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Karim Sindi's List: Stalingrad Tipping Point

  • Feb 29, 12

    The battle of Stalingrad was unmistakably the first major defeat of the Wehrmacht forces in the Second World War. Not only did the Germans lose the war, but it also marked the turning point that turned the tides against the Fuhrer. The battle was fought from July 17th 1942 to February 2nd 1943 and took place in the city of Stalingrad, a city named after the then Russia’s leader- Joseph Stalin. The offensive was driven by Hitler’s two main objectives to get hold of the Caucasus- Russia’s oil fields to add to his dwindling oil supply to further his world war effort and to disable the Russians in the process by taking their oil. Consequently, he split the South German Army into two groups: Army Group A lead by Von list and Army Group B led by Von Weich. Army Group A was to proceed to the Caucasus while Army Group B was to launch an attack Stalingrad. Capturing Stalingrad would have meant securing Group A from a rear attack as Army group B would have incapacitated the Read Army from attacking them from behind since the city lay en route to the Caucasus. In addition, Stalingrad was a major industrial, transport (Volga River) and communication center. Attacking it would have dealt a major blow to Russia’s industrial, oil and military supply from Stalingrad, Ukraine, Caucasus and South Russia. Lastly, Stalingrad was a symbolic town named after Russia’s leader. Bringing it to its knee meant crashing their morale and hope of their war effort. The battle of Stalingrad was a major turning point in World war two as it marked the end of German victories in the East, proved that the Wehrmacht were not invincible and gave the Red army the confidence and skills required to eventually defeat Nazi German in World War 2.

  • Stalingrad Articles

    • With all hope of relief or rescue now gone, Paulus radioed Hitler yet again,   asking for permission to surrender and save what he could of his army. "The   troops are out of ammunition and food, effective command is no longer possible.   There are 18,00
      • nullPaulus asks for Permission to Surrender -- 2012-02-21
        Paulus asked permission from Hitler to break free before the Russians closed in on them but the Fuhrer refused, claiming he would send in supplies by the Luftwaffe. -- 2012-02-27
        Yoder Annihilation and Aftermath -- 2012-02-29

    • wounded without any supplies, dressings or drugs....Further   defense senseless. Collapse inevitable. Army requests permission to surrender   in order to save the lives of remaining troops".
      • Paulus asked permission from Hitler to break free before the Russians closed in on them but the Fuhrer refused, claiming he would send in supplies by the Luftwaffe.

    4 more annotations...

  • Feb 29, 12

    "Russian units kept on fighting and were reinforced from the east bank of the Volga by risky river crossings at night" (Hansen 32).

    Hansen, Ole Steen. Great Battles of World War II. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2001. Print.

  • Feb 21, 12

    Why the Attack

    - wanted to take over Russian's Caucusus oilfield. 

    - Stalingrad lay en route to it so by attack it 

    1) it would secure the Werhmacht army as they captured Stalingrad. 

    2) it was a major industrial transport and communication center - attacking it=major blow

    3) Strike a symbolic city as it was named after Stalin --> bring down their moral and hope of their war effort

    4) Hitlers hatred for Stalin may have influenced his decision

     

    -strategic because it wouldve been unwise to leave a major city unconquered in the rear as army advanced

    - capturing it strategic 

     

  • Feb 21, 12

    Paragraph 1

     

    Events:

    • Luftwaffe 
    • Street Fighting 
    • Snipping vs. Machinery
    • quality over quantity 
    • Winter
    • foreignors - Hungarians, Italians, Romanians
    • Operation Uranus
    • Surrender 

     

  • Feb 21, 12

    Why it Failed 

    • Should not have attacked 
    • Stretched the army to its limit
    • street fighting removed Germans advantage of blitzkrieg and panzer speed
    • Defending it was a matter of pride for Stalin as it was called Stalingrad 
    • Russians used same tactic the Germans used on them at the beginning (Surrounding the army) 
    • Germans had limited supply of everything while Russians had limitless supply 

     

  • Feb 21, 12

    Significance 

    • It stopped German progression across Russia
    • lost more than 50,000 men, some wounded, killed or captured 
    • lost momentum of war
    • never again fought Soviet union except on defensive 
    • prestige issue in addition to the actual strategic significance of the battle
    • From Soviet perspective, Russians proved that Wehrmacht was not invincible
    • It gave Soviet armed forces the confidence they would need and skills required to defeat Nazi Germany
    • Road to Russian's claim to legit super power
    • It marked end of German victories 

     

  • Feb 29, 12

    The Battle of Stalingrad fought from July 17th 1942 to February 2nd 1943 at Stalingrad, Russia by the Wehrmacht and Red Army was a decisive turning point in the course of World war Two. Apart from suffering a humiliating defeat the Germans were never able to make a comeback after it. Up until that moment they had never lost a war. Hitler had stretched the army to its limit and repeatedly refused to listen to his Generals. This proved to be a fatal mistake. The battle itself need never have occurred as the true strategy was in taking over the Caucasus oil field. However, the battle did prove to be a test of will, test of commitment, test of capability and politics between the two leaders and Stalin proved to be a match to Adolf both in this battle and in subsequent wars. At the end, the German Armies could do nothing save of surrender. Life in captivity was better to what they endured during that fierce battle.

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