"No chance" and "no chance" - we still hear it! Unfortunately - they do not hear in Berlin ....

The Russian counter-offensive began on December 1st when 2 Panzer Army was attacked from all areas by what Guderian described as "hordes of Siberians". These troops from the 10th Army were indeed fresh reserves rushed from Siberia and released from the far east by the imminent entry of the USA into the war, Stalin's spy in Tokyo had informed him of a planned attack by Japan any day soon.The intention of the Soviet armies was to break through on the flanks of Army Group Center, surround as much of it as possible and cut it off. This catastrophic event completely changed the course of the war in 1941. It put the Wehrmacht into a state of panic. Here when they thought the enemy was beaten down, an entirely new fresh force, larger than theirs, was swooping in upon them. They seemed like ghosts in the blinding winter whiteness and came from everywhere. They were seemingly oblivious to the cold, disregarding death and with a vengeance as frigid as the air they were breathing.By the 2nd of December Guderian was forced to go over to the defensive and on the 6th, pressed by the Russian 10th and 50th Armies and the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps he began to withdraw towards the Shat and Don Rivers.
