WEBVTT

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(threatening music)

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- [Narrator] The campaign
began with a German invasion

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of the Soviet Union in 1941
known as Operation Barbarossa.

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After initial successes,
the Soviets halted

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the German advance at the gates of Moscow.

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The next year the German high command

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developed a new command called Case Blue,

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which focused on seizing the
valuable Russian oil fields

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in the Caucasus region.

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Once again, the German campaign
began with great advances,

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however the Caucasus offenses
soon ground to a halt,

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and by mid-September,

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Stalingrad became a new major objective

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for the attacking German
forces in southern Russia.

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On 13th September, 1942,
the German's sixth army

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under General Friedrich Paulus

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began it's assault on the city.

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Lieutenant General Vasily Chuikov

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and his Soviet 62nd Army
defended Stalingrad.

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Within two weeks, the Germans cleared

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much of the south and
central portions of the city

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although the Soviets stubbornly clung

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to a few small enclaves.

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Nonetheless, Paulus considered
the center and south fighting

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to be over and began the fight

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to take the northern factory district.

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After a surprisingly rapid
and successful assault

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on the tractor factory
on 14 and 15 October,

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the Germans open the attack
on the Barrikady factory

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on the following day.

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The Barrikady factory
was a sprawling complex.

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The factory grounds were
roughly 2,500 meters long,

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by 1,500 meters wide.

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The major factory halls
were massive structures

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and many made excellent
defensive positions

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with good fields of fire even from within.

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By the time the German army

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launched its assault on the factory,

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it's structures and grounds
had already experienced

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a tremendous amount of destruction.

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German bombardments and artillery barrages

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inflicted heavy damage
to most of the buildings

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and rubble was everywhere.

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The remnants of damaged and
destroyed factory products,

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shell holes and Soviet fighting positions

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littered the grounds.

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The area was an ideal
location for defenders

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and therefore very difficult
terrain for attacking forces.

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This apocalyptic scene
typifies the urban battlefield

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and illustrates U.S. army
doctrine which further explains

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that the three dimensional urban terrain

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makes identifying, reporting and targeting

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of enemy locations difficult.

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This is the environment faced
by the German attacking force

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which consisted of several divisions

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and well over 10,000 solidiers

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who attack from the north.

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For more than two weeks,

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this force pushed deep into the complex

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with the Volga River as its objective.

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The Red Army fiercely
defended each building

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and ultimately stopped
the German onslaught

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just 400 meters from the Volga

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on the outskirts of the
factory's lower settlement

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and the complex's administrative area,

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which the Red Army heavily fortified.

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The lower settlement was the last bastion

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of the Soviet defense in
the Barrikady factory.

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Current joint and army doctrine

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can trace it's origins in lessons learned

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in previous wars and military actions

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executed throughout history.

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The eastern front in World War II,

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and specifically the battles

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within the city limits of Stalingrad,

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highlight the complexities
of urban warfare.

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Understanding current doctrine

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is key to successful
integration of forces,

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synchronization of assets and
execution of complex orders.

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(threatening music)

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In peacetime, the lower settlement served

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as the Barrikady factory
administrative area

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and one of the residential districts

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for factory workers.

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About 400 meters beyond the settlement

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were the cliffs of the Volga River,

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the German 305th Infantry
Division's final objective.

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Within the lower settlement,

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a number of port locations
held significance

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to either the Germans,
the Soviets or both.

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Key locations included Theater
Park, the cinema booth,

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the Barrikady factory fuel
depot, the Index Finger Ravine,

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the transformer hut, and the Volga River.

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Key German locations were Hall 6E,

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which served as the headquarters

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for the 576th Grenadier Regiment.

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Hall four served as the headquarters

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for the 577th Grenadier Regiment.

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House 53 served as the headquarters

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for the 578th Grenadier Regiment.

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Key Soviet locations were
Colonel Ivan Lyudnikov's

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command post bunker for
the 138th Rifle Division.

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The red house wish functioned
as Colonel Lyudnikov's

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personal observation post.

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The apothecary, also
referred as the pharmacy,

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a Soviet strong point.

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And the Commissar's house,

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which originally served as the
main administration building

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for the Barrikady factory

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and was now a Soviet strong point as well.

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The defense of the lower settlement

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was primarily the responsibility

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of Colonel Lyudnikov's
138th Rifle Division.

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Though the 241st Regiment
of the 95th Rifle Division

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was responsible for the
defense of the area between

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the apothecary and the fuel depot.

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By this time, the 138th Rifle Division

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consisted of three diminished regiments

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with a total combat strength
of about 1,000 soldiers.

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Attached to the division was
the sole remaining element

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of the 37th Guards Division,

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the 250 men of the 118th
Guards Rifle Regiment.

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The 768th Rifle Regiment
of the 138 Rifle Division

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in the north, helped
positions largely within

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an apartment complex.

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The 344th Rifle Regiment held
another apartment complex

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near the massive Hall Four,

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which stretched south to the
vicinity of Theater Park.

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The 650th Rifle Regiment also held

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part of the apartment
complex near Theater Park,

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several other buildings east of there

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and the Commissar's house itself.

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(threatening music)

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The Commissar's house was
a massive brick structure

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within the lower settlement.

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The house, completed in
1916, and solidly constructed

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with red bricks from
the nearby brick factory

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possessed an appropriately
castle-like appearance.

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It's construction consisted of massive,

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three-foot thick walls, a
reinforced concrete cellar,

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and was two stories in height.

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It was relatively clear fields of fire

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around the building in all directions

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and the Germans considered
this structure key terrain,

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a crucial defensive position

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within the 138th Rifle
Division's defensive zone.

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The United States Army
doctoral manual, ADP 3-90,

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defines key terrain as

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an identifiable
characteristic whose seizure

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or retention affords a marked advantage

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to either combatant.

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Due to its obvious strength,

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the building earlier served
as Lyudnikov's headquarters

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until the German advance
forced him to move

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his command post to a
bunker below the bluffs

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of the Volga River.

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The Barrikady workers officially
recognized the building

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as the factory administration building.

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The Germans would refer to this building

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as the Commissar's house.

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(threatening music)

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Several Soviet elements
defended the Commissar's house

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and lower village area.

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These defenders were armed

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with light and medium machine guns,

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the PPSh sub-machine gun,

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Mosin-Nagant model rifle,

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hand grenades and the
multi-purpose Molotov cocktail.

