Page "Operation Uranus" Paragraph 5

By November the Sixth Army had occupied most of Stalingrad, pushing the defending Red Army to the banks of the Volga River.

By this stage, there were indications of an impending Soviet offensive which would target Wehrmacht forces around the city, including increased Soviet activity opposite the Sixth Army's flanks, and information gained through the interrogation of Soviet prisoners.

However, the German command was intent upon finalizing its capture of Stalingrad.

In fact, head of Army General Staff General Franz Halder had been dismissed in September after his efforts to warn about the danger which was developing along the over-extended flanks of the Sixth Army and the Fourth Panzer Army.

As early as September the Soviet Stavka ( high command ) began planning a series of counteroffensives to encompass the destruction of German forces in the south, fighting in Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, and against Army Group Center.

Ultimately, command of Soviet efforts to relieve Stalingrad was put under the leadership of General Aleksandr Vasilevsky.