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The Beginning of the Stalingrad battle
The Russians hailed it a “contemporary Cannae,” and the Germans condemned it as a Rattenkrieg (Rat War). In the Battle of Stalingrad, Soviet forces surrounded and crushed an entire German army under General Friedrich Paulus. This battle is one of the most important battles on the eastern front and considered a major turning point in world war 2.
(http://www.history.com) -
Attack !
Hitler orders the attack, General Paulus carries out his command and the German 6th Army goes on the offensive, attacking Stalingrad. -
6th Army advances
The 1st German Panzer Division form a bridgehead across the Terek river at Mozdok in the Caucasus -
The Urban street fight!
The German sixth army under Paulus had reached the outskirts of Stalingrad, expecting to take the city in short order, but the Russians had built up their defences and continued to bring in their reinforcements. In the days to come, the germans fought their way into Stalingrad against fierce resistance. This was urban street fighting and of the most bitter sort. Both sides lost a great amount of men, but in late September it was the germans who raised the flag in the centre of town. -
Turning night into day
On 19 November 1942, Zhukov started his offense, thousands of Russian rockets and cannons lit up the sky , and rained down on the German and Romanian army, more Soviet action in the south of the city opened up a path and the Soviet ground forces moved through. within a few days the Germans were cut off, and totally surrounded -
Zhukov Launches his counter attack
The German army were running short of men, supplies and ammunition, Zhukov launched his attack by encircling the enemy. The German army should have fought their way out, but Hitler ordered them to stand their ground, this was a fatal mistake. -
Trapped in Stalingrad
The Luftwaffe commanded by Marshal Hermann Goring promised to resupply the Sixth Army from the air but proved unable to do so.
As winter set in, Field Marshal Erich von Manstein mounted a rescue mission, but it was halted short of its goal, and the freezing and starving Germans in Stalingrad were forbidden to try to reach their would-be rescuers.They were Trapped in Stalingrad -
Surrender
In Early February, the middle of a harsh winter, with his troops freezing and starving General Paulus surrendered. By this time his army was less than 100 000 men. Germany had suffered over 150,000 casualties in the battle.
Only 5000 of these men were seen after the war, the rest dying in harsh labour camps under cruel Russian Justice -
Hitler Humiliated
Hitler had stressed the significance of capturing Stalingrad and was severely humiliated by this defeat, he blamed his Generals and lost some trust in them, on the other hand Stalin gained in confidence , and drove his army westwards where they remained on the offensive for the rest of the war. -
Facts
The battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in WW2, and the tide turned in the favour of the Allies. It was a Bitter ordeal and one of the bloodiest battles in world history. 91 000 German soldiers were taken captive by the Russians.