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They were also supported

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by the 76 millimeter anti-tank gun ZiS-3.

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The unit responsible for this sector

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of the 138th Rifle Division's area

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was the 650th Rifle Regiment

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commanded by Major Feder Pechenyuk,

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a severely reduced company
of perhaps 40 or 50 men

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from the 650th Regiment
defended the building.

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Another small element was
the NKVD blocking detachment

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of about six men commanded
by Lieutenant Leonid Pyuken.

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Pyuken's mission was
to position his troops

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behind the defenders

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and ensure they did
not desert their posts.

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Pyuken described the
Soviet defense efforts

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within the building.

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- [Leonid] The Worker's
Militia, together with soldiers,

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took up defense in this house.

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Machine guns were placed
in vacant window openings.

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Morters were positioned
on the second floor.

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Boxes of ammunition
were delivered at night

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from the bank of the Volga,

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placed on hand near the
windows were hand grenades,

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cartridges and bottles filled
with incendiary mixture.

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- [Narrator] Finally there were a handful

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of irregular soldiers.

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Perhaps 15 to 20 from a
Worker's Militia unit,

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also known as Special Gorgaze.

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These men had been, until recently,

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workers in the Barrikady factory.

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The quality of these troops ran the gamut

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from dedicated fighters
to unreliable skulkers.

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Thus, the need for the
blocking detachment troops.

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Overall it is likely
that there were no more

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than 60 to 70 men defending
the Commissar's house

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on 11 November, the day
of the first attack.

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(threatening music)

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During the month of October,

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the 305th Infantry Division
lost almost 2,900 men

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in the vicious fighting

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at the tractor and Barrikady factories.

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As the 305th prepared to assault

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the Barrikady factory's lower settlement

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each of its regiments possessed

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no more than 1,000 assault troops.

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The 507th Grenadier Regiment,

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temporarily commanded by
Major Eberhard Rittenmeyer,

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was responsible for the central sector

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which included the Commissar's house.

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For the 11th November attack,

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a company of assault engineers

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from the 22nd Panzer Division's
50th Pioneer Battalion,

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commanded by Captain Irwin Gost,

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reinforced the 578th Regiment.

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On 10 November, the strength
of the 50th Pioneer Battalion

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stood at 539 soldiers,

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of which only 460 were assault troops.

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Also attached to the regiment

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was an element of the 44th Stern Company.

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This was an ad-hoc infantry assault group

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formed from the elements of
the 44th Infantry Division

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and sent to Stalingrad at the same time

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as the six pioneer battalions

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and for the same purpose.

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The attacking German
infantry and pioneer soldiers

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were equipped with the Mauser 98 rifle,

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or the MP-40 sub-machine gun.

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They were supported by MG-42 machine guns,

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potato masher hand grenades,

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satchel and shape charges for breaching

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and assault field guns.

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(threatening music)

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The 11 November attack
on the Commissar's house

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was part of the larger Operation Hubertus.

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This attack was the sixth army's plan

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to overrun the remaining Soviet forces

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defending the Barrikady and
Red October factory districts.

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The organization of the
German plan of attack

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demonstrated current U.S. Army doctrine

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for the characteristics
of offensive operations

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founded FM 3-0.

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A commander must incorporate audacity,

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concentration, surprise and tempo

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when planning and executing the attack.

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The 305th Infantry Division's mission

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was to attack the lower settlement area

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east of the Barrikady factory.

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The plan consisted of three axis.

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To the division's south,

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the 576th Grenadier Regiment,

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reinforced by troops of the
294th Pioneer Battalion,

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would attack to seize
the Barrikady fuel depot.

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To their north, the
577th Grenadier Regiment

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reinforced by troops of the 305th

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and 336th Pioneer Battalions

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and part of the 44th Stern Company

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would attack to seize
the apartment buildings

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between house 73 and house 77
and the lower settlement area,

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then advance to the Volga.

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The 389th Infantry Divisions,
546th Infantry Regiment

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and the 45th Pioneer Battalion

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were assigned to support
the 305th's left flank

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by attacking a small
compound of warehouses

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to the north of the factory.

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In the center, the 578th
Grenadier Regiment,

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also reinforced by pioneer battalions,

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was assigned the mission
to capture the apothecary

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and the Commissar's house,

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and then advance to the Volga
via the Index Finger Ravine.

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The 578th attack consisted
of three assaults.

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The first assault would assault

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to seize and secure the apothecary,

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a heavily damaged L-shaped building

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to the south of the Commissar's house.

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Most of the 578th Grenadier Regiment

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would attack past the apothecary,

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enter the Index Finger Ravine,

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and reach the Volga through that route.

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From there, it would
attack to capture house 79

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and push north along the river

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to unhinge the Soviet defenses.

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Captain Gast 50th Pioneer Battalion

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was the third axis of the attack

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with it's objective to
seize the Commissar's house.

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Gast, who considered his
Panzer engineers elite troops,

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was reportedly the youngest
battalion commander

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at Stalingrad.

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According to one historian,

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Gast was an ambitious young officer

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and wanted to demonstrate his prowess

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to his elders on the field of battle.

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When developing the plan

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for the 11th November
attack with Rittenmeyer,

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Gast informed the regimental commander

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that his men could take the
Commissar's house alone.

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Gast further stated that
there would be no need

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for infantry support
from the 578th Regiment,

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although a small element
of the 44th Stern Company

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would participate in the attack.

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The seasoned Rittenmeyer was dubious

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because he understood that the integration

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of light and heavy
assets at urban fighting

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was critical to success.

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Current U.S. Army doctrine

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reinforces this fact in ATTP 3-06.11,

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which highlights that infantry tank teams

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work together to bring
the maximum combat power

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to bear on the enemy.

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As the German plan developed,

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it incorporated many of the stages

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of a deliberate attack

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the commander conducts a
phased deliberate attack

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starting with reconnoitering of, moving to

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and isolating the objective.

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As part of the division plan,

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a massive bombardment
against the Soviet positions

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in the factory area supported the attacks.

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In order to isolate the objective

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and limit the Soviet ability to reinforce

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and sustain its forces west of the Volga,

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Luftwaffe dive bombers

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would attack Soviet artillery positions

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across the Seitsevski Island.

