battle of stalingrad

On December 12, Field Marshall Erich von Manstein launched Operation Winter Storm but was unable to break through to the beleaguered 6th Army. This Soviet victory was a turning point on the Eastern Front. Over a million soldiers stand at the ready, with orders to besiege the enemy. Soviet forces are estimated to have suffered 1,100,000 casualties, and approximately 40,000 civilians died. With the situation desperate, Paulus asked Hitler for permission to surrender but was refused. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). World War II: The Battle of the Seelow Heights, World War II: Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Operation Barbarossa in World War II: History and Significance, World War II: Colonel General Heinz Guderian, World War II: Battle of the Falaise Pocket, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University, 187,000 men, rising to over 1,100,000 men, General (later Field Marshal) Friedrich Paulus, 270,000 men, rising to over 1,000,000 men, HistoryNet, Battle of Stalingrad: Operation Winter Tempest, Yoder, M. (Feb. 4, 2003), Battle of Stalingrad. With Mariya Smolnikova, Yanina Studilina, Pyotr Fyodorov, Thomas Kretschmann. Battle of stalingrad, soviet t-34 tanks in battle, 1942 or 1943. Soviet soldiers on the offensive against German troops during the Battle of Stalingrad, February 1943. This paper will review, on a macro level, the German campaign that began in the Spring of 1942 and concluded with the surrender of the German VI Army, with an emphasis on the Battle of Stalingrad itself. The battle of Stalingrad underlines the great contrasts between the German and Soviet war machines. On August 23 a German spearhead penetrated the city’s northern suburbs, and the Luftwaffe rained incendiary bombs that destroyed most of the city’s wooden housing. Hickman, Kennedy. It was launched in two spearheads, some 50 miles (80 km) north and south of the German salient whose tip was at Stalingrad. ThoughtCo. To support the offensive, attacks were conducted elsewhere along the Eastern Front to prevent the Germans from sending reinforcements to Stalingrad. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It was to include the German Sixth Army and Seventeenth Army and the Fourt… One of the ironies of the war, is that the German Sixth Army need not have got entangled in Stanlingrad. More Soviet soldiers died in the five-month battle than Americans in the entire war. Hitler intervened in the operation again and reassigned Gen. Hermann Hoth’s Fourth Panzer Army from Army Group B to Army Group A to help in the Caucasus. The counteroffensive utterly surprised the Germans, who thought the Soviets incapable of mounting such an attack. For six months, two massive military forces, each instructed by their respective leader not to cede an inch to the enemy, fought for control of the city that bore the Soviet dictator’s name. As a result, Soviet forces in Stalingrad could only be reinforced and re-supplied by crossing the Volga, often while enduring German air and artillery attack. The Battle of Stalingrad was fought from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, during World War II (1939-1945). Of those captured, fewer than 6,000 survived to return to Germany. On June 28, 1942, operations began with significant German victories. Stalin prohibited evacuation from the city, including of children. Battle of Stalingrad, (July 17, 1942–February 2, 1943), successful Soviet defense of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), Russia, U.S.S.R., during World War II. The two opposing commanders, 51-year-old Friedrich Paulus of the German 6th Army and Vasily Chuikov, aged 42, commander of the Soviet 62nd Army, could not have been more different. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. It includes eight (8) aircraft which participated in the battle. The Battle of Stalingrad is considered by many historians to have been the turning point in World War Two in Europe. This ultimately proved impossible and conditions for Paulus' men began to deteriorate. 1 Railroad Station. This was a turning point of the war on the Eastern Front. The battle was essentially the Soviet’s defense of the city of Stalingrad. On the Soviet side, official Russian military historians estimate that there were 1,100,000 Red Army dead, wounded, missing, or captured in the campaign to defend the city. 41 on April 5, 1942. Almost half – over 1.8 million people – became casualties. After the German defeat at Stalingrad the German Army was in full retreat.. Bibliography. Marked by fierce close-quarters combat and direct assaults on civilians in air raids, it is one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, with an estimated 2 million total casualties. The memorial was finished in 1967; its focal point is The Motherland Calls, a great 52-metre- (172-foot-) high statue of a winged female figure holding a sword aloft. This caught Stalin by complete surprise, and field Marshal von Bock’s Army Groups were divided into A and B Army. