169 - The Red Army Kicks Ass - Operation Uranus! - WW2 - November 20th, 1942

by Panzer
What?
Gliders?
Gliders sound okay...
That sounds okay.
They crashed?
So did they capture then?
No they’re all dead.
Ah yeah, the commando order.
Well, that sucks.
Okay, see ya.
November 20th 1942
Kurt Zeitzler, German Army Chief of Staff, has confidently proclaimed that the Soviets
are in no position to mount any sort of major offensive, certainly not in the south of the
Eastern Front.
He is historically wrong, however, because this week the Soviets launch a huge counteroffensive-
Operation Uranus.
I’m Indy Neidell; this is World War Two.
Last week in Stalingrad, the Germans launched Operation Hubertus, a final offensive to try
and win the battle there before the winter arrives in force, though the cold and snows
are in fact already there.
Things were not going well for them in the Caucasus, though, as an Axis offensive was
called off after heavy panzer losses.
The first part of the Naval battle of Guadalcanal claimed the lives of two American Admirals,
but the major news was Operation Torch- the huge, successful Allied invasion of Vichy
French North African possessions, which had as its by-product a German invasion of Vichy
France itself, which it looks like Germany will try to run more directly in future.
The Allies are also still advancing in North Africa from the east as well, after breaking
through Erwin Rommel’s forces two weeks ago at El Alamein.
In fact, Bernard Montgomery’s offensive reaches Derna now on the 15th, and Benghazi
the 18th, taking it at the end of the week.
This week Rommel writes to his wife, “What will become of the war if we lose North Africa?
How will it finish?
I wish I could get free of these terrible thoughts.”
The advance from the west, the race to Tunis, also continues.
With some possible aid, as on the 14th in Tunisia itself, General Georges Barré moves
French troops away from coastal towns, sort of semi-preparing to go over to the Allies.
He’s waiting to see if Allied troops will arrive in time to support him versus the Germans.
Well, on the 15th, the British 36th Brigade captures Tabarka, inside the Tunisian border
with Algeria.