German officer taking cover - Oct 1942
Aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad
Soviet soldier waving Red Banner in February 1943
August 23rd 1942: Battle of Stalingrad begins
On this day in 1942, during the Second World War, the battle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for control of Stalingrad began as the German 6th Army reached the city. The battle occurred during the Nazi invasion of Russia - codenamed Operation Barbarossa - and Adolf Hitler ordered an attack on the major city of Stalingrad. Stalingrad became a major playing field of the war, as Soviet leader Stalin was determined to save the city which bore his name. Under the leadership of General Paulus, German bombing destroyed much of the city and troops captured areas through hand-to-hand urban warfare. Despite initial victories, they struggled against the determination of the Soviet soldiers, and often saw areas they captured retaken by the Russians the following day. In November, Marshal Zhukov assembled six Russian armies to surround Stalingrad and trap the Germans in the city, barring provisions and troops from reaching them. Many German soldiers died of starvation and frostbite following the onset of the harsh Russian winter, with temperatures down to -30°C, but Hitler insisted they fight until the last man. After five months, the Russian Red Army claimed victory when the remaining German troops surrendered in February 1943, resulting in 91,000 Germans being taken prisoner, including twenty-two generals; this was all that remained of the 330,000 strong German force who arrived at Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad is among the bloodiest battles of the Second World War, causing nearly two million casualties. The disaster depleted the German army’s supply of men and equipment, allowing the Allies to gain the advantage, which enabled them to invade Germany and win the war.
“The God of war has gone over to the other side”
- Adolf Hitler upon hearing of the German surrender at Stalingrad
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