Was it Paulus decision not to include those divisions you mention in the August 23 drive to the Volga? Anyway, I don't know, but even if all those divisions + 4th Panzer Army had taken part in the initial attack, wouldn't the 6th Army rear be even more unprotected? Sure that initially it most probably would have been easier for Paulus to take the city, but wouldn't it also have made it easier for the Red Army encirclement? Just mho but I'm one of those who think that the Germans started losing the war the day they invaded USSR. It simply was a huge front (from Leningrad to the Caucasus!)almost impossible to hold for a long time! Imho sooner or later the Russians would have won! Unless Japan would have (really) invaded from the East, but I guess they were too busy dealing with the US in the Pacific. Just my two cents, Dolf
What happened to those divisions btw? Did Paulus use them to protect his back and the lines of supply?
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