On July 17, 1942, German Army attacked Stalingrad to capture the city quickly which is generally known as Battle of Stalingrad. Fourth Panzer Army moved south to support the First Army, but the delay gave Soviet Red Army time to prepare defenses. By late August, General Friedrich Paulus led Sixth Army across Don River to launch a major assault.
Soviet soldiers defended every street and factory. They fought with fierce determination and stopped the Germans from advancing easily. Germans pushed closer, but narrow front slowed their progress. Meanwhile, the Soviets shifted reserves to block attacks and kept pressure on German troops.
Soviet Resistance and German Struggles
By October 1942, Germans forced Soviets back to the Volga River. Defenders still refused to give up the city. German troops suffered heavy losses and struggled in cold winter. Their supply lines stretched too far, and their flanks remained weak.
On November 19, 1942, Generals Georgy Zhukov, Alexander Vasilevsky, and Nikolai Voronov launched Operation Uranus. Soviets attacked Romanian, Hungarian, and Italian units guarding the German flanks. By November 23, Soviet forces surrounded nearly 250,000 German soldiers inside Stalingrad.
Encirclement and Failed German Relief
Soviets tightened their grip on city in December. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein tried to send reinforcements, but Soviet troops blocked his relief effort. Supplies inside the city ran out, and German soldiers lost morale.
By January 1943, Germans ordered retreats in other areas, but Paulus’s Sixth Army remained trapped. On January 31, 1943, Paulus surrendered to Red Army, and Soviets claimed victory.
Turning Point in East
Battle of Stalingrad lasted six months and destroyed the city. Historians estimate that about two million people died in battle. Surrender of Sixth Army broke Germany’s strength on Eastern Front.
Soviet victory lifted Allied morale. It proved that Nazis could be stopped and pushed back. The win also allowed Soviet Union to start new offensives that drove the Germans westward.
Legacy of the Battle
Battle of Stalingrad became a symbol of courage and sacrifice. Ruins of factories, streets, and homes showed how much the city suffered. Soviet victory marked the beginning of Germany’s decline in World War II.
Turning point at Stalingrad gave Soviets momentum. They reclaimed lost territory and finally marched into Berlin in 1945.