Dale: I agree with you insofar as (hindsight 20/20 vision) leaving Stalingrad alone, probably in the late September time frame, would be the best option.
At that time Stalingrad as a offensive entity was smashed. The Volga had been closed. It would be time to turn to something else.
But it is also clear that it was so close all the time: Just one little push and it would be all over. It takes a very clearheaded individual to realise it ain't happenign and to cut the losses. Not throwing good money after bad is a very difficult decision to make. Any business leader can vouch for that. It gets worse if it is a political decision.
We have just mentioned it but not really touched on it:
1) Would Stalingrad be another "Leningrad"? Surrounded but not offensive material
2) The political fall-out by leaving Stalingrad: Rumainia? Italy?
3) How much could have been freed up? 4th Pz could surely have been used somewhere
Correct me if I am wrong, but the notion that tanks in urban war fare is suicide is not quite correct me think.
Warzaw was not great for tanks, but Warzaw was an old city.
Stalingrad had broad long straight boulevards (as far as I know) and was much more manageable in terms of tanks.
I don't know if the parallel to Bagdad can be used. US army did use tanks in urban battles.
The schwerpunkt is obviously to get someone to tell Hitler.
That said, Stalingrad itself was not part of the original Blau.
Ivan
At that time Stalingrad as a offensive entity was smashed. The Volga had been closed. It would be time to turn to something else.
But it is also clear that it was so close all the time: Just one little push and it would be all over. It takes a very clearheaded individual to realise it ain't happenign and to cut the losses. Not throwing good money after bad is a very difficult decision to make. Any business leader can vouch for that. It gets worse if it is a political decision.
We have just mentioned it but not really touched on it:
1) Would Stalingrad be another "Leningrad"? Surrounded but not offensive material
2) The political fall-out by leaving Stalingrad: Rumainia? Italy?
3) How much could have been freed up? 4th Pz could surely have been used somewhere
Correct me if I am wrong, but the notion that tanks in urban war fare is suicide is not quite correct me think.
Warzaw was not great for tanks, but Warzaw was an old city.
Stalingrad had broad long straight boulevards (as far as I know) and was much more manageable in terms of tanks.
I don't know if the parallel to Bagdad can be used. US army did use tanks in urban battles.
The schwerpunkt is obviously to get someone to tell Hitler.
That said, Stalingrad itself was not part of the original Blau.
Ivan