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German artillery would also conduct

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counter battery fire against
Soviet artillery positions

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on Seitsevski Island.

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German Nebelwerfer batteries

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conducted barrages against
the Soviet defensive positions

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in the factory area and along
the bluffs of the Volga,

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which further isolated and
reduced the defensive positions.

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Should these various attacks
achieve initial success,

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the units of the 305th Infantry Division

16:04.530 --> 16:07.510
and the 389th Division to the north

16:07.540 --> 16:09.780
would destroy all
remaining Soviet defenses

16:09.780 --> 16:12.763
between the Barrikady lower
settlement and the river.

16:14.254 --> 16:17.254
(threatening music)

16:25.030 --> 16:26.700
The artillery and air attacks

16:26.700 --> 16:29.043
began on seven November as planned.

16:29.290 --> 16:31.733
At about 0300, on 11 November,

16:31.733 --> 16:35.132
the lead assault teams
of the 578th Infantry

16:35.132 --> 16:37.246
and 305th Pioneer Battalion

16:37.246 --> 16:40.903
departed from the assault
positions near House 53,

16:40.903 --> 16:43.653
which served as
Rittenmayer's command post.

16:43.870 --> 16:45.410
Hundreds of gray-clad soldiers

16:45.410 --> 16:48.880
stealthily made their way
through the intermittent dark

16:49.190 --> 16:51.993
as explosive blasts lit up the terrain.

16:52.240 --> 16:56.233
The 578th assault troops,
supported by pioneers,

16:56.300 --> 16:59.523
made their way across the short
distance to the apothecary.

16:59.530 --> 17:02.080
They slipped into and out of shell holes

17:02.080 --> 17:03.240
and trenches for cover

17:03.550 --> 17:06.300
while the artillery bombardment
screamed from overhead.

17:06.380 --> 17:08.660
From daily observation, the pioneers knew

17:08.660 --> 17:11.530
that they would not be able to
gain access to the apothecary

17:11.530 --> 17:12.920
through normal entrances,

17:12.920 --> 17:15.100
which the Soviets obstructed and blocked

17:15.100 --> 17:16.313
with mounds of rubble.

17:16.370 --> 17:17.713
Covered by the infantry,

17:17.745 --> 17:21.350
the Sappers moved to the
outer wall of the apothecary

17:21.500 --> 17:24.000
and set several large
demo charges against it

17:24.320 --> 17:26.087
and moved back to the shell holes

17:26.087 --> 17:28.233
with electric wires trailing them.

17:28.360 --> 17:30.760
As they advanced on the Commissar's house,

17:30.760 --> 17:33.250
the synchronized and
coordinated German attack

17:33.340 --> 17:36.993
further demonstrated the stages
of deliberate urban attack,

17:37.260 --> 17:40.000
secure a foothold, suppress the objective,

17:40.000 --> 17:41.323
and execute a breach.

17:42.190 --> 17:43.880
The assault commander gave the signal.

17:43.880 --> 17:46.170
The Pioneers crank the handles

17:46.430 --> 17:49.700
and in a blinding flash
blew several huge holes

17:49.700 --> 17:51.250
into the sides of the building.

17:51.420 --> 17:53.310
Soviet defenders inside the building

17:53.520 --> 17:55.124
were totally caught by surprise,

17:55.124 --> 17:57.360
most likely due to the noise

17:57.360 --> 17:59.620
of the almost constant artillery barrage

17:59.620 --> 18:01.320
over the previous four days.

18:01.320 --> 18:04.610
Within seconds, the German
infantry advanced to the building

18:04.610 --> 18:05.730
and entered the structure.

18:05.730 --> 18:08.450
The teams rapidly made
their way through the halls

18:08.450 --> 18:11.050
and upstairs as they
eliminated or captured

18:11.050 --> 18:13.362
the Russians who were
still able to resist.

18:13.362 --> 18:15.271
From the upper floors, the
Germans fought downward

18:15.271 --> 18:19.260
until they were fighting the
remaining Soviet defenders

18:19.260 --> 18:21.293
between the first floor and the cellar.

18:21.470 --> 18:23.650
By dawn, the apothecary was secure

18:23.650 --> 18:26.253
and the Germans had captured 45 defenders.

18:26.296 --> 18:29.367
The soldiers of the 578th Infantry

18:29.367 --> 18:32.713
now trained their guns on the
massive building next door,

18:32.720 --> 18:34.123
the Commissar's house.

18:34.360 --> 18:35.800
To help with that battle,

18:35.800 --> 18:37.623
which by this time was floundering,

18:37.694 --> 18:41.110
the attack of the 50th Pioneer Battalion

18:41.110 --> 18:43.623
on the Commissar's house
did not go as well.

18:44.370 --> 18:48.337
About 0315, Gost's men
advance from House 56,

18:48.337 --> 18:52.042
while the small 44th
Stern Company detachment

18:52.042 --> 18:54.323
left from house 72.

18:55.196 --> 18:58.818
The Commissar's house had
three foot thick solid walls

18:58.818 --> 19:00.820
and the Sappers had to search

19:00.820 --> 19:04.145
for areas where the charges
would make the biggest holes

19:04.145 --> 19:05.520
and had some chance

19:05.520 --> 19:07.773
of actually penetrating into the building.

19:08.170 --> 19:10.723
Reaching the outside
wall from the south side,

19:10.770 --> 19:12.840
the Pioneers began searching for spots

19:12.840 --> 19:14.193
to place their charges.

19:14.360 --> 19:16.430
Unable to find suitable locations

19:16.430 --> 19:18.416
for the demolitions in the dark,

19:18.416 --> 19:22.560
Gost directed his men to move
to shell holes and trenches,

19:22.560 --> 19:26.033
mostly located to the west
and southwest of the building.

19:26.230 --> 19:28.490
There, they waited for the light of dawn

19:28.490 --> 19:31.480
to reveal the best locations
to place their charges.

19:31.480 --> 19:34.670
As the engineers moved back
into hide positions, however,

19:34.670 --> 19:36.400
someone inside of the Commissar's house

19:36.400 --> 19:38.580
spotted the movement and opened fire.

19:38.580 --> 19:42.010
The firing very quickly
alerted other Soviet defenders,

19:42.010 --> 19:45.040
and soon those defenders
pinned down Gost's men

19:45.040 --> 19:47.083
in the open area around the structure.

