180 - Guadalcanal, A New Offensive - WW2 - February 5, 1943

by Panzer
so the Japanese are evacuating?
Okay, and the allies sent the navy to deal with them?
40 something ships?
Wow, that should do it.
where are they?
The Coral Sea.
Are the Japanese doing anything in the coral sea?
No they’re not.
This week, the Battle of Stalingrad ends.
I’m Indy Neidell; this is World War Two.
Last week the Casablanca Conference ended and the Allies stated that Germany, Japan,
and Italy would only be offered unconditional surrenders.
There were Soviet advances along large parts of the Eastern Front, but the big news was
the collapse of the Axis defenses around Stalingrad and the Soviet advances into the city itself.
We had an extra regular episode that came out a few days ago that focuses on the events
in Stalingrad at the beginning of the week.
You may wanna check that out before watching this.
This week sees the 10 year anniversary of the Nazis taking power in Germany.
On the 20th, Propaganda Minister Josef Göbbels declares in his speech, “A thousand years
hence, every German will speak with awe of Stalingrad and remember that it was there
that Germany put the seal on her victory.”
The RAF marks the occasion with the first daylight bombing raid on Berlin.
It is timed top hit during the anniversary speeches.
On that morning of January 20, 1943, the Soviet 21st, 57th, and 64th armies from Konstantin
Rokossovsky’s Don Front begin their final assault on the southern pocket of Stalingrad’s
defenders and Friedrich Paulus’ 6th Army Headquarters.
At 2140, the army group liaison officer with 6th army sums up the situation, “According
to the reports of many troop commanders, the strength of resistance of their motley men
is at an end, that, despite rigorous countermeasures, lacking willpower, they themselves were captured
after firing up their ammunition.
We have heard the Fuhrer’s proclamation in our bunker and, perhaps for the last time,
raised our hands in the German salute with the national anthem.”
German Army Group Don tells OKH that the total collapse of the southern pocket, which is
actually two pockets by now, will come the 31st.
In the north, though, Karl Strecker’s forces repulse all attacks the 30th, though they
are not particularly strong attacks.
Rokossovsky orders Mikhail Shumilov’s 64th army to deliver the coup de grace the 31st,
to either capture or kill Paulus and his staff and his command bunker in the basement of
Univermag department store.