11th Panzer Division - fire brigade

It took over a week for the first reinforcements to reach the Chir Front, when the 58 Panzer III and 6 Panzer IV tanks of the 11th Panzer Division were placed under the command of LVII Panzer Corps. The division's tanks moved in a long column across the steppe to their assembly area just behind a weakly held front along the banks of the frozen River Chir. For a week it would be the only combat-ready tank unit in the sector, but was in no position to strike eastwards to Stalingrad by itself. The frontline was held by a mixed force of German infantry and Luftwaffe ground personnel. The Soviets were constantly probing these positions, with almost daily attacks in tank corps strength. On every occasion that the Soviets broke through, the 11th Panzer Division would mobilize its tanks to set up a blocking position. Panzers would then manoeuvre on the flanks of the Soviets, picking off enemy vehicles. The division was one of the most experienced and professional in the Wehrmacht, but even this could not compensate for the seemingly unlimited resources of the Red Army. For every tank the division knocked out another seemed to appear to take its place, while there were no replacements for lost German tanks. Without rest or relief, it was only a matter of time before the 11th Panzer Division would have to retreat or be destroyed.

Winter Tempest is launched

On 10 December 1942, LVII Panzer Corps was ready to strike eastwards from its improvised forward base at Kotelnikovo towards Stalingrad. Fresh from France, the 6th Panzer Division led the offensive with its 100 Panzer III and 24 Panzer IV tanks. The already understrength 17th and 23rd Panzer Divisions were brought up from the Caucasus in support. The 17th Panzer was able to muster 30 Panzer IIIs and 18 Panzer IVs, while the 23rd could only scrape together 27 Panzer IIIs and 8 Panzer IVs. In the space of a week, the 200 tanks of LVII Panzer Corps broke through the Soviet front and pushed forward 160km (100 miles). Using classic panzer tactics, they dodged and weaved their way past scores of Red Army defensive positions. Luftwaffe tank-busting aircraft flew overhead, strafing enemy tank columns, and opening the way for the panzer divisions to push to within 48km (30 miles) of Stalingrad on 20 December. A massive Russian attack far to the north on 16 December broke through the Italian Eighth Army's front, and Soviet armour headed for Rostov, threatening to cut off all the German forces in the Caucasus. To counter this threat, Manstein had to deploy the 6th Panzer Division north to seal the front. This was the decisive move of the campaign, because now LVII Panzer Corps lacked the strength to punch through to Stalingrad. For five days the now depleted rescue force held on to to its bridgehead over the River Aksay in the face of furious Soviet attacks.

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