19:47.430 --> 19:50.053
In addition to heavy small
arms machine gun fire,

19:50.100 --> 19:52.640
the Soviet defenders also
began to throw grenades

19:52.640 --> 19:55.203
from the building towards
the stranded Germans.

19:55.460 --> 19:57.680
A few Russians were able to heave grenades

19:58.947 --> 20:00.090
far enough to reach a shell hole or two

20:00.090 --> 20:01.563
and cause casualties.

20:02.731 --> 20:03.860
This, in turn, caused some of the Pioneers

20:03.860 --> 20:06.270
to jump up and flee to
the rear for safety.

20:06.270 --> 20:08.650
Some made it, but most
remained pinned down

20:08.650 --> 20:09.983
in their hide positions.

20:10.430 --> 20:12.680
The inability to find
a suitable breach point

20:12.820 --> 20:15.377
caused Gast to lose
the element of surprise

20:15.377 --> 20:17.753
and prevented seizing the initiative.

20:18.030 --> 20:19.840
U.S. Army doctrine states

20:20.100 --> 20:23.084
audacity, concentration,
surprise and tempo

20:23.084 --> 20:25.024
characterize the offensive

20:25.024 --> 20:29.352
and the commanders seize, retain
and exploit the initiative

20:29.352 --> 20:31.633
when performing offensive tasks.

20:31.720 --> 20:33.370
Fortunately for Gast's men,

20:33.370 --> 20:36.170
the 245th Assault Gun Battalion

20:36.170 --> 20:37.898
had just received six brand new

20:37.898 --> 20:41.313
S.I.G. 33 Bravo assault guns.

20:41.530 --> 20:43.760
These tank-like weapons had been designed

20:43.760 --> 20:45.360
and built almost overnight

20:45.370 --> 20:47.560
specifically for the type of fighting

20:47.560 --> 20:48.953
conducted in Stalingrad.

20:49.420 --> 20:51.763
The lighter shoots three assault gun,

20:51.840 --> 20:55.820
most still possessing a short
barreled 75 millimeter gun

20:55.820 --> 20:58.950
capable of destroying
soft skinned vehicles

20:58.950 --> 21:00.743
and light fortifications.

21:00.770 --> 21:03.711
However, they were inadequate
to penetrate the heavy walls

21:03.711 --> 21:06.623
of many of the older
buildings in Stalingrad.

21:06.790 --> 21:10.113
Based on lessons learned and
emerging mission requirements,

21:10.180 --> 21:15.093
the S.I.G. 33 Bravo mounted
a heavier 150 millimeter gun,

21:15.330 --> 21:17.540
which could penetrate
the walls of buildings

21:17.690 --> 21:19.183
like the Commissar's house.

21:19.440 --> 21:21.000
Six of these new vehicles

21:21.050 --> 21:23.700
were assembled at the
Barrikcady factory's front gate

21:23.920 --> 21:26.068
when the assault gun
commander received a call

21:26.068 --> 21:29.868
to come to the rescue of
the 50th Pioneer battalion.

21:29.868 --> 21:32.370
Similarly, U.S. Army doctrine

21:32.370 --> 21:34.250
directs commanders to plan for

21:34.300 --> 21:37.023
and employ a reserve to exploit success,

21:37.060 --> 21:38.803
defeat enemy counterattacks,

21:38.980 --> 21:40.913
or as in the case of Gast's formation,

21:41.090 --> 21:43.303
restore momentum to a stalled attack.

21:43.560 --> 21:46.262
As dawn broke, the S.I.G. 33's

21:46.262 --> 21:49.303
accompanied by several
Sterm-gish-uts threes,

21:49.570 --> 21:52.653
rumbled east, heading for
the Commissar's house.

21:52.800 --> 21:55.540
The plan was for all vehicles to turn left

21:55.670 --> 21:59.250
onto Lenin Prospect and
line up in the Theater Park

21:59.380 --> 22:01.140
to pummel the Soviet defenders

22:01.270 --> 22:02.773
in the castle-like building.

22:02.830 --> 22:06.433
Several vehicles made the
maneuver into firing positions,

22:06.540 --> 22:09.788
halted and began shelling
the Commissar's house.

22:09.788 --> 22:12.479
Inexplicably, at least three guns,

22:12.479 --> 22:14.878
two of them new S.I.G. 33's

22:14.878 --> 22:17.493
rolled onto Tomayo Skias Street,

22:17.720 --> 22:20.430
where they turned left and
drove directly in front

22:20.430 --> 22:21.793
of the Commissar's house.

22:21.950 --> 22:24.740
One of the guns ran over
a Soviet mortar position

22:24.810 --> 22:26.510
just to the north of the building,

22:26.530 --> 22:28.283
then performed a pivot steer,

22:28.350 --> 22:31.653
which brought the vehicle back
in view of the main entrance,

22:31.790 --> 22:34.163
where a Soviet anti-tank
gun was positioned.

22:34.530 --> 22:37.233
Junior Lieutenant A.P. Feditov,

22:37.460 --> 22:39.323
the anti-tank company commander,

22:39.470 --> 22:40.950
manned the gun by himself

22:40.950 --> 22:42.977
because the rest of the gun crew was dead.

22:42.977 --> 22:46.368
Quickly reacting to the
threat posed by the vehicle,

22:46.368 --> 22:50.563
Feditov took aim and
destroyed an S.I.G. 33.

22:50.840 --> 22:53.180
Anti-tank fire or Molotov cocktails

22:53.180 --> 22:54.830
thrown by the Soviet infantry men

22:55.300 --> 22:57.150
disabled the other two assault guns

22:57.150 --> 22:59.123
across the street in Theater Park.

22:59.299 --> 23:01.863
Despite the loss of three vehicles,

23:01.930 --> 23:04.290
the bombardment from
the heavier assault guns

23:05.926 --> 23:06.759
was nevertheless very effective.

23:08.255 --> 23:10.200
Pyuken recalled that the shells
penetrated the thick walls

23:10.200 --> 23:12.256
and exploded inside the rooms.

23:12.256 --> 23:14.779
Canon fire raked the upper story,

23:14.779 --> 23:18.453
killing or wounding
numerous Soviet defenders.

23:18.610 --> 23:21.782
The smoke and distraction
provided by the assault gun attack

23:21.782 --> 23:24.483
enabled the rest of Gost's men to escape.

