thumb|Göring with Finnish Field Marshal Mannerheim in 1942 Hitler decided that the summer 1942 campaign would be concentrated in the south; efforts would be made to capture the oilfields in the Caucasus. The Battle of Stalingrad, a major turning point of the war, began on 23 August 1942 with a bombing campaign by the Luftwaffe. The German Sixth Army entered the city, but because of its location on the front line, it was still possible for the Soviets to encircle and trap it there without reinforcements or supplies. When the Sixth Army was surrounded by the end of November in Operation Uranus, Göring promised that the Luftwaffe would be able to deliver a minimum of 300 tons of supplies to the trapped men every day. On the basis of these assurances, Hitler demanded that there be no retreat; they were to fight to the last man. Though some airlifts were able to get through, supplies delivered never exceeded 120 tons per day. The remnants of the Sixth Army—some 91,000 men out of an army of 285,000—surrendered in early February 1943; only 5,000 of these captives survived the Soviet prisoner of war camps to see Germany again.
thumb|göring with finnish field marshal mannerheim in 1942 hitler decided that the summer 1942 campaign would be concentrated in the south; efforts would be made to capture the oilfields in the caucasus the battle of stalingrad a major turning point of the war began on 23 august 1942 with a bombing campaign by the luftwaffe the german sixth army entered the city but because of its location on the front line it was still possible for the soviets to encircle and trap it there without reinforcements or supplies when the sixth army was surrounded by the end of november in operation uranus göring promised that the luftwaffe would be able to deliver a minimum of 300 tons of supplies to the trapped men every day on the basis of these assurances hitler demanded that there be no retreat; they were to fight to the last man though some airlifts were able to get through supplies delivered never exceeded 120 tons per day the remnants of the sixth army—some 91000 men out of an army of 285000—surrendered in early february 1943; only 5000 of these captives survived the soviet prisoner of war camps to see germany again