Friedrich Paulus

Thanks Richard

 

Is this book the same one I've been re-readiing? By Helmut Heiber and David Glantz. Either I have'nt gotten to that part or I missed it, but I thought Paulus
got the job because the previous commander was killed in a freak airplane accident.Feel free to correct me on this.

 

You are correct. Richard posted the information I was searching for (in my head). It was either or and I could not remember which. He was recommended for the post by an old colleague. Thanks

 

Tch. It seems this time the Old Boys Network got the man in a tight place...

 

Yes and I bet he regretted taking that position in later years. I also read in the same book that everybody complained about Keitel but nobody wanted his job. I agree.

 

When he was selected to command 6th Army I wonder if he thought it a stroke of luck. Paulus was regarded as a topnotch staff officer. Men like that in any army get few chances at a real command as they are always in demand for running the plans & logisitics departments. The reality is good staff chiefs are as difficult to find as really good combat commanders.

 

I think the 6th army was one of the best armed and manned units of that size in the Wehrmacht so I´d think he was proud to be the commander of the 6th Army.

 

I met an old man a month or so ago named "Jack" Paulus. He was about 70 years old, spoke German and said he was some relation to the late General. Funny running into such a person in rural Mississippi!

 

Small world, isn't it, Will?

Where have you been hiding?

 

In the German Army, Chiefs of staff were not just staff officers. They literally were the ones who conducted the combat operations (this helped commanders like Sepp Dietrich). This allowed the commanders to visit the front (like Rommel) and if anything happened while the commander was gone, it would be no problem for the chief of staff to make a decision. I believe Westphal was Rommels chief of staff in Afrika and due to Rommels recurring absence, conducted alot of the operations as did Kraemer for Dietrich.

 

the following quote from a book title stalingrad the fateful seige by anthony Beevor
"Paulus has often been blamed for not disobeying Hitler later, once the scale of the disaster was clear, but his real failure as a commander was his failure to prepare to face the threat. It was his own army which was threatened. All he needed to do was to withdraw most of his tanks from the wasteful battle in the city to prepare a strong mechanized force ready to react rapidly. Supply and Ammunition dumps should have been reorganized to ensure their vehicles were kept ready to move at short notice. This comparatively small degree of preparation-and disobedience to the fuehers headquarters-would have left the sixth army in a position to defend itself effectively at the crucial moment."

 

I do think the Stalingrad itself was not in direct danger, however the city was surrounded within 48-72 hrs by the Red Army forces from both sides. That is pretty fast for anything or anybody to counter really. Nobody could have stopped the Russian troops at that moment, and pushing through back to the German lines, perhaps 2-3 days minimum to gather the troops to make the push I think.

 

I agree, but Prussian tradition, which regarded inactivity, waiting for orders and failing to think for yourself as unforgivable in a commander. Hitler, of course, had set out to crush such independence in his generals, and Paulus, who was more of a staff officer than a field commander, had acceded...quote form Stalingrad the siege by Anthony Beevor.

bf109 Emil

 

Hitler had previously said on the radio to the German people he would never give up the city ( also on the movie Stalingrad you can hear this radio message ), so I don´t think he could easily tell Paulus to get back. As well Göring/Jeschonnek made the mistake of telling the city could be supplied by air. The next question is whether Manstein told Paulus to break out or not....I think Paulus was trying to rely on Manstein who did not like to take the responsibility.

 

Unsure, i think manstein urged him to do so, to save his army, but one reason for Paulus being appointed their was Hitler knew his former staff officer mentality forbade him from questioning, disobeying orders...I read where Hitler was more furious for Paulus not taking his life and being led off to Moscow then loosing the cream of his wehrmacht...and was insulted and couldn't believe he made him a field marshall...but did Hitler ever ask Paulus to take his own life....in Paulus's biography, he stated 2 beliefs...

1. it was un Christian to kill oneself
2. He would lead as an example to his men...how could he surrender them, and then be a coward to take his own life

 

Hitler made him Field Marshall and as a favour in return expected that Paulus killed himself. As he did not Hitler said he would not make anyone Field Marshall again during the war....

 

I wonder if Goring ever knew that Paulus was in the same room during the Nuremberg trials.
Would have been something, had they met eye to eye.

 

Yes, both knew they were there...

American Experience | The Nuremberg Trials | Timeline | PBS

February 11-12: Chief Soviet Prosecutor Roman Rudenko examines Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus, who incriminates Göring, Jodl, and Keitel in the aggressive war launched against Russia. When Paulus's testimony concludes, Göring shouts at his lawyer: "Ask that dirty pig if he's a traitor! Ask him if he has taken out Russian citizenship papers!"