Monday, November 23, 1942. Operation Uranus concludes.

The Red Army completed encircling the German 6th Army, which was trapped in Stalingrad.

In a matter of mere days, the Red Army had blasted through Romanian lines north and south of the city and completely routed it. German efforts at counter-attacks failed.  250,000 German troops were besieged in the city.  It was a brilliantly planned and executed Red Army offensive, featuring massive use of artillery and rapid advancement of armor and horse cavalry.

Romanian stamp showing a Romanian and German servicemen serving in the "Holy War against Bolshevism."  The designer of the stamp probably didn't realize that the symbol that he put on the German's helmet would make him part of the Luftwaffe.

The offensive also showed that the Germans had committed a fatal error in trusting the front near Stalingrad to their allies. To the north of the city the front was defended by Romanian, Hungarian and Italian armies. To the south, Romanian. The Romanian Army had already shown itself to be worn out earlier in 1942.

The Governor General of French West Africa accepted the authority of Admiral Darlan.

Japanese general Tomitarō Horii, age 52, was swept out to sea after trying to canoe to his troops in the Battle of Buno-Gona.  This resulted in his death due to drowning.