When the German troops attacked Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad – the beginning of the end of the army of parasites

On October 15, 1967, it was solemnly opened in Volgogradmonument-ensemble “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” .

See also in the Presidential Library:

The ceremony of handing over the honorary sword - a gift from King George IV of Great Britain to the citizens of Stalingrad in commemoration of the heroic defense of the city: November 1943: photograph. [B. m.], 1943 .

The Battle of Stalingrad lasted from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, and is considered the largest land battle in human history. This battle marked a turning point in the course of the war; during this battle, Soviet troops finally stopped the troops of Nazi Germany and forced them to stop the attack on Russian lands.

Historians believe that the total area where military operations took place during the Battle of Stalingrad is one hundred thousand square kilometers. Two million people took part in it, as well as two thousand tanks, two thousand aircraft, twenty-six thousand guns. Soviet troops eventually defeated a huge fascist army, which consisted of two German armies, two Romanian armies, and another Italian army.

Background to the Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was preceded by other historical events. In December 1941, the Red Army defeated the Nazis near Moscow. Encouraged by the success, the leaders of the Soviet Union gave the order to launch a large-scale offensive near Kharkov. The offensive failed and the Soviet army was defeated. German troops then went to Stalingrad.

The Nazi command needed the capture of Stalingrad for various reasons:

• Firstly, the capture of the city, which bore the name of Stalin, the leader of the Soviet people, could break the morale of opponents of fascism, and not only in the Soviet Union, but throughout the world;
• Secondly, the capture of Stalingrad could give the Nazis the opportunity to block all vital communications for Soviet citizens that connected the center of the country with its southern part, in particular with the Caucasus.

Progress of the Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad began on July 17, 1942 near the Chir and Tsimla rivers. The 62nd and 64th Soviet armies met with the vanguard of the German Sixth Army. The stubbornness of the Soviet troops did not allow German troops to break through to Stalingrad quickly. On July 28, 1942, an order was issued by I.V. Stalin, which clearly said: “Not a step back!” This famous order was discussed many times later by historians, and there were different attitudes towards it, but it had a great impact on the masses.

The history of the Battle of Stalingrad was briefly largely determined by this order. According to this order, special penal companies and battalions were created, which included privates and officers of the Red Army who had committed any offense before the Motherland. Since August 1942, the battle has taken place in the city itself. On August 23, a German air raid kills forty thousand people in the city and reduces the central part of the city to burning ruins.

Then the 6th German Army begins to break into the city. She is opposed by Soviet snipers and assault groups. A desperate fight takes place for every street. In the second half of September, German troops pressed back the 62nd Army and broke through to the Volga. At the same time, the river is controlled by the Germans, and all Soviet ships and boats are fired upon.

The significance of the Battle of Stalingrad lies in the fact that the Soviet command managed to create a superiority of forces, and the Soviet people, with their heroism, were able to stop the powerful and technically well-equipped German army. On November 19, 1943, the Soviet counteroffensive begins. The onslaught of Soviet troops led to the fact that part of the German army was surrounded.

More than ninety thousand people were captured - soldiers and officers of the German army, of whom no more than twenty percent returned to Germany. On January 24, the commander of the German troops, Friedrich Paulus, who was later awarded the rank of Field Marshal by Hitler, asked the German command for permission to declare surrender. But this was categorically denied to him. Nevertheless, on January 31 he was forced to announce the surrender of German troops.

Results of the Battle of Stalingrad

The defeat of German troops caused the weakening of fascist regimes in Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, and Romania. The result of the battle was that the Red Army stopped defending and began to advance, and German troops were forced to withdraw to the west. Victory in this battle benefited the political goals of the Soviet Union, and accelerated many other countries.

The Great Battle of Stalingrad took place from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943. It is divided into two periods: from July 17 to November 18, 1942 - the German offensive on Stalingrad and the fighting in the city. November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943 counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Stalingrad, defeat, encirclement and surrender of the German group of troops led by Field Marshal Paulus. Briefly about the essence of the battle: The Battle of Stalingad was the beginning of a radical turning point during the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War.

Below is a brief history, the course of the Battle of Stalingrad and material about the heroes and commanders of the great battle, memories of the participants. The hero city of Volgograd (Stalingrad) carefully preserves the memory of those tragic events. The city has many museums dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. One of them is the House of Sergeant Pavlov (House of Soldiers' Glory), which Soviet soldiers defended for 58 days. To list all the heroes of the great battle, even a few articles are not enough. Even the Americans made a film about one of the heroes of Stalingrad - sniper from the Southern Urals Vasily Zaitsev.

The material can be used for events, conversations, classes, lectures, quizzes, quests for children and adults in the library or school, writing essays, reports, abstracts dedicated to December 3 - the Day of the Unknown Soldier or the Battle of Stalingrad itself. Published by November 19

Battle of Stalingrad: history, heroes, commanders

Theme for the evening (author – Alexey Gorokhov)

On a summer morning in 1965, an elderly woman stepped off the ramp of a local airlines plane that landed near the village of Bokovskaya, in the Veshensky district of the Rostov region. She flew from afar, transferring from plane to plane in Mineralnye Vody and Rostov.

The woman's name was Bagzhan Zhaikenova. Accompanied by her grandchildren Auken and Aliya, she undertook a difficult journey for her advanced age from Karaganda to hitherto unknown lands to bow to the ashes of her twenty-year-old son Nurken Abdirov, an attack pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, who found eternal rest on Don soil.

Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov heard about the guest from Kazakhstan and invited him to his place in Veshenskaya. The writer talked for a long time with old Bagzhan. At the end of the meeting, she asked to take a photo together. Sholokhov seated the guests on the steps of the porch, sat down himself, and a photojournalist from a local newspaper took several photographs. Grigory Yakimov, who flew on behalf of Karaganda regional organizations together with Bagzhan Zhaikenova, later included this photograph in his book “Pike into Immortality” (Alma-Ata: Kazakhstan, 1973).

In the pre-war years, Grigory Yakimov was the head of the Karaganda flying club. Nurken Abdirov studied here, who on December 19, 1942, near the village of Bokovskaya, sent his damaged attack aircraft, as stated in the nomination for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, “... into the thick of enemy tanks and died with his crew the death of a hero.” Yakimov collected everything connected with the name of Abdirov, found his fellow soldiers, picked up archival documents and, perhaps, was the first to talk in detail about the young Kazakh pilot who died at the height of the Battle of Stalingrad.

Here is another episode of that heroic time. On January 9, 1943, seven Il-2 attack aircraft under the command of Captain I. Bakhtin from the 622nd Attack Aviation Regiment attacked the Salsk airfield, one of the main supply bases for Nazi troops surrounded at Stalingrad.

The pilots approached the target six times under enemy anti-aircraft fire and destroyed 72 transport aircraft. They knew very well that the day before two attempts to break through to this airfield had failed... And this time there were losses; two of the seven pilots were not destined to return to the regiment.

It was this heroic page of the battle on the Volga that served as the basis for Heinrich Hoffmann’s first book, “The plane was shot down over the target” (M.: Voenizdat, 1959). The now famous Soviet writer, who recently celebrated his sixtieth birthday, during the war he himself flew attack aircraft, and in 1944 he became a Hero of the Soviet Union. He was well acquainted with the characters in his documentary story, since he served in the same regiment with them.

... Of course, taken from the general description of the great event, namely, the defeat of the fascist troops at Stalingrad, the fortieth anniversary of which will soon be celebrated, belongs to this rank, the above facts may not seem so significant. Moreover, if we are talking about a battle that brought a radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War, a battle in which millions of people were drawn in on both sides.

And yet, it was precisely these “little things” that formed the mass heroism that allowed the Red Army not only to survive at the walls of Stalingrad, but also to break the back of the Nazis.
The future writer Ivan Paderin served in the legendary 62nd Army, which was literally pressed by the Germans to the steep right bank of the Volga. In his collection “11a in the Main Direction” (M.: Soviet Writer. 1978), Paderin, among other works, included the stories “Father’s Order” about army commander V.I. Chuikov and “In Stalingrad.”

In the latter, he wrote, in particular: “It is difficult to push a stone off a huge cliff, but when it flies, you won’t be able to collect even the fragments at the foot. Stalingrad is the highest point of the war from where we pushed the Nazis. Now they will not be able to hold out either on the Don, or on the Dniester, or on our borders, and Berlin will only have fragments left from Hitler’s army.”

By the way, I. Paderin owns the book “Volgograd,” published in the “Hero Cities” series. Pages of the heroic defense of the hero city 1942-1943" (M.: Politizdat, 1980).

THE ENEMY IS RUNNING TO THE VOLGA

Battle of Stalingrad - first period July - November 1942

The works of prominent Soviet military leaders, already mentioned in materials dedicated to the fortieth anniversary of the defeat of Nazi troops near Moscow, will help us clarify many of the circumstances of the summer-autumn battles of 1942 (Librarian, 1981, No. 12). I mean “The Work of a Whole Life” by A. M. Vasilevsky (M.: Politizdat, 1975), “Memories and Reflections” by G. K. Zhukov (M.: APN, 1969), “A Soldier’s Duty” by K. K. Rokossovsky (M.: Voenizdat, 1968).

To this list we will add the memoirs of the former commander of the Stalingrad and South-Eastern Fronts A.I. Eremenko “Stalingrad” (M.: Voenizdat, 1961), the memoirs of the commander of the 62nd Army V.I. Chuikov “The Beginning of the Path” (M.: Voenizdat , 1962), notes by S. A. Krasovsky, commander of the 17th Air Army, which operated as part of the Southwestern Front and in which attack pilot Nurken Abdirov fought. The book by S. A. Krasovsky is called “Life in Aviation” (M.: Voenizdat, 1968).

What were the plans of the German command for the summer of 1942? A. M. Vasilevsky writes:

“With the summer offensive, the Nazis expected to achieve not only turning-point military-strategic results, but also to paralyze the economy of the Soviet state. They believed that as a result of a decisive offensive in the Caucasian and Stalingrad directions, after seizing Caucasian oil, Donetsk industry, Stalingrad industry, with access to the Volga and after they managed to deprive us of contact with the outside world through Iran, they would achieve the necessary preconditions for defeat of the Soviet Union."

In Directive No. 41 of April 5, 1942, Hitler set the task of seizing the initiative lost as a result of the defeat near Moscow, “to finally destroy the manpower still at the disposal of the Soviets, to deprive the Russians of as many military-economic centers as possible.”

In turn, the Soviet Supreme High Command planned several offensive operations for the summer of 1942, the main one of which was planned in the Kharkov direction. Moreover, the Supreme Command Headquarters counted on simultaneous attacks by the allied Anglo-American troops on Germany from the west. This, as we know, did not happen. The Soviet troops failed near Kharkov. A difficult situation has developed in Crimea. Offensive operations had to be abandoned and switched to defense along the entire Soviet-German front.

In June, the Nazis reached Voronezh, the upper reaches of the Don, and captured the Donbass. On July 9, the German command divided the southern group of its troops into army groups “A” and “B” and threw the latter into a breakthrough into the big bend of the Don. On July 12, the Supreme Command Headquarters formed the Stalingrad Front, which included the 8th Air Army of General T. T. Khryukin.

