Battle Of Stalingrad 10 Facts

[Cori Riska]

Immortalised by numerous films, including the star-studded thriller Enemy at the Gates, the Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most decisive clashes of the Eastern Front in World War Two and ended in a catastrophic defeat for the Nazis. Here are 10 facts about it.

The 6th Army managed to hold out until February of the following year, at which point it surrendered. The German death toll stood at half a million by the end of the battle, with another 91,000 troops taken prisoner.

World War II facts and figures can be impersonal, but they can still shed a light on the lives of those who came before us. As you learn more about the battles and major turning point of WW2, you can better understand the people who experienced it.

September 1, 1939 is the date most scholars give as the beginning of World War II in Europe. Led by its fhrer(supreme leader), Adolf Hitler, Germany had, for several years, been amassing a military powerful enough to conquer Europe and possibly even the world. Hitler chose Poland as a target for his ambitions and began the German invasion of Poland on September 1.

Both France and England had promised to help Poland should it ever be attacked, and so on September 3, 1939, the two countries declared war on Germany. In the months that followed, Germany troops either occupied or invaded Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and eventually France.

Despite heavy losses, the British Royal Air Force defied the German Luftwaffe for three straight months and ultimately took the air battle to the skies above Germany. As summer turned to fall, Hitler had no choice but to call off the attack.

The Battle of Stalingrad is often considered the turning point of WW2. In 1942, Hitler sent an army south in an attempt to capture the Soviet Russian city that had been renamed after the Soviet leader Josef Stalin. Thus, on July 7, started the largest, deadliest, most destructive battle ever fought in the history of warfare. The number of dead, missing, or wounded was catastrophic on both sides. The German army, however, would never recover.

The plan to liberate Western Europe from Nazi control had been in the making for a long time. The German army had been expecting it and had built an intricate system of defenses. Historians estimate that more than 4,000 Allied soldiers were killed on June 6, 1944, alone, the first day of battle. Still, the attack on the German-controlled beaches of northern France was overwhelmingly successful. For the first time in the war, German soldiers in Western Europe were on the retreat. The end of the war was in sight.

The Nazi counterattack began on December 16, 1944, along an80-mile front in the Forest of Ardennes. Snow was deep, and the American troops lacked experience. Given the chance to surrender, however, they refused. The fight lasted for several weeks, and the German army was forced to continue its retreat.

In August, the United States military dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, one over of the city of Hiroshima, the other over Nagasaki. They hoped the powerful new weapon would convince Japanese leaders to surrender quickly. It did. Emperor Hirohito made the announcement only a few days later over Japanese radio, and on September 2, 1945, the war that had engaged nearly every country on earth was officially over. For those still in uniform, it was time to go home and begin the process of rebuilding.

At FamilySearch we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.

A week ago, a West Point classmate and I were discussing urban warfare. As most discussions on the topic usually do, ours gravitated to the World War II Battle of Stalingrad, the most dominant feature on the landscape of urban warfare history. A few days later, the New York Times published an article about the ongoing fight between Ukrainian defenders in the city of Bakhmut and the Russian forces that have been trying to dislodge them for months. The article contained a graphic that immediately brought me back to maps of Stalingrad circa November to December of 1942 we had studied back at school. The similarities between the two positions raise an important question: Is it time for the Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut to heed the lessons of Stalingrad? More specifically, has the time come to cede control of the city to Russian forces and live to fight another day? The facts of the situation facing the Ukrainians suggest that it is.

Some others may be more optimistic and say that the Ukrainians should hold out until the German-supplied Leopard tanks and their Ukrainian crews that recently finished training can be brought to bear in the summer offensive. This is the same situation that the 6th Army leaders faced in 1942 as their own encirclement neared. They were promised reinforcements that would push back the advancing Soviet forces. Only they came too late, and an entire army of experienced veterans was lost along with the battle. It could be weeks or even months until the logistical support and force organization required to integrate this much-heralded batch of Western equipment into Ukrainian formations is complete. Bakhmut may only have days until it is encircled.

