Battle Summary

The battle of Stalingrad was fought between the invading forces of Nazi Germany and the forces of Soviet Union who were defending the city. The battle took place from August 1942 to February of 1943. This was a decisive battle of World War II because it ended the German offensive and much of the German army. Though the early stages of World War II focused on Western Europe, Hitler diverted his attention to Russia in 1941. At first the giant German war machine focused on Leningrad and Moscow. Those attacks failed badly and as a result, by the summer of 1942 Hitler decided to invade southern Russia. Going against the advice of his generals, Hitler attacked Stalingrad. The German forces took much of the city. German armies surrounded the city and so the Russians were trapped and would remain so for several months. When reinforcements arrived for the Soviets, they surrounded the Germans and forced them to surrender. The battle of Stalingrad not only destroyed much of the German army, but also ended their offensive in Russia and ultimately resulted in Germany’s defeat in the Second World War.

Objectives

Russian:

1.) Take back the city with the name of their leader
2.) Stop German advance into Russia
3.) Turn the tide of the war

German:

1.) Overrun city of Stalingrad
2.) Demoralize Russian troops
3.) Clear a path to the oil fields

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