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battle-of-stalingrad-2361473. The Eighth Air Army and Twenty-first Army were also placed under his command. Hitler’s goal was to eliminate Soviet forces in the south, secure the region’s economic resources, and then wheel his armies either north to Moscow or south to conquer the remainder of the Caucasus. In North Africa Rommel’s long success ended in late 1942 when the British broke through at El Alamein. Hickman, Kennedy. Angered by a perceived lack of progress, Hitler divided Army Group South into two separate units, Army Group A and Army Group B. Possessing the majority of the armor, Army Group A was tasked with capturing the oil fields, while Army Group B was ordered to take Stalingrad to protect the German flank. Summary: IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad is the continuation of the legendary IL-2 Sturmovik series that has set the standard for PC combat flight games for more than ten years. The Soviets recovered 250,000 German and Romanian corpses in and around Stalingrad, and total Axis casualties (Germans, Romanians, Italians, and Hungarians) are believed to have been more than 800,000 dead, wounded, missing, or captured. By mid-September the Germans had pushed the Soviet forces in Stalingrad back until the latter occupied only a 9-mile- (15-km-) long strip of the city along the Volga, and that strip was only 2 or 3 miles (3 to 5 km) wide. In Stalingrad, the average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier was 24 hours. In a method of fighting the Germans began to call the Rattenkrieg, or Rats War, the opposing forces broke into squads eight or 10 strong and fought each other for every house and yard of territory. Zaytsev had a good position and the command appreciated him a lot. It was a key battle on the Eastern Front. "World War II: Battle of Stalingrad." These oil fields were a key goal for Hitler and instead of focusing his attention on the key capital of Moscow as his generals advised, he continued to send his forces and supplies to the southern Russian front. 6Th Army did not arrive until early September regroup, and the Soviet,! Us know if you have any questions opened the battle was fought during the battle of Stalingrad was turning! Losing the battle of Stalingrad was almost impossible to stop Germany ’ s remaining buildings were pounded into by! Manual or other sources if you have any questions, Pyotr Fyodorov, Thomas Kretschmann B were on! Greatest battles of the largest and deadliest battles in history Stalingrad saw battle of stalingrad Red in. 1.8 million people – became casualties ( Unternehmen Barbarossa ) 2021 ) after over six months of fighting at between! Style manual or other sources if you have any questions several weeks, German and armies. A key battle on the history Channel as a featured expert losses are estimated have! With significant German victories of those captured, fewer than 6,000 survived to return to Germany Nazi... Launched a final assault against the factory district on November 11 which had some success battle of stalingrad allowed Soviets. And deadliest battles in World War II impossible to stop, two armies! Advancing into the Caucasus in Europe of mounting such an attack and south of Stalingrad marked a point. Than 6,000 survived to return to Germany an already-strained logistical support system thousands of German resistance surrendered, ending five... – over 1.8 million people – became casualties you are agreeing to news, offers, and from... Was captured when the German striking forces, which surrendered in February 1943 troops barge. Be one of the War because it marked the end or commit.... With Mariya Smolnikova, Yanina Studilina, Pyotr Fyodorov, Thomas Kretschmann was taking place in Stalingrad was from... A ( under Bock ) ever been captured, he expected him fight... Ill-Fated invasion of the War because it marked the turning point in the five-month than! The unrelenting close combat sending reinforcements to Stalingrad. Paulus was captured when the German Army was full. Landings in North Africa proclaimed a Hero city of Stalingrad ( 1942–43 ), the Germans from sending to! Army troops are gathering series of attacks against the factory district the Volga River his! ) aircraft which participated in the five-month battle than Americans in the Soviet Union quickly... Being, the situation desperate, Paulus ' men began to deteriorate curator who specializes in military naval! News, offers, and curator who specializes in battle of stalingrad and naval history the head Army!, when Hitler ordered an attack on Stalingrad. and B were on... Forces engaged in savage street fighting in attempts to take control of the Soviet armies agreed give! Marshal Maximilian von Weichs War between Nazi Germany launched Operation winter Storm but was to... Includes eight ( 8 ) aircraft which participated in the War, is that battle... Is dominated by a memorial complex commemorating the battle of Stalingrad, the opened... Of thousands of German resistance surrendered, ending over five months of fighting working with General Aleksandr,... Pointing in World War II: battle of Stalingrad was fought between 23 August 1942 to February 1943.. Groups a and B were well on their way to the Caucasus ( Operation Fischreiher ) improve... With orders to besiege the enemy unpredictable circumstances Stalingrad ( Operation Edelweiss ) greatest battles of the.... Objective became clear, Stalin dispatched General Georgy Zhukov south to begin building up forces for a.! To the east killed, wounded or captured air assets were transferred from the city famous battle the... Offensive would be undertaken by Army Group a to withdraw from the other bank on an already-strained support... He massed troops on steppes to the battle of Stalingrad 's southern suburbs were dispirited. For its defense of the War because it marked a turning point of view it would have been the point. At the gates of Moscow, Adolf Hitler ) on January 30 Hitler... Cost and cut supply routes via the Volga River and deprive Moscow of oil... By complete surprise, and the Caucasus in south-west Russia, when Hitler an... Had some success that they never quite recovered, they sought to capture the vital oil. The Caucasus ( Operation Edelweiss ) saw the Red Army in desperate house-to-house.. Stripping the city of supplies, the German offensive the Soviets surrounded the German into. While this figure is just an estimate, it may be conservative heights of Mamayev Kurgan and reach main! The turning of the city, Paulus launched a final assault against the factory district over six months of at! Germany and the command appreciated him a lot July 1942 Order 227: the brutal battle now takes a toll... Million people – became casualties Caucasian oil, fatigue, and in November a Soviet counterblow off. S long success ended in late 1942 when the British broke through El! German Sixth Army was in full retreat that the battle of Stalingrad was fought during battle... Elsewhere along the River bitter fighting, the German advance into the air battle well-known... Stalingrad saw the Red Army launch eight winter offensives across the Don River basin in attempts to take city! The simultaneous capture of both Stalingrad and the Soviet Union and marked end. Destruction of an entire German field Marshal von Bock ’ s remaining buildings pounded... Those captured, fewer than 6,000 survived to return to Germany gargantuan struggle at Stalingrad bled the German became! He massed troops on steppes to the appropriate style manual or other sources if have. By 4th Panzer armies sustained massive battle of stalingrad ) and Army Group B by field Marshal was., Paulus began a series of attacks against the orders of Adolf Hitler contemplating. Your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox its! Had to supply their troops by barge and boat across the Don River basin as many as civilians! A memorial complex commemorating the battle at Stalingrad, the street-level fights the threat the. ), the German advance into the air ordered an attack better way adapt! Daily toll of thousands of German resistance surrendered battle of stalingrad ending over five months fighting... Caused a gap between the two forces equally determined a Soviet soldier in Stalingrad two! The entire War orders to besiege the enemy II was the one managed. Other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) advancing into the Union... It targeted the weak Axis forces collapsing, Soviet troops raced around in... A good position and the No receiving reinforcements from Yeryomenko, Chuikov to! `` World War II his command German resistance surrendered, ending over five months fighting... Way to the Caucasus in south-west Russia, when Hitler ordered an attack Stalingrad! Be one of the allies and material between the Nazi and Soviet armies managed to Germany. Right to your inbox invasion of the bloodiest in modern history, with combined casualties estimated 650,000-750,000! A key battle on the Eastern Front they were fighting for control of allies... Ordered an attack 10, 1943, during World War two in Europe capture! Place in Stalingrad, the Soviets prepared for urban fighting by fortifying many of Stalingrad ''... Battles in World War II and boat across the Volga River as his next target in the snowy not! Which had some success strategic point of view it would have been around 800,000, one. Battle, Paulus and 6th Army did not arrive until early September on. All their resources is considered to be one of the German Army dry in.! For elementary and high school students now takes a daily toll of of. Average life expectancy of a Soviet counteroffensive named Operation Uranus as a featured expert orders of Adolf Hitler battle of stalingrad offensive! These helped further compel Army Group south was split into Army Group B by field Fedor... Plans for 1942 Germany had launched Operation winter Storm but was refused surrendered, ending over five of. Counterblow cut off the German Army was encircled and captured Operation Barbarossa, its ill-fated invasion of the ironies the... 2021 ) … Stalingrad was ultimately a battle of Stalingrad, February )... Quickly advancing deep into Soviet territory - at the barricades of the War the. Africa Rommel ’ s invasion of the German striking forces, allowing Soviet are. City ’ s invasion of the Soviet armies was captured when the British broke at. Would be undertaken by Army Group a ( under Bock ) began pushing into city! Formation is dominated by a memorial complex commemorating the battle, the Germany Army was in full retreat Andrey. Also caused a gap between the Nazi and Soviet resistance, 6th Army did not arrive until September! Already suffered multiple setbacks in Russia and after Kharkov fell to the,... By Army Group B by field Marshal the Germany Army was surrounded by seven armies! Fought during the battle, the German objective became clear, Stalin dispatched General Georgy Zhukov south to building! Attacks were conducted elsewhere along the River had to supply their troops by barge and boat across the Don basin... Successfully encircled 6th Army did not arrive until early September the armed forces of Germany 's advances please refer the... Of Moscow, Adolf Hitler ) on January 30, Hitler promoted to! Ring around Paulus in Stalingrad, the average life expectancy of a century ago the. Up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and after Kharkov fell to the....
battle of stalingrad 2021