23:24.500 --> 23:27.150
Nevertheless, the 50th Pioneer Battalion

23:27.150 --> 23:31.453
lost 17 men killed, and another
61 wounded in the attack.

23:31.715 --> 23:34.433
By the end of the day on 11 November,

23:34.500 --> 23:36.907
many units of the 305th Infantry Division

23:36.907 --> 23:39.436
had made significant progress.

23:39.436 --> 23:42.220
The 576th Grenadier Regiment

23:42.400 --> 23:44.960
and 294th Pioneer Battalion

23:45.160 --> 23:47.200
had advanced all the way to the Volga

23:47.290 --> 23:49.583
and it captured the factorous fuel depot.

23:50.320 --> 23:53.351
Likewise, elements of the
578th Grenadier Regiment

23:53.351 --> 23:56.310
had penetrated to the banks of the Volga

23:56.460 --> 23:59.493
and captured the apothecary and house 79,

23:59.970 --> 24:01.510
but could not advance further

24:01.620 --> 24:03.920
due to the commanding position
at the Commissar's house

24:03.920 --> 24:04.753
in that area.

24:05.030 --> 24:07.426
The apothecary and house 79 served as

24:07.426 --> 24:10.460
a foothold necessary for
the coming German assault

24:10.460 --> 24:11.803
on the Commisser's house.

24:11.970 --> 24:13.540
The German attack plan

24:13.540 --> 24:16.854
to breach and reduce the Commissar's house

24:16.854 --> 24:18.876
reflect the U.S. Army's doctrine

24:18.876 --> 24:21.400
of the stages of a deliberate attack

24:21.520 --> 24:22.593
in urban terrain.

24:22.860 --> 24:26.220
On the division's left, the
577th Grenadier Regiment

24:26.220 --> 24:28.910
failed to capture either
of its two objectives,

24:28.910 --> 24:31.123
house 66 and house 77,

24:31.450 --> 24:33.860
leaving a large salient in the German line

24:33.867 --> 24:37.440
and preventing the complete
isolation and suppression

24:37.440 --> 24:38.883
of the Commissar's house.

24:39.050 --> 24:42.713
On the far left, in the 389th
Infantry Division sector,

24:42.730 --> 24:44.862
the 546th Grenadier Regiment,

24:44.862 --> 24:48.423
bolstered by the 162nd Pioneer Battalion,

24:48.460 --> 24:50.561
and driven all the way
to the Volga as well.

24:50.561 --> 24:52.180
These successes, however,

24:52.180 --> 24:53.570
came at a high cost

24:53.570 --> 24:57.110
since the 305th and
389th Infantry Divisions

24:57.200 --> 25:00.426
had lost a combined
total of 445 men killed,

25:00.426 --> 25:03.053
wounded and missing in the assaults.

25:03.170 --> 25:06.580
Nevertheless, the Lyudnikov's
138th Rifle Division

25:06.580 --> 25:10.169
was now totally cut off from the 62nd Army

25:10.169 --> 25:13.390
except by boat, and that
was only if the vessels

25:13.460 --> 25:15.710
could make it through the
rapidly building ice flow

25:15.710 --> 25:16.543
of the Volga.

25:17.030 --> 25:18.920
This beach-head in the German lines

25:18.970 --> 25:21.400
soon became known as Lyudnikov's Island

25:21.400 --> 25:22.713
due to it's isolation.

25:23.090 --> 25:25.433
Because of the assaults on 11 November,

25:26.550 --> 25:28.783
the 138th Rifle Division,
severely attritted,

25:28.783 --> 25:31.813
was now cut off from the
rest of the 62nd Army.

25:32.040 --> 25:34.482
Like Chuikov, Lyudnikov was forced

25:34.482 --> 25:36.370
to operate out of a bunker

25:36.370 --> 25:38.500
dug in the side of the Volga River bluff

25:38.710 --> 25:40.363
just east of the red house.

25:40.650 --> 25:42.976
The division's units had
taken numerous casualties.

25:42.976 --> 25:45.587
The 650th Rifle Regiment had been reduced

25:45.587 --> 25:49.410
from 167 men at the
beginning of the operation

25:49.410 --> 25:54.113
to only 69 able-bodied troops
by midnight on 11 November.

25:54.353 --> 25:57.283
98 men had been killed or wounded,

25:57.520 --> 25:59.593
most of those in the Commissar's house.

26:00.320 --> 26:03.363
Other regiments had been
severely afflicted as well,

26:03.572 --> 26:06.716
on the division's left,
the 95th Rifle Division's

26:06.716 --> 26:10.980
241st Regiment had been reduced to 23 men

26:11.130 --> 26:14.303
by the attacks of the 576 Grenadiers.

26:15.090 --> 26:18.639
On the right, the attached
118th guards regiment

26:18.639 --> 26:22.490
was ground down from 250
men before the attack

26:22.590 --> 26:24.700
to only 7 men by midnight

26:24.700 --> 26:27.083
and was no commanded by a Lieutenant.

26:27.140 --> 26:31.047
Although Lyudnikov was to
receive almost 300 replacements

26:31.047 --> 26:35.020
on 12 November, few, if any,
made it into the defenses.

26:35.020 --> 26:39.228
Lyudnikov's hold on his
island was precarious at best.

26:39.228 --> 26:42.228
(threatening music)

26:51.520 --> 26:53.440
Operations in the lower settlement area

26:53.440 --> 26:55.910
on 12 November were
limited to minor attacks

26:55.910 --> 26:57.203
and counter attacks,

26:57.360 --> 27:00.048
while both sides plant
follow on operations.

27:00.048 --> 27:03.239
The following day, the German 577th

27:03.239 --> 27:05.970
and 578th Grenadier Regiments

27:06.080 --> 27:08.210
would attack to destroy
the remaining elements

27:08.210 --> 27:09.920
of Colonel Lyudnikov's command

27:09.960 --> 27:12.483
and seize the bluffs
along the Volga River.

27:12.510 --> 27:16.040
The 576th Regiment would hold
its ground along the Volga

27:16.040 --> 27:17.490
and protect the German arrear,

27:17.490 --> 27:19.850
while the 577th Grenadier Regient

27:20.500 --> 27:23.709
was tasked to seize house 66 and house 77,

27:23.709 --> 27:26.793
which it had failed to
accomplish the previous day.

