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f o r c e f ul Ch i e f o f S t a ff , e s p e c ia l y d ur in g th e m o s t c r uc ial p e r i o ds .
S c hm i dt ' s e a r l y op inio n th at th e a r m y s h o ul d f ir s t de f e n d it s e l f i n pe r -
im e t e r - de f e ns e s (Ige l s t e l l ung ) , a n d h i s l a t e r op i n i o n th at a b r ea k out b y
th e Six th A r m y w o u l d not be p o s s ibl e , b e c a m e th e de c i s i o n s ta k e n by
P a ul us .
Ma n s t e i n ' s r e p r e s e nt at iv e s at t e m pt e d t o c onv i nc e P a ul us th a t a i r
s upp l y fo r a ny l e n gth o f t im e c o ul d n ot be c ount e d up o n , a nd tha t th e o nl y
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.
a ul u s s e e m e d t o be im p r e s s e d
b y th e l o gi c o f th e s e a pp e a l s b
, ut S ch m i dt 's a tt it ude s p r ev a il e d in t he e n d
.
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.
o n th a t th e H i gh Co m m a nd o r th e a r m y g r o up h a d t o
f r e e th e Six th A r m y , s in c e it h a d b e c o m e e nv e l ope d th r o u gh no fa ult o f it s
ow n , a nd i
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w ha t ev e r s upp l i e s it r e q ui r e d M
.
aj o r E i s m a nn 's ' s ta t e m e nt s tha t e v e r y -
th in g p o s s ib l e h a d be e n done , a n d th at th e a r m y gr o up c o ul d ne ith e r c o nt
r ol the w e a th e r no r c o nj ur e up a ddi t io nal t r a n s p o r t a i r c r a ft l
, e ft S chm i dt
c ol d E
. v e n a c a r e fu l de s c r ipt i on o f th e ta c t i c a l an d s t r at e gi c c o ndit i on s
on th e e nt i r e f r o nt w hi ch m a de it e s s e nt ia l fo r th e a r m y t o b r e a k o ut fa il e d
t o m ov e th e Ch i e f o f St af f T h
. e C o m m a ndin g G e ne r a l o f th e Six th A r m y w a s
fa r be t t e r t r a ine d in op e ra t i on s a nd h a d a m o r e l o gi c a l m in d tha n h i s Chi e
o f Sta ff b
, ut S ch m i dt w a s c l e a rl y th e s t r o n g e r p e r s ona l it y o f th e t w o , a
fa c t o r wh i ch p r ov e d t o be de c i s iv e - - a n d fat a l
.
B e c a u s e o f th e c o ns t a nt c o m p la int s c om in g in f r o m th e Sta l in g r a d
fo r t r e s s c o nc e r ni n g ina de q uat e s uppl y de l iv e r ie s , a n d th e s t e a dy b ic k e r in g
ov e r s u it abl e l a n din g f i e l ds ,
th e h igh e s t c o m m a n ds appa r e ntl y l o s t c o nf i -
de nc e in th e s uppl y op e r a t i on T h
.
e Sup r e m e Com m a n d fi na l y do ubt e d
e v e r y o ne ' s w o r d a n d b e l i ev e d noth i ng th a t it w a s t o l d . A s a r e s ult , H it l e r
de c i de d t o di s p a t c h F i e l d M a r s h a l E rh a r d M il c h t o th e a r e a a s c o m m i s -
s io ne r t o giv e di r e ct r ep o r t s t o th e h i g h e s t a uth o r it i e s . 1 0 2 On 15 Ja nua r y
19 4 3 M il c h a tt e n de d a s it ua t i o n c on f e r e nc e wh e r e H itl e r g av e h im th e
f ol l o w in g a s s i gnm e nt :
S inc e th e de c i s i on h a s be e n t ak e n t o h ol d Sta l in gr a d
, a l l
m e a n s a v a i l ab l e m us t b e e m pl oy e d fo r th i s pu rp o s e I
.
a d
-
m itt e dl y h a v e th e im p r e s s i on th a t e v e r yb o dy th e r e i s m ak i n g
a g r e a t e f fo rt
, a nd tha t
, v i ew e d a s a wh o l e , e v e r yth in g ha s
b e e n do ne tha t c o ul d b e done .
Int e ll i ge n c e Offi c e r (Ic ) fo r A r m y Gr o up D o n .
319
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