THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD

STALINGRAD: WHEN, WHERE, AND WHO?

• July 17th, 1942 - February 2nd,1943.
• The City of Stalingrad, Soviet Union.
• Nazi Germany vs. The Soviet Union.
• Axis Forces beginning push Eastward.
• Hitler Breaking all agreements with Stalin.

THE STALINGRAD FRONT

LEADING UP TO STALINGRAD:

• Hitler and the Nazis beginning plans for Eastern takeover.
• Nazis were pushing up to the borders of the Soviet Union.
• Hitler felt STALINgrad was the perfect place to start takeover.
• Soviets felt that Stalingrad held the fate of their nation.
• Battle began with Germans bombing the city.

FACTS FROM STALINGRAD

• Soviets used tactics from Roman Empire times.
• One of the bloodiest battles in history; 2 million casulties.
• Russia still considers it their greatest military victory to date.
• Soviet Unions 1077th Anti-Aircraft Regiment all women.
• Famous Soviet sniper Vasily Zaytzev killed over 3000 men.

SOURCE QUOTES: STALINGRAD

• The siege of September 13, 1942 to January 31, 1943 will inspire forever the hearts of all free people.
• Their glorious victory stemmed the tide of invasion and marked the turning point in the war."
• -Franklin D Roosevelt, congratulating Joseph Stalin on the soviet Victory at Stalingrad, 1944

SOURCE QUOTES: STALINGRAD

• "December 26. We’ve eaten all the horses. I’d even eat cat: cat meat can be tasty.
• The squaddies look like corpses or zombies, searching for anything to eat.
• They don’t even try to duck from the Russian shells – they haven’t the strength to run or hide."
• -Wilhelm Hoffman, Diary of German soldier

OUTCOME OF STALINGRAD

• Soviet army circled and trapped German forces.
• Hitler refused to fight out of the encirclement.
• Promised provisions and support via air.
• Winter set in and Hitler could not provide the aid.
• A depleated and starving German army surrendered.

SIGNIFICANCE OF STALINGRAD

• Proved to be the turning point of war.
• Hitler loses trust in generals, and Stalin gains comfidence.
• Hitler was embarrassed and at weakest point yet.
• Led to Allied forces becoming on the offensive.
• Swayed momentum and moral, and begins the end of Nazi Reign