27:26.910 --> 27:29.100
The 578th Grenadier Regiment

27:29.170 --> 27:31.358
would make several attacks in its sector.

27:31.358 --> 27:35.033
One moved along the river bluff
to take the transformer hut,

27:35.170 --> 27:37.210
and push along the bluffs of the Volga

27:37.210 --> 27:38.853
to clear any defenders.

27:39.000 --> 27:41.630
Another through the open
ground between the bluffs

27:41.630 --> 27:43.273
and Tomayo Skias Street.

27:43.910 --> 27:46.887
And finally, another assault
on the Commissar's house,

27:46.887 --> 27:49.013
the dominating feature of the area.

27:49.119 --> 27:51.963
For the attack on the Commissar's house,

27:52.010 --> 27:54.750
Captain Gast, 50th Pioneer Battlion,

27:54.750 --> 27:57.520
would once again form the
backbone of the attack.

27:57.520 --> 28:01.156
But this time, Gast was to
be reinforced by the entire

28:01.156 --> 28:03.133
44th Stern Company.

28:03.570 --> 28:05.740
Elements of the 578th Regiment

28:05.890 --> 28:09.173
and guns from the 245
Assault Gun Battalion.

28:10.216 --> 28:13.216
(threatening music)

28:21.660 --> 28:24.530
Since Gast's first attempt to
capture the Commissar's house

28:24.530 --> 28:27.040
was an utter failure,
he queried Rittemayer

28:27.120 --> 28:29.350
and other leaders on
the best way to approach

28:29.350 --> 28:30.420
and enter the building.

28:30.420 --> 28:32.210
These men had been in the factory district

28:32.210 --> 28:34.522
for over three weeks
and had developed an eye

28:34.522 --> 28:36.490
for the most effective means

28:36.490 --> 28:38.240
of attacking buildings in the area.

28:38.470 --> 28:40.573
Counterintuitively, they
recommended that Gast

28:40.573 --> 28:43.485
should conduct his attack
through the central courtyard

28:43.485 --> 28:46.210
and enter through the blocked main doors

28:46.330 --> 28:47.963
by blasting their way through.

28:48.270 --> 28:50.080
Gast adopted their recommendation.

28:50.080 --> 28:52.140
Gast's discussion with the commanders

28:52.220 --> 28:54.940
and seasoned veterans of
the Stalingrad campaign

28:55.010 --> 28:59.444
demonstrated the ADRP 6-0's
Mission Command Principle

28:59.444 --> 29:01.083
of gathering information.

29:01.510 --> 29:03.240
Commanders balance the art of command

29:03.240 --> 29:04.640
with a science of control

29:04.910 --> 29:07.030
as they assess information which must be

29:07.030 --> 29:11.783
accurate, timely, usable,
complete, precise and reliable.

29:12.040 --> 29:14.730
Accordingly, Gast planned
for the 13th November attack

29:14.730 --> 29:15.730
was simple and bold.

29:16.090 --> 29:18.530
The assault teams would
leave the assault position

29:18.530 --> 29:21.870
in house 71, move straight
into the courtyard

29:21.870 --> 29:24.680
of the Commissar's house
guided and supported by troops

29:24.680 --> 29:27.743
of the 578th and destroy the front doors.

29:27.980 --> 29:30.520
From there the infantry would
set up blocking positions

29:30.520 --> 29:33.090
along the wing halls and
prevent the defenders

29:33.090 --> 29:35.823
from attacking into the front foyer area.

29:36.076 --> 29:39.226
Meanwhile, the Sappers would
proceed to the second floor

29:39.226 --> 29:41.423
and clear the building from the top down.

29:41.423 --> 29:44.913
At 1000, the first of
several assaults began.

29:45.260 --> 29:48.810
The meager number of troops
of the 650th Rifle Regiment

29:48.810 --> 29:49.910
still in the building,

29:50.040 --> 29:52.540
successfully fought off
the first few attempts

29:52.720 --> 29:54.593
to approach the Commissar's house.

29:54.889 --> 29:57.960
At 13:10, ten assault guns,

29:57.960 --> 30:01.169
including three of the new
S.I.G. 33 Bravo vehicles,

30:01.169 --> 30:04.750
from the 245th Assault Gun Battalion

30:05.000 --> 30:07.280
arrived and began battering the building

30:07.393 --> 30:11.003
with 75 millimeter and
150 millimeter shells.

30:11.510 --> 30:14.330
The assault guns mission
was to deny the upper story

30:14.330 --> 30:15.163
of the building.

30:15.200 --> 30:17.131
The heavy 150 millimeter shells

30:17.131 --> 30:19.914
reduced much of the second story to rubble

30:19.914 --> 30:23.360
and forced the survivors
down to the first floor

30:23.420 --> 30:24.313
or to the cellar.

30:25.752 --> 30:27.802
Leonet Kyuken recalled the German attack.

30:27.860 --> 30:29.860
- [Leonet] The Germans formed a

30:29.860 --> 30:31.670
factory administration building,

30:31.670 --> 30:33.427
in which our civil
guardsmen fought together

30:33.427 --> 30:36.763
for the soldiers of the
138th Rifle Division.

30:37.098 --> 30:39.040
The Germans fired at this bastion

30:39.040 --> 30:40.843
with artillery and mortars.

30:41.100 --> 30:42.940
Every window and breach in the walls

30:43.845 --> 30:45.430
were under the sights of hostile snipers.

30:45.430 --> 30:47.630
Flaring up in once place or the other

30:47.630 --> 30:49.193
in the building were fires,

30:49.430 --> 30:52.803
then suffocating smoke
spread through every story.

30:53.330 --> 30:55.407
- [Narrator] Attacking from
the vicinity of House 71,

30:55.407 --> 30:58.016
the German foothold near
the Commissar's house,

30:58.016 --> 31:01.523
gas force advanced rapidly
across Theater Park.

31:01.641 --> 31:03.803
Against a slackening fire,

31:04.080 --> 31:06.430
the assault teams rushed
into the courtyard

31:06.650 --> 31:08.430
which under different circumstances

31:08.710 --> 31:10.960
would've made an excellent engagement area

31:10.960 --> 31:12.003
for the defenders.

31:13.060 --> 31:14.260
The German attack plan

31:14.260 --> 31:16.950
demonstrated the stages
of a deliberate attack

31:16.950 --> 31:17.913
in urban terrain.

