‘Operation Winter Storm’ kicked off on 12 December, 1942. When the spearhead got close enough to the VI Army, holding Stalingrad, a code word, ‘Thunderclap,’ authorized von Paulus to attempt a breakout from the pocket.
At 0515 General Hoth launched VI Panzer Division’s attack at Kotelnikovo. The first two days they advanced 19 kilometers per day against light opposition reaching the Aksay River escorting 800 trucks loaded with supplies for von Paulus’ troops.
The XXIII Panzer Division attacked the Soviet 302 Rifle Division on 13 December at Biriukov Railway Station. The 13th Mechanized Corps, supported by 30 Il-2 Stumoviks of the Eighth Air Army, blunted the attack preventing the outflanking of the Soviet 126th Rifle Division.
The VI Panzer Division secured a bridgehead over the Aksay River at Zalivskoye. XXIII Panzer Division secured a second bridgehead at Kruglyakovo.
Further south a three day battle began on 14 December with a Soviet attack out of the Kalmyk Steppe.
The Soviet 4 Mechanized Corps pushed the Germans out of Verkhne-Kumsky farmstead on 15 December and back to the Aksay River. By 17 December the 2nd Guards Army concentrated north of the Myshkova defense line between Nizhne Kumsky and Kapinsky by 18 December.
On 17 December the German’s renewed their attack at Verkhne-Kumsky. Tanks, motorized infantry and air support pushed from the Aksay River toward the Myskoya River attacking the 87th Rifle Division, the 4th Cavalry Division, and the 4th Mechanized Corp.
XVII Panzer Division forced the lower Aksay River at Generalovsky on 18 December and, on 19 December pushed 3rd Guards Division out of the collective farm at Verkhne-Kunsky joining VI Panzer Division.
Here the Soviet 4th Mechanized Corps held the German attack. The 4th Mechanized Corps was awarded guards status, becoming the 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps for this action.
On 16 December the Voronezh Front launched their offensive against the VIII Italian Army, Operational Group Hollidt, and III Rumanian Army. During the three day battle the Soviets advanced south and southeast, the 17th Tank Corps taking Kantemirovka on 19 December.
The 2nd Guards Army arrived from Stalingrad to take up a position on the defensive line along the Myshkova’s north bank.
VI Panzer division reached a point 24 kilometers short of the Myshkovo River when it engaged 300 Soviet tanks at 400 meters range and destroyed 34 T-34 tanks. It reached the Myskovo River on 19 December.
General Hoth had reached a point only 35 to 40 kilometers from the German troops in Stalingrad. The Aksay River was 23 meters wide at that point. Field Marshal von Manstein felt this was the time for von Paulus to make his breakout. Radio communications between the two Field Marshals was blocked by the Russians, so von Manstein sent his intelligence chief, Major Eismann into Stalingrad by Fiesler Storch.
Major Eismann met von Paulus chief of staff, General Schmidt on 19 December. General Schmidt advised Major Eismann that von Paulus required the ‘Thunderclap’ order authorizing the VI Army to breakout to be issued by Hitler. General Schmitt assured Eismann that VI Army could hold Stalingrad until Easter.
On 23 December von Manstein authorized General Hoth to withdraw from the Myshkova River line.
Sources: Red Army Resurgent, John Shaw and the Editors of Time-Life Books, Time-Life Books, Inc., Chicago, IL, 1979
“Stalingrad: The Relief,” Colonel Alexander M. Samsonov, History of the Second World War Magazine, 1970s
Jack Kruse, Author 