Hitler already knew the 6th army was finished even before the Russian trap was complete. General Halder warned Hitler that he didn't have the resources to take Stalingrad and the Caucuses. He told Hitler that his exposed flanks, mainly manned by “Satellite Armies” were in danger of a Soviet offensive that would be a disaster. Hitler reacted as one would expect of him, he fired Halder and appointed a dedicated Nazi to Chief of Staff. A withdrawal from Stalingrad would have resulted in a rout. The 6Th Army occupied many Soviet Armies which could have been used in the Ukraine.
Respectfully disagree. My studies of the Battle of Stalingrad have lead me to conclude that given his ammunition, food, fuel, and other supplies, Paulus had one week, perhaps two at most, to break out of the trap after his army was encircled in the Stalingrad pocket. I’m in good company here. Practically every single German general advising Hitler on what do urged him to order Paulus to break out, including I might add, the legendary Field Marshall Erich von Manstein, arguably the most brilliant military mind of the entire war. Only Reichmarshall Goering agreed with keeping the 6th Army stationed in the frozen ruins of Stalingrad, persuading Hitler that a massive airlift could keep the trapped army supplied. This, despite the fact, that the brutal Russian winter was setting in making flying conditions next to impossible. So whose advice would you have followed, Goering’s or Manstein’s? Manstein even encouraged Paulus to break out anyways and defy Hitler’s orders. But Paulus was too timid. Paulus was promoted to field marshall on the just about the last day of the battle. Hitler’s way of ordering him to commit suicide. But for once Paulus decided to defy Hitler and gave himself up.