On July 14, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks declared martial law in the Stalingrad region. And on July 28, Order No. 227 of People’s Commissar of Defense I.V. Stalin was signed and immediately sent to the troops, “one of the most powerful documents of the war years,” as A.M. Vasilevsky assessed it, “in terms of the depth of patriotic content, the degree of emotional tension." The meaning of this order boiled down to the main thing: “... it’s time to end the retreat. No step back!"

On July 17, 1942, the defensive period of the Battle of Stalingrad began. On August 26, G.K. Zhukov was appointed Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Three days later he was already in the Stalingrad area. Here's what he writes in his book:

“The Supreme High Command sent everything that was possible to the Stalingrad area, with the exception of newly formed strategic reserves intended for further struggle. Urgent measures were taken to increase the production of aircraft, tanks, weapons, ammunition and other materiel in order to timely introduce them into the defeat of the enemy group that had reached the Stalingrad area.”

Here are the numbers: from August 1 to August 20, 15 rifle divisions and three tank corps were sent to Stalingrad from the depths of the country. These measures were very significant, but far from sufficient to, as A. M. Vasilevsky writes, remove the threat hanging over the city. On August 19, the enemy launched another offensive, and on August 23, his troops broke through to the Volga north of Stalingrad. On the same day, the city was subjected to barbaric air bombardment.

The Headquarters entrusted to G.K. Zhukov the leadership of all the troops involved in the liquidation of the enemy who had broken through to the Volga and the restoration of the broken front of our defense... Here is a telegram addressed to him from the Supreme Command Headquarters on September 3:

“The situation with Stalingrad has worsened. The enemy is located three miles from Stalingrad. Stalingrad could be taken today or tomorrow if the northern group of troops does not provide immediate assistance. Demand that the commanders of the troops located north and north-west of Stalingrad immediately strike the enemy and come to the aid of the Stalingraders. No delay is acceptable. Delay is now tantamount to a crime. Send all aviation to the aid of Stalingrad. There is very little aviation left in Stalingrad itself.”

Colonel General of Aviation, twice Hero of the Soviet Union V.D. Lavrinenkov, who fought at Stalingrad as part of the 8th Air Army, notes in the book “Return to Heaven” (M.: Voenizdat, 1974):

“Stalingrad changed especially dramatically after the terrible raid of German bombers on August 23. Changed is not the right word. The city we knew simply no longer exists. In its place, only burnt boxes of buildings were visible and black smoke spread in thick clouds, covering everything in its path. My heart sank with pain when I saw this, flying out to escort the “silts”..."

A special group was formed in the same 8th Air Army. It included the 150th Bomber Regiment, headed by I. Polbin, and the 434th Fighter Regiment, Hero of the Soviet Union I. Kleshchev. Lieutenant General of Aviation, Hero of the Soviet Union A. V., Zholu Dev spoke about the combat work of the Polbintsy in his book “Steel Squadron” (M.: Voenizdat’ 1972). Here is an interesting piece of evidence from these memoirs:

“It was clear that the enemy was still strong, that we still did not have enough tanks and aircraft, that many units were understaffed. But even at such a tense moment, during the retreat of our troops, confidence grew that the war was approaching some as yet invisible brink, which would be followed by a sharp turn.”

Lieutenant General of Aviation, Hero of the Soviet Union A.F. Semenov, who fought in the 434th Fighter Regiment, reports the following data in his book “On Takeoff” (M.: Voenizdat, 1969). The regiment arrived at Stalingrad for the second time on July 13, 1942. From July 15 to August 3, the regiment's pilots carried out 827 combat missions, shot down 55 enemy aircraft, but also suffered significant losses. And the regiment was again put into reserve for replenishment. But already in mid-September this unit arrived at Stalingrad for the third (!) time.

From September 16 to 28, the regiment's pilots shot down seventy-four German aircraft, and themselves lost fifteen. Such was the intensity of the air battles.

“It was hot in the Stalingrad sky,” writes A. Semenov. “From morning to evening it trembled from the booming roar of aircraft engines, the clatter of cannon and machine-gun fire, and the dull explosions of anti-aircraft shells. Often it was traced by smoky torches: these were downed planes - German and ours. But a turning point was already approaching: a few more persistent efforts, and the onslaught of enemy aircraft would begin to subside...”

From morning until sunset - flights, flights, flights... The pilots knew that in a burning city among the ruins, infantrymen were dying to death. And they fought to the last. And although the 4th Luftwaffe Air Fleet, commanded by Colonel General von Richthofen, had a quantitative advantage in aircraft until our counteroffensive, the fascist pilots failed to become masters of the Stalingrad sky.

OPERATION URANUS

Battle of Stalingrad - second period November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943

From July to November 1942, fascist German troops lost up to 700 thousand people, more than 1,000 tanks and about 1,400 aircraft in battles in the Don, Volga and Stalingrad areas.

Meanwhile, Soviet troops were completing preparations for a grandiose offensive operation, called “Uranus”. Its meaning boiled down to the encirclement and destruction of the enemy group drawn into the protracted battles for Stalingrad. The troops of the newly created South-Western Front were supposed to strike from the north, and Stalingrad from the south. The start of the offensive was scheduled for November 19.

Let us remember how the story “Days and Nights” by Konstantin Simonov, written in 1943-1944, ended:

“The two fronts on this winter night, like two hands converging on a map, moved, ever approaching each other, ready to close in the Don steppes west of Stalingrad. In this space they captured, in their cruel embrace, there were still German corps and divisions with headquarters, generals, discipline, guns, tanks, with landing sites and planes, there were hundreds of thousands of people who still seemed to rightly consider themselves a force and at the same time the time of being nothing more than tomorrow’s dead.”

On November 23, the encirclement closed.
The offensive was supported by pilots of the 8th, 16th and 17th Air Armies. “Dawn had barely broken,” recalled the former commander of the 17th S.A. Krasovsky in his book, “when small groups of our bombers, attack aircraft, and fighters rose from the airfields and headed for enemy positions.

Unfortunately, the weather was extremely unfavorable. Low gray clouds hung over the snow-covered fields, snow flakes were falling from above, visibility was very poor, and air raids did not have the desired effect. On the first day of the offensive, enemy aviation was almost inactive. The weather did not improve on the second day, but still the pilots, in small groups and alone, attacked the enemy... Most attention was paid to the largest enemy airfields..."

The weather nevertheless improved and air battles flared up with renewed vigor. And no wonder. After all, the enemy tried to organize supplies for the encircled army of Paulus via an air bridge. At a meeting at headquarters, Goering assured Hitler that the Luftwaffe would cope with this task.

The best squadrons of the German air force were sent to Stalingrad, including even Hitler’s communications detachment, and the fascist command sent one of its best fighter units, the Udet squadron, into the encirclement to cover the arriving transport aircraft.

Hitler ordered approximately 300 tons of fuel, food and ammunition to be delivered to the Stalingrad area every day. Therefore, the main task of the Soviet pilots during the air blockade was the decisive destruction of enemy transport aircraft. The air bridge to the encirclement zone was broken. Suffice it to say that during this time the Nazis lost more than a thousand aircraft, including about seven hundred transport ones. The implementation of the air blockade of Paulus's army is described in great detail in the military-historical essays “The 16th Air Army” (M.: Voenizdat, 1973) and “The 17th Air Army in the Battles from Stalingrad to Vienna” (M.: Voenizdat, 1977) .

The surrounded German troops fought desperately for every position. This persistence was fueled by hopes for a speedy rescue: after all, from the Kotelnikov area, the new German Army Group Don, under the command of Field Marshal Manstein, struck the outer front of the encirclement. Manstein's tanks broke through our defenses and were already forty kilometers from Stalingrad.

At this moment, the Soviet command brought into the battle the reinforced 2nd Guards Army, well equipped with tanks and artillery. The army was commanded by R. Ya. Malinovsky. The blow of the guards decided the fate of the battle in our favor.
It was this page of the Battle of Stalingrad that formed the basis of Yuri Bondarev’s novel “Hot Snow”. There are these lines in the novel:

“While in the highest German headquarters everything seemed to be predetermined, developed, approved, and Manstein’s tank divisions began fighting for a breakthrough from the Kotelnikov area to Stalingrad, tormented by a four-month battle, to the more than three hundred thousand-strong group of generals closed by our fronts in the snow and ruins. Colonel Paulus, tensely awaiting the outcome - at this time, another of our newly formed army in the rear, by order of Headquarters, was thrown south through the boundless steppes to meet the army strike group “Goth”, which included 12 divisions.

The actions of both sides resembled scales, on which all possibilities were now placed in the current circumstances.”
Meanwhile, the troops of the Southwestern Front also launched a successful offensive. The fate of Paulus's encircled troops was sealed. On February 2, 1943, the enemy group was completely eliminated.
The Battle of Stalingrad is over.

...In the forty years that have passed since the Battle of the Volga, our libraries have been replenished with many works of various genres dedicated to those ancient events. Of course, there is no way to even list them. And yet I would like to highlight two more books from the general series. One of them is “Stalingrad: Lessons from History” (M.: Progress, 1980). The first part of the book contains chapters from the memoirs of Soviet military leaders G.K. Zhukov, A.M. Vasilevsky, K.K. Rokossovsky.

In the second, the reader will become acquainted with fragments of notes from former Nazi soldiers from the 6th Army defeated at Stalingrad.
I would also like to recommend the collection “The Stalingrad Epic” (M.: Nauka, 1968). Its authors are prominent Soviet military leaders, active participants in the Battle of Stalingrad.

With great reliability they talk about the events of 1942-1943, about the steadfastness and mass heroism of Soviet soldiers, their remarkable moral qualities, high offensive impulse...

On October 15, 1967, 25 years after the Battle of Stalingrad, the grand opening of a monument-ensemble in honor of the heroic defenders of the Volga stronghold took place in Volgograd. Speaking at the celebration, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev said: “The victory at Stalingrad was not just a victory, it was a historical feat.
And the true measure of any feat can be fairly assessed only when we fully imagine - amid what difficulties, in what circumstances it was accomplished.”

The Battle of Stalingrad is a battle of the Second World War, an important episode of the Great Patriotic War between the Red Army and the Wehrmacht with its allies. Occurred on the territory of modern Voronezh, Rostov, Volgograd regions and the Republic of Kalmykia of the Russian Federation from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943. The German offensive lasted from July 17 to November 18, 1942, its goal was to capture the Great Bend of the Don, the Volgodonsk Isthmus and Stalingrad (modern Volgograd). The implementation of this plan would block transport links between the central regions of the USSR and the Caucasus, creating a springboard for a further offensive to seize the Caucasian oil fields. During July-November, the Soviet army managed to force the Germans to get bogged down in defensive battles, during November-January they encircled a group of German troops as a result of Operation Uranus, repelled the unblocking German strike "Wintergewitter" and tightened the encirclement ring to the ruins of Stalingrad. Those surrounded capitulated on February 2, 1943, including 24 generals and Field Marshal Paulus.