Gaelan Hanlon is a 2014 graduate of the United States Military Academy. He holds a master of arts in global security from Arizona State University where he concentrated on irregular warfare approaches to great power competition.

Oh, and I have a littler/faster Stalingrad city game, Postcard Stalingrad, which anyone is free to print off en masse in postcard 46 or 58 size/format, to mail/give to family and friends, at www.CoatneyHistory.com/PostcardStalingrad.htm

First and foremost a game and a topic about a battle in real life are two different things. Ukrainian fighters stand their ground, albeit at a great cost. You spoke about something which I thought was irrelevant.

sides as a major industrial and transport hub on the Volga River. Whoever controlled Stalingrad would have access to the oil fields of the Caucasus and would gain control of the Volga. Germany, already operating on dwindling fuel supplies, focused its efforts on moving deeper into Soviet territory and taking the oil fields at any cost. On 4 August, the Germans launched an offensive by using the 6th Army and elements of the 4th Panzer Army. The attack was supported by intense Luftwaffe bombing that reduced much of the city to rubble. The battle degenerated into house-to-house fighting as both sides poured reinforcements into the city. By mid-November, the Germans, at great cost, had pushed the Soviet defenders back into narrow zones along the west bank of the river.

An interesting post. Here is an alternative view: what if Bakhmut is in fact irrelevant? What if the Ukrainians are in fact not "defending" it, and the supply lines don't matter because the Ukrainians are (mostly) not there? Could it be that the Ukrainians are just sending some light disposable cannon-fodder infantry into the city proper just to keep up appearances, and as the Russians attack the city they are killed by the main Ukrainian forces 10-ish miles to the west? What if the Ukrainians are just using the city as a killing zone to whack attacking Russians using artillery and missile fire from the real troops that are not in Bakhmut?

Is the Russian leadership stupid enough to fall for this? Maybe. Or maybe the Russians are playing along, sending some of their own disposable cannon fodder troops to assault the largely irrelevant city, drawing the fire of the real Ukrainian units to the west, and then targeting them?

Of course, the United States is being invaded by the third world because the rich want cheap labor, so the whole Ukraine thing is in a practical sense irrelevant to me, but interesting to speculate nonetheless.

The articles and other content which appear on the Modern War Institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense.

The Modern War Institute does not screen articles to fit a particular editorial agenda, nor endorse or advocate material that is published. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content.

Ever wondered about the gritty details behind one of history's most pivotal battles? Well, you're in for a treat! The Battle of Stalingrad wasn't just any old skirmish; it was a clash of titans, a turning point in World War II that shifted the tide against the Axis powers. Imagine two colossal forces, locked in a grueling fight, not just for land, but for the very spirit of their nations. This battle wasn't just about strategy and firepower; it was about endurance, bravery, and the sheer will to survive. Ready to dive into some mind-blowing facts about this epic confrontation? Buckle up, because we're about to take a trip back to 1942-1943, where every day was a matter of life and death, and the stakes couldn't have been higher.

The Battle of Stalingrad, fought between July 17, 1942, and February 2, 1943, stands as one of the most pivotal confrontations of World War II. This brutal clash not only marked the turning of the tide against the Axis powers but also showcased the resilience and determination of the Soviet Union. Here, we delve into some remarkable facts about this historic battle.

Stalingrad, a name etched in history, stands as a testament to human resilience, strategic brilliance, and the sheer will to survive against all odds. This battle, more than just a military confrontation, reshaped the course of World War II and left a lasting impact on global geopolitics. Its tales of heroism, sacrifice, and endurance continue to inspire and educate. For anyone delving into the annals of history, the Battle of Stalingrad isn't just a chapter on war; it's a story of human spirit, a reminder of the depths of despair and the heights of victory humans can achieve. As we look back, let's honor those who fought, those who fell, and the lessons learned, ensuring their sacrifices weren't in vain. Stalingrad's legacy, complex and profound, remains a powerful mirror reflecting the best and worst of humanity.

c80f0f1006