Did Hitler send Palus to lead 6th Army because of his talents or his obedience?

Question

What were some of the counterparts of 6th Army which were fighting at eastern fronts?

Answer 1

Regarding your first Question (Paulus chosen to lead 6th Army because of talents or obedience?) ...

Undoubtedly because of his talents. The suggestion to appoint Paulus i.c. 6th Army came from Field Marshal von Reichenau. Hitler simply said OK.
It is true that, while serving in junior capacities in the Versailles-limited German army of the 1920's, Paulus had twice been criticized by superiors. First as being "slow, but very methodical"; second with a complaint that he "lacked decisiveness" < Wow! Does that summarize his handling of 6th Army in the Cauldron? >.
But, during the 1930's, Paulus came to be regarded as something of a star performer. He succeeded Guderian as chief of staff (often the most influential position in the way that the German army worked) to the commander of mechanized forces, and was considered an expert on mobile warfare. A series of other high-level staff jobs followed. I mentioned one of these in an answer to another of your Q's ... Paulus' accurately perceptive study for Barbarossa.
My reading of Paulus is that he was a first-rate staff officer (meaning a good "planner"). But that he was not well suited to hold actual command of large units in battle, because he lacked the toughness and intuitive ability to act decisively on the basis of limited information. And he certainly lacked any independence of spirit: as late as 24 January, when all hope of relief had gone, he still asked Hitler's permission for organized groups to fight their way back, and failed to act when his request was unanswered.

See link [1] for a neat, brief biography of Paulus.
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Regarding your second Question (counterparts of 6th Army on the Eastern Front?) ... I am not sure what you are asking. Maybe a late 1942 OOB for the Axis armies on the East Front? Please clarify.

Answer 2

While he was undoubtably a talented officer, his rise to promience and appointment to command the 6th army was largely political. Many of the key positions in the German command structure were filled by loyal party members, not necessarily because they were the best suited to the job.

Answer 3

Obedience was a talent as much as the rest. It is considered a fundamental key to any military chain of command.

Answer 4

More likely to be a punishment