This victory, after a series of defeats in 1941-1942, became a turning point in the war. In terms of the number of total irretrievable losses (killed, died from wounds in hospitals, missing) of the warring parties, the Battle of Stalingrad became one of the bloodiest in the history of mankind: Soviet soldiers - 478,741 (323,856 in the defensive phase of the battle and 154,885 in the offensive phase), German - about 300,000, German allies (Italians, Romanians, Hungarians, Croats) - about 200,000 people, the number of dead citizens cannot be determined even approximately, but the count is no less than tens of thousands. The military significance of the victory was the removal of the threat of the Wehrmacht seizing the Lower Volga region and the Caucasus, especially oil from the Baku fields. The political significance was the sobering of Germany's allies and their understanding of the fact that the war could not be won. Turkey abandoned the invasion of the USSR in the spring of 1943, Japan did not begin the planned Siberian Campaign, Romania (Mihai I), Italy (Badoglio), Hungary (Kallai) began to look for opportunities to exit the war and conclude a separate peace with Great Britain and the USA.

Previous Events

On June 22, 1941, Germany and its allies invaded the Soviet Union, quickly moving inland. Having been defeated during the battles in the summer and autumn of 1941, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive during the Battle of Moscow in December 1941. German troops, exhausted by the stubborn resistance of the defenders of Moscow, not ready to wage a winter campaign, having an extensive and not completely controlled rear, were stopped on the approaches to the city and, during the counter-offensive of the Red Army, were thrown back 150-300 km to the west.

In the winter of 1941-1942, the Soviet-German front stabilized. Plans for a new offensive on Moscow were rejected by Adolf Hitler, despite the fact that German generals insisted on this option. However, Hitler believed that an attack on Moscow would be too predictable. For these reasons, the German command was considering plans for new operations in the north and south. An offensive to the south of the USSR would ensure control over the oil fields of the Caucasus (the area of ​​Grozny and Baku), as well as over the Volga River, the main artery connecting the European part of the country with the Transcaucasus and Central Asia. A German victory in the south of the Soviet Union could seriously undermine Soviet industry.

The Soviet leadership, encouraged by the successes near Moscow, tried to seize the strategic initiative and in May 1942 sent large forces to attack the Kharkov region. The offensive began from the Barvenkovsky ledge south of the city, which was formed as a result of the winter offensive of the Southwestern Front. A feature of this offensive was the use of a new Soviet mobile formation - a tank corps, which in terms of the number of tanks and artillery was approximately equivalent to a German tank division, but was significantly inferior to it in terms of the number of motorized infantry. Meanwhile, the Axis forces were planning an operation to encircle the Barvenkovo ​​salient.

The Red Army's offensive was so unexpected for the Wehrmacht that it almost ended in disaster for Army Group South. However, they decided not to change their plans and, thanks to the concentration of troops on the flanks of the ledge, broke through the defenses of the enemy troops. Most of the Southwestern Front was surrounded. In the subsequent three-week battles, better known as the “second battle of Kharkov,” the advancing units of the Red Army suffered a heavy defeat. According to German data, more than 240 thousand people were captured alone; according to Soviet archival data, the irretrievable losses of the Red Army amounted to 170,958 people, and a large number of heavy weapons were also lost during the operation. After the defeat near Kharkov, the front south of Voronezh was practically open. As a result, the way to Rostov-on-Don and the lands of the Caucasus was opened for German troops. The city itself was held by the Red Army in November 1941 with heavy losses, but now it was lost.

After the Red Army's Kharkov disaster in May 1942, Hitler intervened in strategic planning by ordering Army Group South to split into two. Army Group A was to continue the offensive into the North Caucasus. Army Group B, including the 6th Army of Friedrich Paulus and the 4th Panzer Army of G. Hoth, was supposed to move east towards the Volga and Stalingrad.

The capture of Stalingrad was very important for Hitler for several reasons. One of the main ones was that Stalingrad was a large industrial city on the banks of the Volga, along which and along which strategically important routes ran, connecting the Center of Russia with the southern regions of the USSR, including the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Thus, the capture of Stalingrad would allow Germany to cut off water and land communications vital for the USSR, reliably cover the left flank of the forces advancing in the Caucasus and create serious problems with supplies for the Red Army units opposing them. Finally, the very fact that the city bore the name of Stalin - Hitler's main enemy - made the capture of the city a victory in terms of ideology and the inspiration of the soldiers, as well as the population of the Reich.

All major Wehrmacht operations were usually given a color code: Fall Rot (red version) - the operation to capture France, Fall Gelb (yellow version) - the operation to capture Belgium and the Netherlands, Fall Grün (green version) - Czechoslovakia, etc. Summer offensive The Wehrmacht in the USSR was given the code name “Fall Blau” - the blue version.

Operation Blue Option began with the offensive of Army Group South against the troops of the Bryansk Front to the north and the troops of the Southwestern Front to the south of Voronezh. The 6th and 17th armies of the Wehrmacht, as well as the 1st and 4th tank armies, took part in it.

It is worth noting that despite a two-month break in active hostilities, for the troops of the Bryansk Front the result was no less catastrophic than for the troops of the Southwestern Front, battered by the May battles. On the very first day of the operation, both Soviet fronts were broken through tens of kilometers in depth, and the enemy rushed to the Don. The Red Army in the vast desert steppes could oppose only small forces, and then a chaotic withdrawal of forces to the east began. Attempts to re-form the defense also ended in complete failure when German units entered the Soviet defensive positions from the flank. In mid-July, several divisions of the Red Army fell into a pocket in the south of the Voronezh region, near the city of Millerovo in the north of the Rostov region.

One of the important factors that thwarted the German plans was the failure of the offensive operation on Voronezh. Having easily captured the right bank part of the city, the Wehrmacht was unable to build on its success, and the front line aligned with the Voronezh River. The left bank remained with the Soviet troops, and repeated attempts by the Germans to dislodge the Red Army from the left bank were unsuccessful. The Axis forces ran out of resources to continue offensive operations, and the battle for Voronezh entered the positional phase. Due to the fact that the main forces were sent to Stalingrad, the offensive on Voronezh was suspended, and the most combat-ready units from the front were removed and transferred to the 6th Army of Paulus. Subsequently, this factor played an important role in the defeat of German troops at Stalingrad.

After the capture of Rostov-on-Don, Hitler transferred the 4th Panzer Army from Group A (attacking the Caucasus) to Group B, aimed east towards the Volga and Stalingrad. The 6th Army's initial offensive was so successful that Hitler intervened again, ordering the 4th Panzer Army to join Army Group South (A). As a result, a huge traffic jam developed when the 4th and 6th armies needed several roads in the area of ​​​​operation. Both armies were stuck tightly, and the delay turned out to be quite long and slowed down the German advance by one week. With the advance slowing, Hitler changed his mind and reassigned the 4th Panzer Army's objective back to the Caucasus.

Disposition of forces before battle

Germany

Army Group B. The 6th Army (commander - F. Paulus) was allocated for the attack on Stalingrad. It included 14 divisions, which numbered about 270 thousand people, 3 thousand guns and mortars, and about 700 tanks. Intelligence activities in the interests of the 6th Army were carried out by Abwehrgruppe 104.

The army was supported by the 4th Air Fleet (commanded by Colonel General Wolfram von Richthofen), which had up to 1,200 aircraft (the fighter aircraft aimed at Stalingrad, in the initial stage of the battle for this city, consisted of about 120 Messerschmitt Bf.109F- fighter aircraft 4/G-2 (Soviet and Russian sources give figures ranging from 100 to 150), plus about 40 obsolete Romanian Bf.109E-3).

USSR

Stalingrad Front (commander - S.K. Timoshenko, from July 23 - V.N. Gordov, from August 13 - Colonel General A.I. Eremenko). It included the Stalingrad garrison (10th division of the NKVD), the 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 21st, 28th, 38th and 57th combined arms armies, the 8th air army (Soviet fighter aviation at the beginning of the battle here consisted of 230-240 fighters, mainly Yak-1) and the Volga military flotilla - 37 divisions, 3 tank corps, 22 brigades, which numbered 547 thousand people, 2200 guns and mortars, about 400 tanks, 454 aircraft, 150-200 long-range bombers and 60 air defense fighters.

On July 12, the Stalingrad Front was created, the commander was Marshal Timoshenko, and from July 23, Lieutenant General Gordov. It included the 62nd Army, promoted from the reserve under the command of Major General Kolpakchi, the 63rd, 64th Armies, as well as the 21st, 28th, 38th, 57th Combined Arms and 8th Air Armies of the former Southwestern Front, and with July 30 - 51st Army of the North Caucasus Front. The Stalingrad Front received the task of defending in a zone 530 km wide (along the Don River from Babka 250 km northwest of the city of Serafimovich to Kletskaya and further along the line Kletskaya, Surovikino, Suvorovsky, Verkhnekurmoyarskaya), to stop the further advance of the enemy and prevent him from reaching the Volga . The first stage of the defensive battle in the North Caucasus began on July 25, 1942 at the turn of the lower reaches of the Don in the strip from the village of Verkhne-Kurmoyarskaya to the mouth of the Don. The border of the junction - the closure of the Stalingrad and North Caucasus military fronts ran along the line Verkhne-Kurmanyarskaya - Gremyachaya station - Ketchenery, crossing the northern and eastern part of the Kotelnikovsky district of the Volgograd region. By July 17, the Stalingrad Front had 12 divisions (a total of 160 thousand people), 2,200 guns and mortars, about 400 tanks and over 450 aircraft. In addition, 150-200 long-range bombers and up to 60 fighters of the 102nd Air Defense Aviation Division (Colonel I. I. Krasnoyurchenko) operated in its zone. Thus, by the beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad, the enemy had a superiority over the Soviet troops in tanks and artillery - by 1.3 times and in airplanes - by more than 2 times, and in people they were inferior by 2 times.

Start of the battle

In July, when German intentions became completely clear to the Soviet command, it developed plans for the defense of Stalingrad. To create a new defense front, Soviet troops, after advancing from the depths, had to immediately take positions on terrain where there were no pre-prepared defensive lines. Most of the formations of the Stalingrad Front were new formations that had not yet been properly put together and, as a rule, did not have combat experience. There was an acute shortage of fighter aircraft, anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery. Many divisions lacked ammunition and vehicles.

The generally accepted date for the start of the battle is July 17. However, Alexey Isaev discovered in the combat log of the 62nd Army information about the first two clashes that occurred on July 16. The advance detachment of the 147th Infantry Division at 17:40 was fired upon by enemy anti-tank guns near the Morozov farm and destroyed them with return fire. Soon a more serious collision occurred:

“At 20:00, four German tanks secretly approached the Zolotoy village and opened fire on the detachment. The first battle of the Battle of Stalingrad lasted 20-30 minutes. Tankers of the 645th Tank Battalion stated that 2 German tanks were destroyed, 1 anti-tank gun and 1 more tank was knocked out. Apparently, the Germans did not expect to face two companies of tanks at once and sent only four vehicles forward. The detachment's losses were one T-34 burned out and two T-34s shot down. The first battle of the bloody months-long battle was not marked by anyone's death - the casualties of two tank companies amounted to 11 people wounded. Dragging two damaged tanks behind them, the detachment returned.” - Isaev A.V. Stalingrad. There is no land for us beyond the Volga. - Moscow: Yauza, Eksmo, 2008. - 448 p. - ISBN 978–5–699–26236–6.

