November 22nd, 23rd and 24th the German High Command decided to supply the

encircled Sixth Army near Stalingrad by air. Luftwaffe Commanders, Sixth Army

Commanders and even members of the High Command (like Kurt Zeitzler) were

completely against the idea of an airlift. Richthofen said : 'There is no hope of

supplying an army of 250.000 men in this filthy weather.'  All of them suggested

that a break-out was the best solution.  Hitler would not hear of it.It would mean

that he had to leave Stalingrad and the Volga. Göring said to Hitler that his

'Luftwaffe' could manage an air-lift and Hitler decided to supply 6th Army by air.