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Stalingrad offensive begins. Well-equipped German troops constitute the majority of Axis forces on the Eastern Front, the Italian, Romanian, Hungarian Constingents number in the hundreds of thousands Forces.
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Stalin issues order NO.227, decreeing that the defenders at Stalingrad would take "not one step back." He refuses to evacuate any civilians.
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General Gustar Von W. penetrates the Stalingrad suburbs. Within a month, Soviet forces under General Vasily are backed into a 9 by 3 mile along the volga and combat has devolved into brutal street fighting.
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General Georgy launches operation uranus, a massive counteroffensive. Instead of assaulting the battle- hardened Sixth Army and Fourth Panzer Army in Stalingrad itself, Soviets strike at flanks of the overextended Axis line.
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Under-equipped Romanian troops defending the lines north and south of the city. Delayed the Red Army's advance, and Germans are unable to effectively deploy any kind of mobile reserve to prevent an encirclement.
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The two Soviet pincers meet at kalach, a vital Don River crossing about 60 miles west of Stalingrad.
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The proposed breakout plan for the desperate Sixth Army, is vetoed by Hitler, and Paulus is ordered to defend Stalingrad.
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German position in Stalingrad is all but lost. Hitler promotes Paulus to field marshal, reminding him that no German commander of that rank has surrendered.
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Remaining 91,000 men of Sixth Army and Fourth Panzer Army surrender; five percent survive captivity. Total casualties on both sides for the Stalingrad campaign approached 2 million.