On July 17, at the turn of the Chir and Tsimla rivers, the forward detachments of the 62nd and 64th armies of the Stalingrad Front met with the vanguards of the 6th German Army. Interacting with the aviation of the 8th Air Army (Major General of Aviation T.T. Khryukin), they put up stubborn resistance to the enemy, who, in order to break their resistance, had to deploy 5 divisions out of 13 and spend 5 days fighting them. In the end, German troops knocked down the advanced detachments from their positions and approached the main defense line of the troops of the Stalingrad Front. The resistance of the Soviet troops forced the Nazi command to strengthen the 6th Army. By July 22, it already had 18 divisions, numbering 250 thousand combat personnel, about 740 tanks, 7.5 thousand guns and mortars. The troops of the 6th Army supported up to 1,200 aircraft. As a result, the balance of forces increased even more in favor of the enemy. For example, in tanks he now had a twofold superiority. By July 22, the troops of the Stalingrad Front had 16 divisions (187 thousand people, 360 tanks, 7.9 thousand guns and mortars, about 340 aircraft).

At dawn on July 23, the enemy’s northern and, on July 25, southern strike groups went on the offensive. Using superiority in forces and air supremacy, the Germans broke through the defenses on the right flank of the 62nd Army and by the end of the day on July 24 reached the Don in the Golubinsky area. As a result, up to three Soviet divisions were surrounded. The enemy also managed to push back the troops of the right flank of the 64th Army. A critical situation developed for the troops of the Stalingrad Front. Both flanks of the 62nd Army were deeply engulfed by the enemy, and its exit to the Don created a real threat of a breakthrough of Nazi troops to Stalingrad.

By the end of July, the Germans pushed the Soviet troops behind the Don. The defense line stretched for hundreds of kilometers from north to south along the Don. To break through the defenses along the river, the Germans had to use, in addition to their 2nd Army, the armies of their Italian, Hungarian and Romanian allies. The 6th Army was only a few dozen kilometers from Stalingrad, and the 4th Panzer, located south of it, turned north to help take the city. To the south, Army Group South (A) continued to push further into the Caucasus, but its advance slowed. Army Group South A was too far to the south to provide support to Army Group South B in the north.

On July 28, 1942, People's Commissar of Defense J.V. Stalin addressed the Red Army with order No. 227, in which he demanded to strengthen resistance and stop the enemy's advance at all costs. The strictest measures were envisaged against those who showed cowardice and cowardice in battle. Practical measures were outlined to strengthen morale and discipline among the troops. “It’s time to end the retreat,” the order noted. - No step back!" This slogan embodied the essence of order No. 227. Commanders and political workers were given the task of bringing to the consciousness of every soldier the requirements of this order.

The stubborn resistance of the Soviet troops forced the Nazi command on July 31 to turn the 4th Tank Army (Colonel General G. Hoth) from the Caucasus direction to Stalingrad. On August 2, its advanced units approached Kotelnikovsky. In this regard, there was a direct threat of an enemy breakthrough to the city from the southwest. Fighting broke out on the southwestern approaches to it. To strengthen the defense of Stalingrad, by decision of the front commander, the 57th Army was deployed on the southern front of the outer defensive perimeter. The 51st Army was transferred to the Stalingrad Front (Major General T.K. Kolomiets, from October 7 - Major General N.I. Trufanov).

The situation in the 62nd Army zone was difficult. On August 7-9, the enemy pushed her troops beyond the Don River, and encircled four divisions west of Kalach. Soviet soldiers fought in encirclement until August 14, and then in small groups they began to fight their way out of encirclement. Three divisions of the 1st Guards Army (Major General K. S. Moskalenko, from September 28 - Major General I. M. Chistyakov) arrived from the Headquarters Reserve and launched a counterattack on the enemy troops and stopped their further advance.

Thus, the German plan - to break through to Stalingrad with a swift blow on the move - was thwarted by the stubborn resistance of Soviet troops in the large bend of the Don and their active defense on the southwestern approaches to the city. During the three weeks of the offensive, the enemy was able to advance only 60-80 km. Based on an assessment of the situation, the Nazi command made significant adjustments to its plan.

On August 19, Nazi troops resumed their offensive, striking in the general direction of Stalingrad. On August 22, the 6th German Army crossed the Don and captured a 45 km wide bridgehead on its eastern bank, in the Peskovatka area, on which six divisions were concentrated. On August 23, the enemy's 14th Tank Corps broke through to the Volga north of Stalingrad, in the area of ​​the village of Rynok, and cut off the 62nd Army from the rest of the forces of the Stalingrad Front. The day before, enemy aircraft launched a massive air strike on Stalingrad, carrying out about 2 thousand sorties. As a result, the city suffered terrible destruction - entire neighborhoods were turned into ruins or simply wiped off the face of the earth.

On September 13, the enemy went on the offensive along the entire front, trying to capture Stalingrad by storm. Soviet troops failed to contain his powerful onslaught. They were forced to retreat to the city, where fierce fighting broke out on the streets.

At the end of August and September, Soviet troops carried out a series of counterattacks in the southwestern direction to cut off the formations of the enemy's 14th Tank Corps, which had broken through to the Volga. When launching counterattacks, Soviet troops had to close the German breakthrough in the Kotluban and Rossoshka station area and eliminate the so-called “land bridge”. At the cost of enormous losses, Soviet troops managed to advance only a few kilometers.

“In the tank formations of the 1st Guards Army, out of 340 tanks that were available at the start of the offensive on September 18, by September 20 only 183 serviceable tanks remained, taking into account replenishment.” - Zharkoy F.M.

Battle in the city

By August 23, 1942, out of 400 thousand residents of Stalingrad, about 100 thousand were evacuated. On August 24, the Stalingrad City Defense Committee adopted a belated resolution on the evacuation of women, children and the wounded to the left bank of the Volga. All citizens, including women and children, worked to build trenches and other fortifications.

On August 23, the 4th Air Fleet carried out its longest and most destructive bombardment of the city. German aircraft destroyed the city, killed more than 90 thousand people, destroyed more than half of the housing stock of pre-war Stalingrad, thereby turning the city into a huge territory covered with burning ruins. The situation was aggravated by the fact that after the high-explosive bombs, German bombers dropped incendiary bombs. A huge fire whirlwind formed, which burned the central part of the city and all its inhabitants to the ground. The fire spread to other areas of Stalingrad, since most of the buildings in the city were built of wood or had wooden elements. Temperatures in many parts of the city, especially in its center, reached 1000 C. This would later be repeated in Hamburg, Dresden and Tokyo.

At 16:00 on August 23, 1942, the strike force of the 6th German Army broke through to the Volga near the northern outskirts of Stalingrad, in the area of ​​​​the villages of Latoshinka, Akatovka, and Rynok.

In the northern part of the city, near the village of Gumrak, the German 14th Tank Corps encountered resistance from Soviet anti-aircraft batteries of the 1077th regiment of Lieutenant Colonel V.S. German, whose gun crews included girls. The battle continued until the evening of August 23. By the evening of August 23, 1942, German tanks appeared in the area of ​​the tractor plant, 1-1.5 km from the factory workshops, and began shelling it. At this stage, Soviet defense relied heavily on the 10th Infantry Division of the NKVD and the people's militia, recruited from workers, firefighters, and policemen. The tractor plant continued to build tanks, which were manned by crews consisting of plant workers and immediately sent off the assembly lines into battle. A. S. Chuyanov told members of the film crew of the documentary “Pages of the Battle of Stalingrad” that when the enemy came to Mokraya Mechetka before organizing the defense line of Stalingrad, he was scared off by Soviet tanks that drove out of the gates of the tractor plant, and only drivers were sitting in them this plant without ammunition and crew. On August 23, the tank brigade named after the Stalingrad Proletariat advanced to the defense line north of the tractor plant in the area of ​​the Sukhaya Mechetka River. For about a week, the militia actively participated in defensive battles in the north of Stalingrad. Then gradually they began to be replaced by personnel units.

By September 1, 1942, the Soviet command could only provide its troops in Stalingrad with risky crossings across the Volga. In the midst of the ruins of the already destroyed city, the Soviet 62nd Army built defensive positions with firing points located in buildings and factories. Snipers and assault groups detained the enemy as best they could. The Germans, moving deeper into Stalingrad, suffered heavy losses. Soviet reinforcements were transported across the Volga from the eastern bank under constant bombardment and artillery fire.

From September 13 to 26, Wehrmacht units pushed back the troops of the 62nd Army and broke into the city center, and at the junction of the 62nd and 64th armies they broke through to the Volga. The river was completely under fire from German troops. Every ship and even a boat was hunted. Despite this, during the battle for the city, over 82 thousand soldiers and officers, a large amount of military equipment, food and other military cargo were transported from the left bank to the right bank, and about 52 thousand wounded and civilians were evacuated to the left bank.

The struggle for bridgeheads near the Volga, especially on Mamayev Kurgan and at factories in the northern part of the city, lasted more than two months. The battles for the Red October plant, the tractor plant and the Barrikady artillery plant became known throughout the world. While Soviet soldiers continued to defend their positions by firing at the Germans, factory workers repaired damaged Soviet tanks and weapons in the immediate vicinity of the battlefield, and sometimes on the battlefield itself. The specificity of battles at enterprises was the limited use of firearms due to the danger of ricocheting: battles were fought with the help of piercing, cutting and crushing objects, as well as hand-to-hand combat.

German military doctrine was based on the interaction of military branches in general and especially close interaction between infantry, sappers, artillery and dive bombers. In response, Soviet soldiers tried to position themselves tens of meters from enemy positions, in which case German artillery and aviation could not operate without the risk of hitting their own. Often the opponents were separated by a wall, floor or landing. In this case, the German infantry had to fight on equal terms with the Soviet infantry - rifles, grenades, bayonets and knives. The fight was for every street, every factory, every house, basement or staircase. Even individual buildings were included on the maps and given names: Pavlov's House, the Mill, the Department Store, the prison, the Zabolotny House, the Dairy House, the House of Specialists, the L-shaped House and others. The Red Army constantly carried out counterattacks, trying to recapture previously lost positions. Mamaev Kurgan and the railway station changed hands several times. The assault groups of both sides tried to use any passages to the enemy - sewers, basements, tunnels.

Street fighting in Stalingrad.

On both sides, the combatants were supported by a large number of artillery batteries (Soviet large-caliber artillery operated from the eastern bank of the Volga), up to 600-mm mortars.

Soviet snipers, using the ruins as cover, also inflicted heavy losses on the Germans. Sniper Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev during the battle destroyed 225 enemy soldiers and officers (including 11 snipers).

For both Stalin and Hitler, the battle for Stalingrad became a matter of prestige in addition to the strategic importance of the city. The Soviet command moved Red Army reserves from Moscow to the Volga, and also transferred air forces from almost the entire country to the Stalingrad area.

