroy enemy forces.
The defeat at Stalingrad had a significant psychological impact on the German military and civilian morale. It also strained Germany's relations with its allies, particularly Romania, which lost two entire armies in the operation.