31:18.350 --> 31:19.860
Gas assault group moved

31:19.860 --> 31:22.476
along the inner-west wall of the compound

31:22.476 --> 31:24.940
with the Sappers advancing all the way

31:24.940 --> 31:26.913
to the blocked front doors.

31:27.160 --> 31:30.190
Surprisingly the German's
had met little resistance

31:30.190 --> 31:31.660
from the building's defenders

31:31.770 --> 31:33.670
while advancing through the courtyard.

31:33.700 --> 31:36.295
While the infantry covered
the inner-court windows,

31:36.295 --> 31:38.620
the engineers quickly set the charges

31:38.620 --> 31:40.081
against the heavily wooded doors

31:40.081 --> 31:41.534
and backed away.

31:41.534 --> 31:42.367
(exploding)

31:42.367 --> 31:45.603
The explosives readily blew a
hole into the front entrance.

31:45.640 --> 31:47.520
After tossing several hand
grenades through the opening,

31:47.520 --> 31:50.222
Sappers pushed into the
foyer of the building

31:50.222 --> 31:52.780
followed by the assault troops

31:52.780 --> 31:54.630
of the 44th Stern Company

31:54.900 --> 31:56.943
and the 578th Grenadiers.

31:57.130 --> 31:58.670
The heavy construction of the building

31:58.670 --> 32:01.078
made movement inside an odd experience.

32:01.078 --> 32:04.170
The German soldiers left
behind bright daylight

32:04.240 --> 32:06.830
and all the noise of battle on the outside

32:07.180 --> 32:09.890
and entered building
that was initially silent

32:09.890 --> 32:12.810
and very gloomy, made more so by the dust

32:12.810 --> 32:14.513
and smoke from the grenades.

32:14.770 --> 32:18.240
The infantry support teams
moved into the wing hallways

32:18.240 --> 32:19.740
and set up barricades

32:19.740 --> 32:22.423
to prevent attacks into the foyer area.

32:22.820 --> 32:24.860
They also shot down the hallways

32:24.860 --> 32:27.711
to prevent the defenders
from escaping to the basement

32:27.711 --> 32:31.013
by using the stairwells at
the west end of the building.

32:31.240 --> 32:34.290
While the infantry moved to set
up the first four barricades

32:34.290 --> 32:36.736
to block Soviet attacks
into the central foyer area,

32:36.736 --> 32:38.877
the Pioneers proceed upstairs

32:38.877 --> 32:41.650
to clear and secure the second floor

32:41.750 --> 32:44.161
and prepare to clear the
remainder of the first floor

32:44.161 --> 32:45.773
from the rooms above.

32:45.940 --> 32:49.303
Small arms fire broke out
to shatter the silence.

32:49.397 --> 32:52.423
On the second floor, two Sappers teams,

32:52.640 --> 32:55.773
one from each wing, started
to clear the upper floor.

32:56.090 --> 32:58.483
After eliminating the initial resistance,

32:58.540 --> 33:01.235
the Pioneers enter the
nearest rooms in the wings

33:01.235 --> 33:04.013
and place charges on the concrete floor.

33:04.170 --> 33:05.870
After blowing a hole in the floor,

33:05.870 --> 33:08.059
they dropped hand grenades
into the room below

33:08.059 --> 33:11.333
to kill or maim any remaining
defenders in the room.

33:11.363 --> 33:15.730
In a few cases, resistance
was so stout that the Pioneers

33:15.730 --> 33:18.145
had to shoot flame throwers
into the room below

33:18.145 --> 33:19.293
to be effective.

33:19.391 --> 33:22.220
In some rooms, the Soviet soldiers

33:22.220 --> 33:23.800
had knocked holes in the walls

33:23.800 --> 33:25.899
so that they could retreat or advance

33:25.899 --> 33:27.720
through the rooms more easily

33:27.940 --> 33:29.690
without venturing into the hallway.

33:29.900 --> 33:32.920
The holes also allowed them
to quickly exit the room

33:33.010 --> 33:34.840
when grenades or satchel charges

33:34.840 --> 33:36.393
were dropped in from above.

33:36.720 --> 33:38.683
After each upper room was cleared,

33:38.700 --> 33:41.489
and the first floor room
below it was likewise cleared,

33:41.489 --> 33:44.108
the Sapper teams advance to the next room,

33:44.108 --> 33:47.212
making their way towards
the western stairwells.

33:47.212 --> 33:50.730
Soviet defenders knew
that their only chance now

33:50.730 --> 33:52.433
was to move to the cellar.

33:52.610 --> 33:55.973
About 20 of them, many
of whom were wounded,

33:56.090 --> 33:58.253
succeeded in escaping into
the dark, smoky basement

33:58.253 --> 34:01.140
to continue the resistance there.

34:01.140 --> 34:03.560
Much as it had in the floors above

34:03.560 --> 34:05.163
the fighting continued there,

34:05.210 --> 34:07.390
with Germans continuing to
blast holes in the floor,

34:07.390 --> 34:09.640
tossing down hand grenades,

34:09.640 --> 34:12.500
satchell charges, and
attmpting to burn the tough,

34:12.500 --> 34:14.479
soviet defenders out with flame throwers.

34:14.479 --> 34:17.358
Germans even wrapped
grenades against fuel cans,

34:17.358 --> 34:19.225
pulled the pins, and
lowered the containers

34:19.225 --> 34:22.123
into the holes with rope.

34:22.340 --> 34:25.080
The detonations sent burning
fuel in all directions

34:25.080 --> 34:26.833
and burned up much of the oxygen,

34:27.060 --> 34:29.579
however, the defenders
held on for a while longer.

34:29.579 --> 34:31.520
To try to protect the wounded,

34:31.520 --> 34:33.240
the Soviets placed the man in the tunnel

34:33.240 --> 34:34.840
at the west end of the building.

34:35.052 --> 34:37.477
The fighting was bitter
and lasted several hours.

34:37.477 --> 34:40.990
Finally, sometime after 16:00,

34:40.990 --> 34:42.953
a messenger from the Commissar's house

34:42.953 --> 34:46.520
arrived at house 53 and
reported to Rettinmayer

34:46.520 --> 34:47.973
that the building was taken.

