Stalingrad
Germans want the Oil fields of the Caucasus region
begin sept 1,1942
Germans capture much of the city in street to street fighting
nov 23, 1942 germans get trapped in the city
German Commander Von Poulus ordered to fight to the death
Between jan 31 and feb 2 300,000 german troops surrender
The major turning point on the eastern front of ww2
Largest battle in human history (2 million casualties)
begin sept 1,1942
Germans capture much of the city in street to street fighting
nov 23, 1942 germans get trapped in the city
German Commander Von Poulus ordered to fight to the death
Between jan 31 and feb 2 300,000 german troops surrender
The major turning point on the eastern front of ww2
Largest battle in human history (2 million casualties)
why was Stalingrad such an important place for the Russians?
For a previous generation, the Battle of Stalingrad, which began in the summer of 1942 and ended in January 1943, had a similar importance. In this most costly of military engagements, the Nazi army suffered not only its first major defeat, but one that essentially paved the way for the collapse of the Third Reich. The ability of the workers state to defeat the seemingly invincible fascist army lifted the morale of every antifascist and anticapitalist armed movement worldwide, from Mao's Red Army to the French Resistance. Despite the determination of Anglo-American imperialism to pick up where Hitler left off, the mood of resistance continued well into the 1950s as the Soviet Union remained a symbol of working-class power.
For those who had lost faith after the defeat of the Spanish Republic or with the signing of the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact, the victory at Stalingrad brought a sense of renewal. Painters, sculptors, novelists and poets found ways to express their admiration for the Soviet people, including Pablo Neruda who wrote "Nuevo Canto de Amor a Stalingrad" in honor of the victorious Russian people.
For those who had lost faith after the defeat of the Spanish Republic or with the signing of the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact, the victory at Stalingrad brought a sense of renewal. Painters, sculptors, novelists and poets found ways to express their admiration for the Soviet people, including Pablo Neruda who wrote "Nuevo Canto de Amor a Stalingrad" in honor of the victorious Russian people.