Stalingrad

Stalingrad

During World War II, Stalingrad was a strategically located industrial center for Russia. The production of this city included many vital needs of the Russian defensive efforts. The city was a vital German objective in World War II. The Germans knew that if they could conquer Russia the war could turn to its favor and continue the momentum that the Germans had initially obtained during its first advances into Europe. More importantly the psychological effect of Germany controlling Russia was huge. This control not only would give the Germans a military achievement, but also the achievement would be an immense improvement to the morale of Germany. The morale of the average German had taken a hit with its inability to take Britain out of the war and the Germans inability to bomb the United Kingdom into submission. 1 The ceasing of Russia would change all of this and the German leaders felt that Russia was there for the taking. A large German army was assembled in a couple of weeks for the attack. The Germans started an assault on Stalingrad on August 20, 1942. 1 Stalingrad went under heavy air raids by the Germans as the initial attack plan.

While the Germans were begging to take over part of the city a successful Soviet counteroffensive was planned. The Counteroffensive began on November 19. The counteroffensive was fierce and ended the German advance into Russia. The battle had many casualties. German casualties alone totaled more than 300,000 and the Soviet city was almost completely destroyed. Reconstruction began immediately after the war. The city was renamed Volgograd in 1961.

The main reason the Battle of Stalingrad was won by the Russians was the weather. The Germans did not make any ground on the Russians during the fall of that year. This lack of progress would soon be the end for the German plans. 2 The Germans were forced to stay on the outside looking in as