On the morning of October 14, the German 6th Army launched a decisive offensive against the Soviet bridgeheads near the Volga. It was supported by more than a thousand aircraft of the 4th Luftwaffe Air Fleet. The concentration of German troops was unprecedented - on a front of only about 4 km, three infantry and two tank divisions were advancing on the tractor plant and the Barricades plant. Soviet units stubbornly defended themselves, supported by artillery fire from the eastern bank of the Volga and from the ships of the Volga military flotilla. However, the artillery on the left bank of the Volga began to experience a shortage of ammunition in connection with the preparation of the Soviet counteroffensive. On November 9, the cold weather began, the air temperature dropped to minus 18 degrees. Crossing the Volga became extremely difficult due to ice floes floating on the river, and the troops of the 62nd Army experienced an acute shortage of ammunition and food. By the end of the day on November 11, German troops managed to capture the southern part of the Barricades plant and, in a 500 m wide area, break through to the Volga, the 62nd Army now held three small bridgeheads isolated from each other (the smallest of which was Lyudnikov Island). The divisions of the 62nd Army, after suffering losses, numbered only 500-700 people. But the German divisions also suffered huge losses, in many units more than 40% of their personnel were killed in battle.

Preparing Soviet troops for a counteroffensive

The Don Front was formed on September 30, 1942. It included: 1st Guards, 21st, 24th, 63rd and 66th Armies, 4th Tank Army, 16th Air Army. Lieutenant General K.K. Rokossovsky, who took command, actively began to fulfill the “old dream” of the right flank of the Stalingrad Front - to encircle the German 14th Tank Corps and connect with units of the 62nd Army.

Having taken command, Rokossovsky found the newly formed front on the offensive - following the order of the Headquarters, on September 30 at 5:00, after artillery preparation, units of the 1st Guards, 24th and 65th armies went on the offensive. Heavy fighting raged for two days. But, as noted in the TsAMO document, parts of the armies did not advance, and moreover, as a result of German counterattacks, several heights were abandoned. By October 2, the offensive had run out of steam.

But here, from the reserve of the Headquarters, the Don Front receives seven fully equipped rifle divisions (277, 62, 252, 212, 262, 331, 293 infantry divisions). The command of the Don Front decides to use fresh forces for a new offensive. On October 4, Rokossovsky ordered the development of a plan for an offensive operation, and on October 6 the plan was ready. The date of the operation was set for October 10. But by this time several events occur.

On October 5, 1942, Stalin, in a telephone conversation with A.I. Eremenko, sharply criticized the leadership of the Stalingrad Front and demanded that immediate measures be taken to stabilize the front and subsequently defeat the enemy. In response to this, on October 6, Eremenko made a report to Stalin about the situation and considerations for further actions of the front. The first part of this document is justification and blaming the Don Front (“they had high hopes for help from the north,” etc.). In the second part of the report, Eremenko proposes to conduct an operation to encircle and destroy German units near Stalingrad. There, for the first time, it was proposed to encircle the 6th Army with flank attacks on Romanian units and, after breaking through the fronts, to unite in the Kalach-on-Don area.

Headquarters considered Eremenko's plan, but then considered it impracticable (the depth of the operation was too great, etc.). In fact, the idea of ​​launching a counteroffensive was discussed as early as September 12 by Stalin, Zhukov and Vasilevsky, and by September 13 preliminary outlines of a plan were prepared and presented to Stalin, which included the creation of the Don Front. And Zhukov’s command of the 1st Guards, 24th and 66th armies was accepted on August 27, simultaneously with his appointment as Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The 1st Guards Army was part of the Southwestern Front at that time, and the 24th and 66th Armies, specifically for the operation entrusted to Zhukov to push the enemy away from the northern regions of Stalingrad, were withdrawn from the Headquarters reserve. After the creation of the front, its command was entrusted to Rokossovsky, and Zhukov was tasked with preparing the offensive of the Kalinin and Western Fronts in order to tie down the German forces so that they could not transfer them to support Army Group South.

As a result, the Headquarters proposed the following option for encircling and defeating German troops at Stalingrad: the Don Front was proposed to deliver the main blow in the direction of Kotluban, break through the front and reach the Gumrak region. At the same time, the Stalingrad Front is launching an offensive from the Gornaya Polyana area to Elshanka, and after breaking through the front, units move to the Gumrak area, where they join forces with units of the Don Front. In this operation, the front command was allowed to use fresh units: Don Front - 7 rifle divisions (277, 62, 252, 212, 262, 331, 293), Stalingrad Front - 7th Rifle Corps, 4th Cavalry Corps). On October 7, General Staff Directive No. 170644 was issued on conducting an offensive operation on two fronts to encircle the 6th Army; the start of the operation was scheduled for October 20.

Thus, it was planned to encircle and destroy only the German troops fighting directly in Stalingrad (14th Tank Corps, 51st and 4th Infantry Corps, about 12 divisions in total).

The command of the Don Front was dissatisfied with this directive. On October 9, Rokossovsky presented his plan for the offensive operation. He referred to the impossibility of breaking through the front in the Kotluban area. According to his calculations, 4 divisions were required for a breakthrough, 3 divisions to develop a breakthrough, and 3 more to cover from enemy attacks; thus, seven fresh divisions were clearly not enough. Rokossovsky proposed delivering the main blow in the Kuzmichi area (height 139.7), that is, according to the same old scheme: encircle units of the 14th Tank Corps, connect with the 62nd Army and only after that move to Gumrak to link up with units of 64 th army. The headquarters of the Don Front planned 4 days for this: from October 20 to 24. The “Oryol salient” of the Germans had haunted Rokossovsky since August 23, so he decided to first deal with this “callus” and then complete the complete encirclement of the enemy.

The Stavka did not accept Rokossovsky's proposal and recommended that he prepare the operation according to the Stavka plan; however, he was allowed to conduct a private operation against the Oryol group of Germans on October 10, without attracting fresh forces.

On October 9, units of the 1st Guards Army, as well as the 24th and 66th armies began an offensive in the direction of Orlovka. The advancing group was supported by 42 Il-2 attack aircraft, covered by 50 fighters of the 16th Air Army. The first day of the offensive ended in vain. The 1st Guards Army (298, 258, 207) had no advance, but the 24th Army advanced 300 meters. The 299th Infantry Division (66th Army), advancing to height 127.7, having suffered heavy losses, made no progress. On October 10, the offensive attempts continued, but by the evening they finally weakened and stopped. The next “operation to eliminate the Oryol group” failed. As a result of this offensive, the 1st Guards Army was disbanded due to losses incurred. Having transferred the remaining units of the 24th Army, the command was transferred to the reserve of Headquarters.

Soviet offensive (Operation Uranus)

On November 19, 1942, the Red Army began its offensive as part of Operation Uranus. On November 23, in the Kalach area, an encirclement ring closed around the 6th Army of the Wehrmacht. It was not possible to completely implement the Uranus plan, since it was not possible to split the 6th Army into two parts from the very beginning (with the attack of the 24th Army between the Volga and Don rivers). Attempts to liquidate those surrounded on the move under these conditions also failed, despite a significant superiority in forces - the superior tactical training of the Germans was telling. However, the 6th Army was isolated and its fuel, ammunition and food supplies were progressively dwindling, despite attempts to supply it by air by the 4th Air Fleet under the command of Wolfram von Richthofen.

Operation Wintergewitter

The newly formed Wehrmacht Army Group Don, under the command of Field Marshal Manstein, attempted to break through the blockade of the encircled troops (Operation Wintergewitter (German: Wintergewitter, Winter Storm). It was originally planned to begin on December 10, but the offensive actions of the Red Army on the outer front of the encirclement forced the start to be postponed operations on December 12. By this date, the Germans managed to present only one full-fledged tank formation - the 6th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht and (from the infantry formations) the remnants of the defeated 4th Romanian Army.These units were subordinate to the control of the 4th Panzer Army under the command of G. Gotha During the offensive, the group was reinforced by the very battered 11th and 17th tank divisions and three air field divisions.

By December 19, units of the 4th Tank Army, which had actually broken through the defensive formations of the Soviet troops, encountered the 2nd Guards Army, which had just been transferred from the Headquarters reserve, under the command of R. Ya. Malinovsky, which included two rifle and one mechanized corps.

Operation Little Saturn

According to the plan of the Soviet command, after the defeat of the 6th Army, the forces involved in Operation Uranus turned west and advanced towards Rostov-on-Don as part of Operation Saturn. At the same time, the southern wing of the Voronezh Front attacked the Italian 8th Army north of Stalingrad and advanced directly west (towards the Donets) with an auxiliary attack to the southwest (towards Rostov-on-Don), covering the northern flank of the Southwestern front during a hypothetical offensive. However, due to the incomplete implementation of “Uranus”, “Saturn” was replaced by “Little Saturn”.

A breakthrough to Rostov-on-Don (due to Zhukov’s diversion of the bulk of the Red Army troops to carry out the unsuccessful offensive operation “Mars” near Rzhev, as well as due to the lack of seven armies pinned down by the 6th Army at Stalingrad) was no longer planned.

The Voronezh Front, together with the Southwestern Front and part of the forces of the Stalingrad Front, had the goal of pushing the enemy 100-150 km west of the encircled 6th Army and defeating the 8th Italian Army (Voronezh Front). The offensive was planned to begin on December 10, but problems associated with the delivery of new units necessary for the operation (those available on the site were tied up at Stalingrad) led to the fact that A. M. Vasilevsky authorized (with the knowledge of I. V. Stalin) a postponement of the start operations on December 16. On December 16-17, the German front on Chira and on the positions of the 8th Italian Army was broken through, and Soviet tank corps rushed into the operational depths. Manstein reports that of the Italian divisions, only one light and one or two infantry divisions offered any serious resistance; the headquarters of the 1st Romanian Corps fled in panic from their command post. By the end of December 24, Soviet troops reached the Millerovo, Tatsinskaya, Morozovsk line. In eight days of fighting, the front's mobile troops advanced 100-200 km. However, in the mid-20s of December, operational reserves (four well-equipped German tank divisions), initially intended to strike during Operation Wintergewitter, began to approach Army Group Don, which later became, according to Manstein himself, the reason for it failure.

By December 25, these reserves launched counterattacks, during which they cut off V. M. Badanov’s 24th Tank Corps, which had just broken into the airfield in Tatsinskaya (about 300 German aircraft were destroyed at the airfield and in trains at the station). By December 30, the corps broke out of the encirclement, refueling the tanks with a mixture of aviation gasoline captured at the airfield and motor oil. By the end of December, the advancing troops of the Southwestern Front reached the line of Novaya Kalitva, Markovka, Millerovo, Chernyshevskaya. As a result of the Middle Don operation, the main forces of the 8th Italian Army were defeated (with the exception of the Alpine Corps, which was not hit), the defeat of the 3rd Romanian Army was completed, and great damage was inflicted on the Hollidt task force. 17 divisions and three brigades of the fascist bloc were destroyed or suffered heavy damage. 60,000 enemy soldiers and officers were captured. The defeat of the Italian and Romanian troops created the preconditions for the Red Army to launch an offensive in the Kotelnikovsky direction, where the troops of the 2nd Guards and 51st armies reached the Tormosin, Zhukovskaya, Kommisarovsky line by December 31, advancing 100-150 km and completed the defeat of the 4th th Romanian Army and pushed back units of the newly formed 4th Tank Army 200 km from Stalingrad. After this, the front line temporarily stabilized, since neither the Soviet nor the German troops had enough forces to break through the enemy’s tactical defense zone.

