have to go on the defensive. The Soviet Tatsinskaya Raid managed to destroy the airfield and several dozen aircraft being used by the Luftwaffe to supply forces inside the Stalingrad pocket, forcing Manstein to order the XLVIII Panzer Corps on the defensive, instead of reserving it to bolster his forces directed toward the breakthrough to Stalingrad. To make matters worse for the Germans, on 18 December, Hitler refused to allow the 6th Army to begin a breakout towards the rest of Army Group Don, despite pleas from Manstein. Collapse: 19–23 December On 19 December, Manstein sent his chief intelligence officer—Major Eismann—into Stalingrad to brief Paulus on situation which had befallen Army Group Don. Paulus was not impressed, although he agreed that the best option continued to be a breakout as early as possible. The 6th Army Chief of Staff—Major General Arthur Schmidt—argued that a breakout was unfeasible and instead suggested that Army Group Don take steps to better supply the trapped Axis forces by air. Despite agreeing with Eismann earlier, Paulus then decided that a breakout was out of the question given the 6th Army's incapability and Hitler's orders against it. Although that day the LVII Panzer Corps managed to break through the Aksay River and drive within of the southern edge of the 6th Army's front, the entrapped German forces made no attempt to link up with the relieving forces. Colonel Wilhelm Adam makes the point the 6th Army tanks only had fuel for 30 km, after which they would need fuel and ammunition flown in to go any further. Thereafter, the 6th Army simply did not have the strength to attempt a breakout, with less than 70 serviceable tanks and dwindling supplies, while its infantry were in no condition to attempt an attack in the blizzard which had developed over the past few days. Manstein ordered the 6th Panzer Division to end its offensive and redeploy to the southern Chir River, to bolster the defenses there against the Soviet offensive, on 23 December. By 24 December, the Fourth Panzer Army was in full retreat, returning to its starting position. The failure to break through to the 6th Army and its refusal to attempt a breakout, caused Operation Winter Storm to collapse on 24 December, as Army Group Don returned to the defensive. Aftermath With the German relief effort defeated, Stavka was free to concentrate on the destruction of