Stalingrad, Battle of, was a turning point in World War II (1939-1945). The battle ranks as one of the most important battles of history. . It lasted about five months, from August 1942 until early 1943. In the battle, Soviet troops kept German troops from capturing Stalingrad. Stalingrad, now called Volgograd, was an important Soviet industrial city on the Volga River. The German defeat at Stalingrad ended the Nazis’ eastward advance into the Soviet Union. The invading German troops had to retreat from the Caucasus oil fields and the lower Don River regions. The German army and its allies suffered about 800,000 casualties (killed, wounded, captured, or missing). Soviet casualties numbered over 1 million soldiers, as well as thousand of civilians. Snow and bitter cold took a heavy toll during the battle.
The German Sixth Army launched its drive on Stalingrad on Aug. 21, 1942. It started from positions about 40 miles (64 kilometers) away on the Don River. By August 23, German tanks had reached the Volga River, north of Stalingrad. Gradually, they forced their way into the city.
By November, German forces had isolated Soviet troops in four “pockets” along the riverbank in the city. German and Soviet units fought hand-to-hand. They battled for control of single streets, houses, and factories. When the Volga froze over, Soviet troops pushed supplies across on the ice at night. Soviet armies north and south of Stalingrad counterattacked the German forces on November 19. The Soviet armies met west of Stalingrad on November 23. The Soviets surrounded the German units in and near the city.
Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler ordered his generals to continue the battle for Stalingrad. He sent other German units to help the troops in the city. But the relief forces could not break through the Soviet lines. The Soviet troops hammered away at the hungry, half-frozen German troops. Finally, German Field Marshal Friedrich von Paulus, Sixth Army commander, surrendered on Jan. 31, 1943. The last German troops in Stalingrad surrendered on February 2.