Combat during Operation Ring

The commander of the 62nd Army V.I. Chuikov presents the guards banner to the commander of the 39th Guards. SD S.S. Guryev. Stalingrad, Red October plant, January 3, 1943

On December 27, N.N. Voronov sent the first version of the “Ring” plan to the Supreme Command Headquarters. Headquarters, in Directive No. 170718 of December 28, 1942 (signed by Stalin and Zhukov), demanded changes to the plan so that it would provide for the dismemberment of the 6th Army into two parts before its destruction. Corresponding changes have been made to the plan. On January 10, the offensive of the Soviet troops began, the main blow was delivered in the zone of the 65th Army of General Batov. However, German resistance turned out to be so serious that the offensive had to be temporarily stopped. From January 17 to 22, the offensive was suspended for regrouping, new attacks on January 22-26 led to the dismemberment of the 6th Army into two groups (Soviet troops united in the Mamayev Kurgan area), by January 31 the southern group was eliminated (the command and headquarters of the 6th was captured 1st Army led by Paulus), by February 2 the northern group of those surrounded under the command of the commander of the 11th Army Corps, Colonel General Karl Strecker, capitulated. Shooting in the city continued until February 3 - the Hiwis resisted even after the German surrender on February 2, 1943, since they were not in danger of being captured. The liquidation of the 6th Army, according to the “Ring” plan, was supposed to be completed in a week, but in reality it lasted 23 days. (The 24th Army withdrew from the front on January 26 and was sent to the General Headquarters reserve).

In total, more than 2,500 officers and 24 generals of the 6th Army were captured during Operation Ring. In total, over 91 thousand Wehrmacht soldiers and officers were captured, of which no more than 20% returned to Germany at the end of the war - the majority died of exhaustion, dysentery and other diseases. The trophies of the Soviet troops from January 10 to February 2, 1943, according to a report from the headquarters of the Don Front, were 5,762 guns, 1,312 mortars, 12,701 machine guns, 156,987 rifles, 10,722 machine guns, 744 aircraft, 166 tanks, 261 armored vehicles, 80,438 cars, 10 67 9 motorcycles , 240 tractors, 571 tractors, 3 armored trains and other military equipment.

A total of twenty German divisions capitulated: 14th, 16th and 24th Panzer, 3rd, 29th and 60th Motorized Infantry, 100th Jäger, 44th, 71st, 76th I, 79th, 94th, 113th, 295th, 297th, 305th, 371st, 376th, 384th, 389th infantry divisions. In addition, the Romanian 1st Cavalry and 20th Infantry Divisions surrendered. The Croatian regiment surrendered as part of the 100th Jaeger. The 91st air defense regiment, the 243rd and 245th separate assault gun battalions, and the 2nd and 51st rocket mortar regiments also capitulated.

Air supply to the encircled group

Hitler, after consulting with the leadership of the Luftwaffe, decided to arrange air transport for the encircled troops. A similar operation had already been carried out by German aviators who supplied troops in the Demyansk cauldron. To maintain acceptable combat effectiveness of the encircled units, daily deliveries of 700 tons of cargo were required. The Luftwaffe promised to provide daily supplies of 300 tons. Cargo was delivered to the airfields: Bolshaya Rossoshka, Basargino, Gumrak, Voroponovo and Pitomnik - the largest in the ring. The seriously wounded were taken out on return flights. Under successful circumstances, the Germans managed to make more than 100 flights per day to the encircled troops. The main bases for supplying the blocked troops were Tatsinskaya, Morozovsk, Tormosin and Bogoyavlenskaya. But as the Soviet troops advanced westward, the Germans had to move their supply bases further and further from Paulus’s troops: to Zverevo, Shakhty, Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Novocherkassk, Mechetinskaya and Salsk. At the last stage, airfields in Artyomovsk, Gorlovka, Makeevka and Stalino were used.

Soviet troops actively fought against air traffic. Both supply airfields and others located in the surrounded territory were subjected to bombing and attack. To combat enemy aircraft, Soviet aviation used patrolling, airfield duty, and free hunting. At the beginning of December, the system of combating enemy air transport organized by Soviet troops was based on division into zones of responsibility. The first zone included the territories from which the encircled group was supplied; units of the 17th and 8th VA operated here. The second zone was located around Paulus' troops over territory controlled by the Red Army. Two belts of guidance radio stations were created in it; the zone itself was divided into 5 sectors, one fighter air division in each (102 IAD air defense and divisions of the 8th and 16th VA). The third zone, where anti-aircraft artillery was located, also surrounded the blocked group. It was 15-30 km deep, and at the end of December it contained 235 small and medium caliber guns and 241 anti-aircraft machine guns. The area occupied by the encircled group belonged to the fourth zone, where units of the 8th, 16th VA and the night regiment of the air defense division operated. To counter night flights near Stalingrad, one of the first Soviet aircraft with an airborne radar was used, which was subsequently put into mass production.

Due to increasing opposition from the Soviet Air Force, the Germans had to switch from flying during the day to flying in difficult weather conditions and at night, when there was a greater chance of flying undetected. On January 10, 1943, an operation began to destroy the encircled group, as a result of which on January 14, the defenders abandoned the main airfield of Pitomnik, and on the 21st and last airfield - Gumrak, after which the cargo was dropped by parachute. A landing site near the village of Stalingradsky operated for a few more days, but it was accessible only to small aircraft; On the 26th, landing on it became impossible. During the period of air supply to the encircled troops, an average of 94 tons of cargo was delivered per day. On the most successful days, the value reached 150 tons of cargo. Hans Doerr estimates the Luftwaffe's losses in this operation at 488 aircraft and 1,000 flight personnel and believes that these were the largest losses since the air operation against England.

Results of the battle

The victory of Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad is the largest military-political event during the Second World War. The Great Battle, which ended in the encirclement, defeat and capture of a selected enemy group, made a huge contribution to achieving a radical turning point during the Great Patriotic War and had a serious impact on the further course of the entire Second World War.

In the Battle of Stalingrad, new features of the military art of the USSR Armed Forces manifested themselves with all their might. Soviet operational art was enriched by the experience of encircling and destroying the enemy.

An important component of the success of the Red Army was the set of measures for the military-economic support of the troops.

The victory at Stalingrad had a decisive influence on the further course of the Second World War. As a result of the battle, the Red Army firmly seized the strategic initiative and now dictated its will to the enemy. This changed the nature of the actions of German troops in the Caucasus, in the areas of Rzhev and Demyansk. The attacks of the Soviet troops forced the Wehrmacht to give the order to prepare the Eastern Wall, which was supposed to stop the advance of the Soviet Army.

During the Battle of Stalingrad, the 3rd and 4th Romanian armies (22 divisions), the 8th Italian army and the Italian Alpine Corps (10 divisions), the 2nd Hungarian army (10 divisions), and the Croatian regiment were defeated. The 6th and 7th Romanian Army Corps, part of the 4th Panzer Army, which were not destroyed, were completely demoralized. As Manstein notes: “Dimitrescu was powerless alone to fight the demoralization of his troops. There was nothing left to do but take them off and send them to the rear, to their homeland.” In the future, Germany could not count on new conscription contingents from Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. She had to use the remaining Allied divisions only for rear service, fighting partisans and in some secondary sectors of the front.

The following were destroyed in the Stalingrad cauldron:

As part of the 6th German Army: the headquarters of the 8th, 11th, 51st Army and 14th Tank Corps; 44, 71, 76, 113, 295, 305, 376, 384, 389, 394 infantry divisions, 100th mountain rifle, 14, 16 and 24 tank, 3rd and 60th motorized, 1st Romanian cavalry, 9 1st Air Defense Division.

As part of the 4th Tank Army, the headquarters of the 4th Army Corps; 297 and 371 infantry, 29 motorized, 1st and 20th Romanian infantry divisions. Most of the artillery of the RGK, units of the Todt organization, large forces of the engineering units of the RGK.

Also the 48th Tank Corps (first composition) - 22nd Tank, Romanian tank division.

Outside the cauldron, 5 divisions of the 2nd Army and the 24th Tank Corps were destroyed (lost 50-70% of their strength). The 57th Tank Corps from Army Group A, the 48th Tank Corps (second-strength), and the divisions of the Gollidt, Kempff, and Fretter-Picot groups suffered enormous losses. Several airfield divisions and a large number of individual units and formations were destroyed.

In March 1943, in Army Group South, in a sector of 700 km from Rostov-on-Don to Kharkov, taking into account the reinforcements received, only 32 divisions remained.

As a result of actions to supply the troops encircled at Stalingrad and several smaller pockets, German aviation was greatly weakened.

The outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad caused confusion and confusion in the Axis countries. A crisis began in the pro-fascist regimes in Italy, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. Germany's influence on its allies sharply weakened, and disagreements between them noticeably worsened. The desire to maintain neutrality has intensified in Turkish political circles. Elements of restraint and alienation began to prevail in the relations of neutral countries towards Germany.

As a result of the defeat, Germany faced the problem of restoring the losses incurred in equipment and people. The head of the economic department of the OKW, General G. Thomas, stated that the losses in equipment were equivalent to the amount of military equipment of 45 divisions from all branches of the military and were equal to the losses for the entire previous period of fighting on the Soviet-German front. Goebbels declared at the end of January 1943, “Germany will be able to withstand Russian attacks only if it manages to mobilize its last human reserves.” Losses in tanks and vehicles amounted to six months of the country's production, in artillery - three months, in small arms and mortars - two months.

The Soviet Union established the medal “For the Defense of Stalingrad”; as of January 1, 1995, it had been awarded to 759,561 people. In Germany, after the defeat in Stalingrad, three days of mourning were declared.

German general Kurt von Tipelskirch in his book “History of the Second World War” assesses the defeat at Stalingrad as follows:

“The result of the offensive was stunning: one German and three allied armies were destroyed, three other German armies suffered heavy losses. At least fifty German and Allied divisions no longer existed. The remaining losses amounted to a total of another twenty-five divisions. A large amount of equipment was lost - tanks, self-propelled guns, light and heavy artillery and heavy infantry weapons. Losses in equipment were, of course, significantly greater than those of the enemy. The losses in personnel should have been considered very heavy, especially since the enemy, even if he suffered serious losses, still had significantly larger human reserves. Germany's prestige in the eyes of its allies was greatly shaken. Since an irreparable defeat was inflicted at the same time in North Africa, the hope for a general victory collapsed. The morale of the Russians has risen high."