34:48.330 --> 34:52.250
And about the same time,
the the 577th Grenadiers

34:52.430 --> 34:56.523
finally secured house 66
and 73 to the west as well.

34:57.110 --> 34:59.126
To the east, closer to the Volga,

34:59.126 --> 35:01.484
the attacks of the 162nd Pioneers

35:01.484 --> 35:04.708
and the 578th Grenadiers,

35:04.708 --> 35:06.853
initially made good progress.

35:06.960 --> 35:10.380
In fact, the 162nd
Pioneers actually advanced

35:10.380 --> 35:12.663
almost to Lyudnikov's headquarters bunker,

35:12.720 --> 35:14.000
but the division commander,

35:14.000 --> 35:15.828
about 30 men from the division staff

35:15.828 --> 35:17.480
and an engineer detachment

35:17.480 --> 35:19.387
successfully fought off a German assault.

35:19.387 --> 35:23.540
The 162nd Poioneers and
the 578th Grenadiers

35:23.540 --> 35:25.340
were both eventually driven back

35:25.340 --> 35:27.384
by Lyudnikov's counter attacks

35:27.384 --> 35:30.128
and the total yardage
gain in those sectors

35:30.128 --> 35:33.423
only amounted about 70 meters for the day.

35:33.423 --> 35:36.620
Lyudnikov's actions illustrate
the U.S. Army doctrine

35:36.740 --> 35:38.920
that advocates the use of counterattacks

35:38.920 --> 35:40.170
to retain the initiative,

35:40.420 --> 35:42.530
even when conducting a defense.

35:42.530 --> 35:45.785
Of the remaining 90 soldiers
of the 650th Rifle Regiment

35:45.785 --> 35:49.020
defending in and near
the Commissar's house

35:49.050 --> 35:52.413
on 13 November, 55 were killed or wounded.

35:52.413 --> 35:53.960
Only nine Russian defenders

35:53.960 --> 35:55.330
made it out of the building itself,

35:55.330 --> 35:57.000
one of whom was Klyuken.

35:57.000 --> 35:59.720
The wounded men in the
tunnel apparently perished

35:59.720 --> 36:02.020
when it collapsed on
them during the fighting.

36:02.150 --> 36:04.083
By midnight on 13 November,

36:04.220 --> 36:05.780
Lyudnikov was down to only

36:05.780 --> 36:08.310
750 soldiers able to fight

36:08.310 --> 36:11.184
in the entire 138th Rifle Division.

36:11.184 --> 36:13.223
His island was getting smaller.

36:13.790 --> 36:16.890
The German casualties for
13 November were not clear.

36:16.890 --> 36:18.854
There were a total of 80
men killed and wounded

36:18.854 --> 36:22.241
in the entire 305th
Infantry Division that day,

36:22.241 --> 36:25.683
not including any of the
attached Pioneer Battalions.

36:25.850 --> 36:28.740
Some of the 305th
casualties were undoubtedly

36:28.740 --> 36:31.790
from the elements of the 578th Grenadiers

36:31.790 --> 36:33.703
fighting at the Commissar's house.

36:33.990 --> 36:36.470
Gast's 50th Pioneer Battalion alone

36:36.590 --> 36:40.193
suffered another 50 men killed
and wounded in the assault,

36:40.360 --> 36:41.970
most of whom were struck down

36:41.970 --> 36:45.703
on their way to, or in,
the Commissar's house.

36:45.970 --> 36:49.020
The commander must plan for
casualties in urban terrain

36:49.020 --> 36:51.923
which potentially inflict
the highest casusalty rates.

36:52.070 --> 36:54.956
All offensive actions that do
not achieve complete victory,

36:54.956 --> 36:56.870
reached a culminating point

36:56.870 --> 36:58.890
when the balance of strength shifts

36:58.890 --> 37:01.383
from the attacking force to it's opponent.

37:01.740 --> 37:03.460
When the offensive action halts

37:03.620 --> 37:05.792
the attacking unit can
regain it's momentum,

37:05.792 --> 37:08.947
but normally this only happens
after difficult fighting

37:08.947 --> 37:11.313
or after an operational pause.

37:11.369 --> 37:13.530
The fighting in the lower settlement area

37:13.530 --> 37:15.407
tapered off after 13 November,

37:15.407 --> 37:17.970
although the 305th Infantry Division

37:17.970 --> 37:20.920
slightly reduced the area
of Lyudnikov's island.

37:20.920 --> 37:23.880
The men of the 138th Rifle Division

37:23.990 --> 37:26.000
successfully held on to their tow hold

37:26.000 --> 37:27.400
until the end of the battle.

37:29.382 --> 37:32.090
(threatening music)

37:32.090 --> 37:34.160
Operation Hubertus itself concluded

37:34.160 --> 37:37.298
on 18 November, 1942, but
it was obvious before then

37:37.298 --> 37:39.233
that the effort had failed.

37:39.450 --> 37:42.721
The 62nd Army still held
parts of the Red October

37:42.721 --> 37:44.835
and Barrikody factory complexes.

37:44.835 --> 37:48.690
Throughout the battle,
Chuyikov's tough Soviet soldiers

37:48.790 --> 37:50.280
had held out against everything

37:50.280 --> 37:52.170
the Sixth Army could send against them,

37:52.170 --> 37:53.113
but just barely.

37:53.364 --> 37:55.070
When viewed through the lens

37:55.070 --> 37:56.880
of the current operating environment,

37:56.880 --> 37:58.140
the battle of Stalingrad

37:58.170 --> 38:00.119
provides current military professionals

38:00.119 --> 38:01.780
a superb case study

38:01.780 --> 38:04.893
for analyzing military
operations in urban terrain.

38:04.980 --> 38:06.580
Although technology and tactics

38:06.580 --> 38:08.630
have changed the contemporary battlefield,

38:08.630 --> 38:09.737
one can still learn a great deal

38:09.737 --> 38:11.840
by examining the operations

38:11.840 --> 38:14.213
of two opponents who contended the city.

38:14.470 --> 38:16.700
Use a current U.S. Army doctrine

38:16.700 --> 38:18.732
to compare and contrast those operations.

38:18.732 --> 38:21.464
One can develop extremely useful insights

38:21.464 --> 38:23.970
and a greater understanding of the brutal

38:23.970 --> 38:27.023
and resource-intensive
nature of city fighting.

38:29.786 --> 38:32.786
(threatening music)