The Battle of Stalingrad
On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany started Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's code name for an invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler had his sights set on Stalingrad by the middle of 1942 for two reasons. For starters, Stalingrad was an industrial city on the Volga River that not only generated military supplies but also functioned as a critical strategic hold in the Russian assault. Second, seizing it would safeguard the German army's left flank as it marched into the oil-rich Caucasus area, with the purpose of cutting off fuel to Stalin's soldiers.
The Nazis initially attacked the city by air, blasting the Volga River and then Stalingrad, destroying much of the city. Stalin commanded that workers fight and that women dig trenches on the front lines. On July 28, 1942, he issued Order No. 227, which prohibited soldiers from leaving the city. "Not one step back!" he said. Those who surrendered faced a military tribunal and potential death.
German ground soldiers finally marched into Stalingrad and took control of much of the city. But a tenacious Soviet force stood firm, and the conflict continued. When the severe Soviet winter arrived, German forces were in jeopardy. The Soviets were cutting off supply lines and assaulting them from their houses, buildings, and even the sewers. Even though his forces starved, Hitler refused to surrender. By early 1943, Soviet troops had seized 100,000 German soldiers.
And it was a critical fight that shifted the tide of the war in the Allies' favor. Despite the fact that the Soviets retook Stalingrad, it was Hilter's first public setback. During the conflict, about 1,000,000 Soviet troops and 40,000 civilians were killed. The number of Axis casualties is believed to be over 800,000.
- Year: 1942–1943
- Location: Stalingrad, Russia
- Deaths: 1.2 million people