Reaction in the world

Many statesmen and politicians highly praised the victory of the Soviet troops. In a message to J.V. Stalin (February 5, 1943), F. Roosevelt called the Battle of Stalingrad an epic struggle, the decisive result of which is celebrated by all Americans. On May 17, 1944, Roosevelt sent Stalingrad a letter:

“On behalf of the people of the United States of America, I present this certificate to the city of Stalingrad to commemorate our admiration for its valiant defenders, whose courage, fortitude and selflessness during the siege from September 13, 1942 to January 31, 1943 will forever inspire the hearts of all free people. Their glorious victory stopped the tide of invasion and became a turning point in the war of the allied nations against the forces of aggression.”

British Prime Minister W. Churchill, in a message to J.V. Stalin on February 1, 1943, called the victory of the Soviet Army at Stalingrad amazing. King George VI of Great Britain sent Stalingrad a dedicatory sword, on the blade of which the inscription was engraved in Russian and English:

"To the citizens of Stalingrad, strong as steel, from King George VI as a sign of the deep admiration of the British people."

At a conference in Tehran, Churchill presented the Sword of Stalingrad to the Soviet delegation. The blade was engraved with the inscription: "A gift from King George VI to the staunch defenders of Stalingrad as a sign of respect from the British people." Presenting the gift, Churchill made a heartfelt speech. Stalin took the sword with both hands, raised it to his lips and kissed the scabbard. When the Soviet leader handed over the relic to Marshal Voroshilov, the sword fell out of its sheath and fell to the floor with a crash. This unfortunate incident somewhat overshadowed the triumph of the moment.

During the battle, and especially after its end, the activity of public organizations in the USA, England, and Canada intensified, advocating more effective assistance to the Soviet Union. For example, New York union members raised $250,000 to build a hospital in Stalingrad. The Chairman of the United Garment Workers Union said:

“We are proud that the workers of New York will establish a connection with Stalingrad, which will live in history as a symbol of the immortal courage of a great people and whose defense was a turning point in the struggle of mankind against oppression ... Every Red Army soldier who defends his Soviet land by killing a Nazi saves the lives of American soldiers. We will remember this when calculating our debt to the Soviet ally.”

American astronaut Donald Slayton, a participant in World War II, recalled:

“When the Nazis surrendered, our jubilation knew no bounds. Everyone understood that this was a turning point in the war, this was the beginning of the end of fascism.”

The victory at Stalingrad had a significant impact on the lives of the occupied peoples and instilled hope for liberation. A drawing appeared on the walls of many Warsaw houses - a heart pierced by a large dagger. On the heart is the inscription “Great Germany”, and on the blade is “Stalingrad”.

Speaking on February 9, 1943, the famous French anti-fascist writer Jean-Richard Bloch said:

“...listen, Parisians! The first three divisions that invaded Paris in June 1940, the three divisions that, at the invitation of the French General Denz, desecrated our capital, these three divisions - the hundredth, one hundred and thirteenth and two hundred and ninety-fifth - no longer exist! They were destroyed at Stalingrad: the Russians avenged Paris. The Russians are taking revenge for France!

The victory of the Soviet Army highly raised the political and military prestige of the Soviet Union. Former Nazi generals in their memoirs recognized the enormous military-political significance of this victory. G. Doerr wrote:

“For Germany, the battle of Stalingrad was the worst defeat in its history, for Russia - its greatest victory. At Poltava (1709), Russia achieved the right to be called a great European power; Stalingrad was the beginning of its transformation into one of the two greatest world powers.”

Prisoners

Soviet: The total number of captured Soviet soldiers for the period July 1942 - February 1943 is unknown, but due to the difficult retreat after the lost battles in the Don bend and on the Volgodonsk isthmus, the count is no less than tens of thousands. The fate of these soldiers is different depending on whether they found themselves outside or inside the Stalingrad “cauldron”. The prisoners who were inside the cauldron were kept in the Rossoshki, Pitomnik, and Dulag-205 camps. After the encirclement of the Wehrmacht, due to a lack of food, on December 5, 1942, the prisoners were no longer fed and almost all of them died within three months from hunger and cold. During the liberation of the territory, the Soviet army managed to save only a few hundred people who were in a dying state of exhaustion.

Wehrmacht and allies: The total number of captured soldiers of the Wehrmacht and their allies for the period July 1942 - February 1943 is unknown, so the prisoners were taken on different fronts and were held according to different accounting documents. The exact number of those captured at the final stage of the battle in the city of Stalingrad from January 10 to February 22, 1943 is precisely known - 91,545 people, of which about 2,500 officers, 24 generals and Field Marshal Paulus. This figure includes military personnel from European countries and labor organizations of Todt who took part in the battle on the side of Germany. Citizens of the USSR who went over to serve the enemy and served the Wehrmacht as “hiwis” are not included in this figure, as they were considered criminals. The number of captured Hiwis out of 20,880 who were in the 6th Army on October 24, 1942 is unknown.

To hold prisoners, Camp No. 108 was urgently created with its center in the Stalingrad workers' village of Beketovka. Almost all the prisoners were in an extremely exhausted state; they had been receiving rations on the verge of starvation for 3 months, since the November encirclement. Therefore, the mortality rate among them was extremely high - by June 1943, 27,078 of them had died, 35,099 were being treated in Stalingrad camp hospitals, and 28,098 people were sent to hospitals in other camps. Only about 20 thousand people were able to work in construction due to health reasons; these people were divided into construction teams and distributed among construction sites. After the peak of the first 3 months, mortality returned to normal, and 1,777 people died between July 10, 1943 and January 1, 1949. The prisoners worked a regular working day and received a salary for their work (until 1949, 8,976,304 man-days were worked, a salary of 10,797,011 rubles was issued), for which they bought food and household essentials in camp stores. The last prisoners of war were released to Germany in 1949, except for those who received criminal sentences for personally committed war crimes.

Memory

The Battle of Stalingrad, as a turning point in World War II, had a great influence on world history. In cinema, literature, and music, the theme of Stalingrad is constantly addressed; the word “Stalingrad” itself has acquired numerous meanings. In many cities around the world there are streets, avenues, and squares associated with the memory of the battle. Stalingrad and Coventry became the first sister cities in 1943, giving birth to this international movement. One of the elements of the linkage of sister cities is the name of the streets with the name of the city, therefore in the sister cities of Volgograd there are Stalingradskaya streets (some of them were renamed Volgogradskaya as part of de-Stalinization). Names associated with Stalingrad were given to: the Parisian metro station "Stalingrad", the asteroid "Stalingrad", the type of cruiser Stalingrad.

Most of the monuments to the Battle of Stalingrad are located in Volgograd, the most famous of them are part of the Battle of Stalingrad Museum-Reserve: “The Motherland Calls!” on Mamayev Kurgan, panorama “The defeat of the Nazi troops at Stalingrad”, Gerhardt’s mill. In 1995, in the Gorodishchensky district of the Volgograd region, the Rossoshki soldiers’ cemetery was created, where there is a German section with a memorial sign and the graves of German soldiers.

The Battle of Stalingrad left a significant number of documentary literary works. On the Soviet side, there are memoirs of the First Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief Zhukov, the commander of the 62nd Army Chuikov, the head of the Stalingrad region Chuyanov, the commander of the 13th Guards Rifle Division Rodimtsev. “Soldier's” memories are presented by Afanasyev, Pavlov, Nekrasov. Stalingrad resident Yuri Panchenko, who survived the battle as a teenager, wrote the book “163 days on the streets of Stalingrad.” On the German side, the memories of the commanders are presented in the memoirs of the commander of the 6th Army, Paulus, and the head of the personnel department of the 6th Army, Adam; the soldier’s vision of the battle is presented in the books of Wehrmacht fighters Edelbert Holl and Hans Doerr. After the war, historians from different countries published documentary literature on the study of the battle; among Russian writers, the topic was studied by Alexey Isaev, Alexander Samsonov, and in foreign literature they often refer to the writer-historian Beevor.

While some may consider D-Day to be the point at which World War II turned the tide in favor of the Allies, in reality the Nazis ran out of steam and began to retreat during the Battle of Stalingrad, which took place more than a year and a half earlier. Without a doubt, the Battle of Stalingrad was the most brutal battle of World War II and the fiercest battle in military history. The result of this battle buried Hitler's dream of a world empire and marked the beginning of the end for the Nazis. Without this battle, the Allied landings in Europe might not have happened at all. Now let's take a closer look at some of the events of this battle.

1. Losses


To fully understand the true scale, cruelty and importance of the Battle of Stalingrad, we must start at the end - with the losses. This was the bloodiest battle of the entire war, which lasted almost seven months, from mid-July 1942 to February 2, 1943, and in which not only Red Army soldiers and Nazis took part, but also Romanians, Hungarians, Italians, as well as some Russian conscripts. In this battle, more than 840 thousand Axis soldiers died, disappeared or were captured, while the Soviet Union lost more than 1.1 million people. During the battle, over 40 thousand Soviet civilians were also killed. Stalin himself strictly prohibited evacuation from Stalingrad, believing that Soviet soldiers would fight better knowing that they also had to protect the city's inhabitants.

By comparison, during the Allied landings in Europe and the subsequent invasion of Normandy, about 425 thousand soldiers died or disappeared on both sides. At the same time, in Stalingrad, of the approximately 91 thousand Germans who survived until February 2 and surrendered that day, only about 6,000 returned home at all. Others were dying of starvation and exhaustion in Soviet labor camps even ten years after the end of World War II. The Axis forces—about 250 thousand people—trapped in Stalingrad found themselves in the most terrible conditions. With meager supplies and no suitable clothing for the harsh Russian winter, many died of starvation or extreme cold. On both sides, many soldiers were forced to engage in cannibalism to survive. The average life of a recruit in Stalingrad was one day, while a captain could live there for three days. Of course, the Battle of Stalingrad is the bloodiest battle in human history, claiming more lives than many other wars combined.

2. Reason for pride


Today the city is known as Volgograd, but until 1961 it was called Stalingrad in honor of the Soviet leader. So, as you can understand, the city was of great importance to both Hitler and Stalin. Of course, the Germans sought to capture the city not only because of its name, but it had its role here. The main goal of the Battle of Stalingrad was to protect the northern flank of the German army, which was sent south into the Caucasus Mountains towards Baku and other oil-rich areas. Oil was Germany's Achilles heel, so to speak, since more than 75% of the oil came from Romania, whose reserves were already running low by 1941. In this regard, in order to continue the war, the Nazis needed to capture some oil areas. The Nazis called this search for oil “Operation Blau.” It was part of the even larger Operation Barbarossa, the goal of which was the conquest of the Soviet Union.

Encouraged by the initial victories and the rapid movement of the Axis forces through the territory of modern Ukraine and southern Russia, Hitler decided to split his southern armies. While his northern armies were mainly focused on the siege of Leningrad (present-day St. Petersburg) and the capture of Moscow, the southern group of troops was tasked with capturing Stalingrad and the Caucasus. Modern Belarus and Ukraine were important industrial areas for the Soviet Union, and if it also lost oil fields, it would most likely capitulate. Since the Red Army had suffered heavy losses in previous battles, Hitler thought that Stalingrad would be an easy target. By and large, Stalingrad did not have much strategic importance, but Hitler wanted to take the city because of its name. In turn, Stalin, for the same reason, wanted to hold the city at any cost. As a result, Stalin emerged victorious from this battle, which became the first major victory and turning point in World War II. And because this victory took place in a city named after him, it was an important propaganda tool for Stalin for the rest of the war and the rest of his life.

