Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad (21 August 1942 - 2 February 1943) was a battle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for the Soviet city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd). The Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle in human history, with over 1.4 million dead soldiers, and 40,000 civilian dead.

The battle of Stalingrad was the turning in World War II. It was a decisive soviet victory, as Chuikov's Don/Stalingrad front (mainly 62nd army) crushed Paulus's army group B. Germany suffered casualties that were simply irreplaceable. Hitler's armies were no longer undefeated, their moral was severally dented and the Soviets never felt better.

The people of Stalingrad endured and fought alongside their compatriot Soviet soldiers suffering over 100,000. Stalingrad claimed over 750,000 German casualties. The Red army sacrificed 500,000 lives to hold the city, another 650,000 were wounded or diseased. Loads of Soviet machinery was destroyed 15,000 guns and mortars and 5,000 tanks. Nearly all German weapons were captured. Both sides lost many planes, the Germans 900 the Soviets suffered three times as much, 2,700. The Soviets captured back most of their prisoners. However 91,000 Germans surrendered,only 5,000 would make it back to Germany at war's end.

The Germans attacked on the 17th of July 1942, and surrendered February 2nd 1943. The Germans held the initiative for this colossal engagement, with more participants than any other. Despite controlling 90% of the city at many times, the Germans failed to dig out the determined Soviet defenders.

The Wermacht, before undefeated was bolstered in moral, but, in essence not ready to fight urban warfare (as the Germans called it "rat warfare"). One of the battle's adjective's was the capture of oilfields in the Caucasus.

This was more than a battle, more than the Battle it was the ultimate engagement of the 20th century, but also a personal issue between Hitler and Stalin. Stalingrad bore Stalin's name, Hitler wanted to destroy to deface hid enemy. To save Stalin did everything to save his city. Both Stalin and Hitler often took command though both fared poorly relative to their generals who usually took the reins. Ultimately, the Russian generals outwitted the Germans and inflicted the most crushing defeat known to man. Germany would never, ever be the same.