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Battle of Stalingrad Part of the Eastern Front of World War II Dates: July 17, 1942 – February 2, 1943 Location: Stalingrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union Countries: Germany (Romania, Italy, Hungary, Croatia) vs. Soviet Union Result: Decisive Soviet victory

Commanders Germany - Adolf Hitler – Romania – Italy – Hungary – Croatia –Soviet Union - Joseph Stalin

Major Aspects The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in southwestern Russia. Often cited as one of the turning points of the war. The battle was the bloodiest in the history of warfare, with combined casualties estimated at nearly two million. The battle involved more participants than any other, and was marked by brutality and disregard for military and civilian casualties by both sides. The German offensive to take Stalingrad, the battle inside the city and the Soviet counter-offensive—which eventually trapped and destroyed the German Sixth Army and other Axis forces around the city—was the first substantial German land defeat of World War II.

Cause of War It was the stubborn battle to occupy the city itself to the last ruined meter, and later Hitler's refusal to retreat from Stalingrad, that cost him his entire southern campaign, and horrible losses to both sides. Once his forces entered the city named after Stalin, the Soviet dictator and Hitler's arch enemy, Hitler became obsessed with occupying Stalingrad, and remained obsessed with it despite everything, until the large German force in and near Stalingrad was destroyed to the last man.

Importance of Stalingrad The capture of Stalingrad was important to Hitler for two primary reasons: First, it was a major industrial city on the Volga River – a vital transport route between the Caspian Sea and northern Russia. As a result, the German capture of the city would effectively sever the transportation of resources and goods to the north. Second, its capture would secure the right flank of the German armies as they advanced into the oil-rich Caucasus region – with the strategic goal of cutting off fuel to Stalin's war machine.

War Casualties Various scholars have estimated the Axis suffered 850,000 casualties (killed, disabled, captured) among all branches of the German armed forces and its allies. According to archival figures, the Red Army suffered a total of 1,129,619 total casualties. In all, the battle resulted in an estimated total of 1.7 million to 2 million Axis and Soviet casualties.

Scope of the Battle – A significant factor in Germany's failure at Stalingrad was Hitler's pursuit of too many simultaneous objectives. –To the South of Stalingrad, Army Group A was committed to capturing oilfields in the Caucasus and in particular at Baku in Azerbaijan. These oil fields were the original objective of the 1942 campaign, and were seen as vital to winning the war. Capture of the oilfields may have been achievable if Army Group B were also committed to them rather than to Stalingrad. –As a result, Baku was never in serious threat from the Germans. If Hitler had cancelled the Caucasus campaign, he could have used Army Group A to bolster Army Group B's flanks around Stalingrad and perhaps to aid in fighting within the city. Clearly Hitler's ambitions were well beyond German means.

SOURCES Source: Wikipedia Encyclopedia (The Battle of Stalingrad) of Stalingradhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle Photo source: htm