3. Not a step back!


Signed by Joseph Stalin himself on July 28, 1942, Order No. 227 is better known as the “Not a Step Back!” Order. In the context of the catastrophic situation that arose during the Great Patriotic War, Stalin issued this decree to put an end to the mass desertion and unauthorized and chaotic retreats that had taken place up to that point. The West of the USSR, which included modern Ukraine and Belarus, was the most industrialized part of the country, as well as the so-called breadbasket of the Soviet state. Most of its civilian population lived in these areas, therefore, even despite the vast territory of the USSR, permanent retreat was not a solution. This order meant that no military commander should give any orders for retreat, regardless of the situation, in the absence of corresponding orders from higher command. Violators of this order were subject to trial by a military tribunal.

On each front, including Stalingrad, there should have been penal battalions. These battalions consisted of approximately 800 mid-level commanders with disciplinary problems, as well as ordinary soldiers who were under their command. The latter also included deserters, so-called cowards, or other troublemakers. These battalions were placed in the front ranks and were always sent into the most dangerous battles. In addition, there were also detachments. Each army had to have several such detachments, each with 200 soldiers. Their task was to stand in the rear guard and turn around or kill deserters or those who tried to retreat without appropriate orders. According to rough estimates, 13,500 “traitors to the Motherland” were killed in Stalingrad alone.

4. Tank T-34


Up until 1942, the Soviet Union lagged behind the Germans, as well as their Western allies, in terms of armored vehicles. However, development of the T-34 tank began back in 1939. By June 1941, there were only 1,200 T-34 tanks on the Eastern Front. However, by the end of the war their numbers had grown to more than 84,000 units. The previous model of the Soviet tank, the T-26, could not compete with the German Panzer III tanks. It moved slower, had weak armor and much less firepower. In 1941 alone, the Nazis destroyed more than 20,000 Russian T-26 tanks. But with the advent of the T-34 tank, the situation changed, and the Panzer III tanks were at a disadvantage.

The T-34 tank was not perfect by many standards, but it was nonetheless a weapon to be reckoned with. It was equipped with a V12 engine, which allowed it to reach speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour, and could also operate in sub-zero temperatures. It also had a 76.2 mm main gun and two machine guns. The T-34 tank had wider tracks than its predecessors and competitors, making it more maneuverable in seas of mud in the fall and spring and during heavy snowfalls in winter. But the most notable thing about the T-34 was its sloped armor, which gave the tank the protection it needed without increasing its overall weight. As the Germans soon learned, most of their shells simply bounced off his armor. The T-34 tank was the main reason for the development of the German Panther tank. In fact, the T-34 tank could be destroyed by throwing a grenade at it at close range or damaging its engine. This could also be done with heavy anti-aircraft artillery.

However, the most important advantage of the T-34 tank was the simplicity and low cost of its mass production. As you might expect, it was awkward and had a lot of imperfections. Many T-34 tanks were sent into battle directly from the factory assembly line. There was one such plant in Stalingrad itself. However, it was designed to be operated by a relatively inexperienced crew. This was precisely the main difference between the T-34 tank and its German counterparts. The first army of T-34 tanks was deployed in the counteroffensive that preceded the Battle of Stalingrad, on the banks of the Don.

As a result of this counter-offensive, the German army suffered heavy losses, and the attack on Stalingrad was delayed by almost three weeks. It also reduced the Nazis' resources and seriously damaged their morale. The Germans did not expect a Soviet counter-offensive at this stage of the war, let alone the appearance of new tanks.

5. Rat War


The attack on Stalingrad began with heavy aerial bombardment, turning the city into piles of charred ruins. An estimated 40,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the first week of the air attack. Soviet soldiers stubbornly refused to retreat to the eastern side of the Volga, knowing full well what this would mean for both their war effort and their lives. Civilians, including women and children, dug trenches sometimes ten meters from the Germans. With constant shelling and aerial bombardment, the Battle of Stalingrad soon turned into the “rat war,” as the Germans called it.

The battle for Stalingrad quickly turned into a fierce guerrilla war, in which countless soldiers on both sides died for every inch of urban territory. Before moving forward, it was necessary to clear every street, every basement, room, corridor or attic from enemy troops. There were cases when in multi-storey buildings the floors were occupied by Germans or Russians in turn. They shot at each other through holes in the floor. Nowhere was safe. Fierce fighting took place in the streets, in trenches, in sewers, in blown-up buildings and even on overhead industrial pipelines. The Germans' initial advantage in armor and air power diminished in this "rat war", which put the Russians in a more advantageous position.

6. Pavlov's House


Pavlov's house became a symbol representing the Russians' resistance to constant German attacks during the Battle of Stalingrad. It was a four-story apartment building overlooking the “9 January Square.” The house was of great strategic importance for the Russians, as it occupied a very advantageous position, giving its defenders a large 800-meter line of sight to the west, north and south. The house was named after junior sergeant Yakov Pavlov, who became a platoon commander of the 13th Guards Rifle Division after the death of all senior sergeants. Pavlov's platoon received reinforcements a few days after he began his duties, and its strength grew to 25 men. The platoon also received machine guns, anti-tank rifles and mortars.

Pavlov ordered his men to surround the building with four rows of barbed wire and mines and stationed a man with a machine gun in each window facing the square. Some mortars and anti-tank rifles were placed on the roof of the building. This turned out to be a great advantage, since German tanks trying to drive up to the building were shot down from above with guns. The tanks could not raise their guns to shoot at the roof. However, the Germans stormed the building day and night, trying to capture it once and for all. At the same time, the Russians breached the walls in the basement and connected it to a trench system that carried supplies from the other side of the river. However, water and food supplies were limited.

Under the command of Yakov Pavlov, the platoon resisted German attacks for almost two months, from September 27 to November 25, 1942. The commander of the Soviet forces in Stalingrad, General Vasily Chuikov, jokingly said that the Germans lost more soldiers and tanks in the attacks on Pavlov's house than in the capture of Paris.

7. Height 102


Closer to the center of Stalingrad is Mamayev Kurgan, which is a 102-meter-high hill, from which there is a good view of the surrounding city and suburbs, as well as the opposite, eastern, bank of the Volga. And, naturally, fierce battles were fought for him during the Battle of Stalingrad. The first attack on this hill (or Hill 102) took place on September 13, 1942. Before the German advance, the Russians surrounded the hill with trenches lined with barbed wire and mines. However, a day later both the hill and the railway station underneath were captured. More than 10,000 Soviet soldiers died in this battle. And just two days later, the Russians recaptured the hill. In fact, Mamayev Kurgan changed hands 14 times during the Battle of Stalingrad.

By the end of the fighting, the once steep hillsides had been leveled by almost continuous shelling. Throughout the winter there was almost never snow on the hill due to the many explosions. Even in spring, the hill remained black, since grass did not grow on the scorched earth. According to available data, from 500 to 1,250 metal fragments were found on every square meter of the hall. Even today people find shards of metal and human bones on the hillsides. Mamayev Kurgan is also the burial place of more than 35,000 civilians who died in the city, and more than 15,000 soldiers who defended this position. Vasily Chuikov is also buried there. He became the first marshal of the Soviet Union not buried in Moscow. In 1967, a colossal monument 87 meters high, known as “The Motherland Calls,” was also erected on the hill. (For comparison, the Statue of Liberty is only 46 meters tall.)

8. Grain elevator

The southern outskirts of the city mainly consisted of wooden houses. After German air raids dropped thousands of incendiary bombs, these houses were left in piles of rubble with charred beams and brick chimneys. But among the wooden houses there was a large, concrete grain elevator. The walls of this building were very thick and practically invulnerable to artillery fire. By September 17, the entire area was under German control - with the exception of the elevator and the 52 Soviet soldiers holed up in it. For three days, the Germans carried out at least 10 unsuccessful attacks per day.

During the day, the defenders of the elevator fired at the enemy from the roof with machine guns and anti-tank rifles. At night they fought at the base of the tower, repelling attacks from German soldiers who tried to get inside. On the second day, a German tank with a white flag drove up to the elevator. A German officer came out and, through an interpreter, demanded that the Russians surrender. Otherwise, he threatened to wipe them off the face of the earth along with the elevator. The Russians refused to surrender and knocked out a retreating tank with several anti-tank shells.

9. Extraordinary Soviet heroes


Vasily Zaitsev is one of the most notable heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad (if you have seen the film Enemy at the Gates, this name should be familiar to you, since he is its main character). Being a simple rural boy from the Urals, Zaitsev spent his childhood hunting deer and wolves with his grandfather in the mountains. After the Germans attacked the Soviet Union, Zaitsev volunteered for the front and eventually ended up in Stalingrad. He became the most famous among the snipers who participated in the battle for this city. He took a scope from an anti-tank rifle, mounted it on his Mosin rifle and killed enemy soldiers while hiding behind walls. During the Battle of Stalingrad he killed 225 Germans. He even organized a kind of sniper school, in which he trained 28 snipers.
The 1077th Air Defense Regiment did something similar. When the Germans launched an attack on Stalingrad from the north, the Russians were severely short of troops to repel it. And then the soldiers of this regiment lowered their guns as much as possible and began to shoot at the advancing Germans and held them off in this way for two days. Ultimately, all 37 guns were destroyed, their positions were overrun by the Germans, and the regiment suffered heavy losses. But it was only after the Germans finally overcame the resistance of the 1077th Air Defense Regiment that they learned that it was made up of girls who had barely finished school.

10. Operation Uranus


Operation Uranus was launched in mid-November 1942 and was aimed at encircling the German 6th Army in Stalingrad. The Soviet forces involved in this operation, numbering about a million soldiers, had to attack from two directions instead of fighting the Germans directly in the city. Soviet troops were supposed to attack the flanks of the German army, which were defended by the Romanians, Hungarians and Italians. They were short of ammunition and men, and the front line was too stretched. The Axis forces did not believe that the Russians were capable of such a powerful offensive and were taken by surprise. Ten days after the offensive began, two formations of Soviet troops met at Kalach, a city located about 100 kilometers west of Stalingrad, and the 6th Army was completely cut off. The German High Command urged Hitler to allow the army at Stalingrad to retreat and establish contact with supply lines, but Hitler would not hear of it.

With the onset of winter, supplies to the cut-off German army could only be carried out by air. This supply was far from sufficient. At the same time, the Volga froze, and the Russians could easily supply their troops. In December, Hitler ordered the start of Operation Winter Storm, which was an attempt to rescue the encircled army. Special military units were supposed to approach from the west and break through to Stalingrad. However, Hitler prohibited the forces in Stalingrad from attacking from the east, and the operation failed. By January, the Germans were surrounded by six Soviet armies, and a month later the remnants of the German army surrendered.