Battle of Stalingrad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Stalingrad |
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 The Barmaley Fountain, one of the symbols of Stalingrad, in 1943, right after the battle |
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 Soviet Union |
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The Battle of Stalingrad was fought during the Second World War between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. They were fighting for control of the city of Stalingrad. The battle was fought between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943.
It was one of the most important battles of the war because it marked the end of Germany's advances. Hitler even blamed his defeat partly on Stalingrad.
The Battle of Stalingrad has often been recorded as an example of how brutal a war can be. It is reported that, due to limited supplies, soldiers and civilians had to resort to eating rats and mice.
Stalingrad, now Volgograd, was a city on the Volga River. It was an important industrial city, and the Volga was an important transport route.
Hitler also wanted to capture Stalingrad because it was named after Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, thus it would embarrass him.
In June 1942, Adolf Hitler launched an attack in southern Russia. By the end of July the German army had reached Stalingrad. With bombs and fire the German Luftwaffe turned the city into ruins. However, the rubble made hiding places from which Russian snipers could attack the Germans. Hitler and Stalin sent in large numbers of soldiers. They both ordered that anyone who retreated would be shot on the spot for treason.
On 19 November 1942, the Red Army launched an attack which surrounded the Stalingrad area. Hitler ordered the army to stay there. The German air force tried to supply them by air. By February 1943, the German forces in Stalingrad had no ammunition and food. Rather than freeze, they surrendered.
The battle lasted five months, one week, and three days. About 2 million people dead or wounded in battle were reported. There were more Russian deaths than German, but it was a victory for the Russians. They had killed so many Germans that Hitler's overall plan to conquer the Soviet Union, started with Operation Barbarossa, was seriously weakened. Also, the Germans failed to get control of Russian oil fields.
Part of the German army were Russian volunteers called HIWIs.
Interesting facts about the Battle of Stalingrad
- The Battle of Stalingrad was the largest and deadliest battle in the history of warfare with around 2,000,000 casualties.
- It was a battle that took place in streets and buildings.
- Most of the city was destroyed by the German air force
- The events of the battle for Stalingrad have been shown in several films of German, Russian, British, and American origin.
- In the novel The Book Thief, one character was presumed to have died or been captured in The Battle of Stalingrad.
- Adolph Hitler was very angry at Friedrich Paulus for surrendering.
- While Friedrich Paulus was in Soviet captivity during the war he made radio broadcasts to the German soldiers telling them not to fight for the Nazi regime and to renouce Hitler as their leader.
- 40,000 civilians died in the battle.
- The battle lasted just over 5 months.
Images for kids
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Case Blue: German advances from 7 May 1942 to 18 November 1942 to 7 July 1942 to 22 July 1942 to 1 August 1942 to 18 November 1942
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The German advance to the Don River between 7 May and 23 July
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German infantry and a supporting StuG III assault gun during the battle
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The German advance to Stalingrad between 24 July and 18 November
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"Stalingrad-South", 1942 map from the German General Staff
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Smoke over the city center after aerial bombing by the German Luftwaffe on the central station
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German infantry in position for an attack.
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Soviets preparing to ward off a German assault in Stalingrad's suburbs
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German soldiers clearing the streets in Stalingrad
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Soviet soldiers running through trenches in the ruins of Stalingrad
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October 1942: A German soldier with a Soviet PPSh-41 submachine gun in Barrikady factory rubble
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German soldiers of the 24th Panzer Division in action during the fighting for the southern station of Stalingrad.
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Soviet assault troops in the battle
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Soviets defend a position.
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German soldiers positioning themselves for urban warfare (colourised)
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Soviet marines landing on the west bank of the Volga River
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Soil after the Battle of Stalingrad in the Vladimir Military Museum
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The Stalingrad Tractor Factory in the northernmost part of the city in 1942
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Soviet soldiers in the Red October Factory
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Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers above the burning city
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Clouds of smoke and dust rise from the ruins of the canning factory in Stalingrad South after German bombing of the city on 2 October 1942.
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Soviet soldiers attack, February 1943. The ruined Railwaymen's Building is in the background.
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General Andrey Yeryomenko (right) with Nikita Khrushchev (left), Chief Commissar of the Stalingrad Front, December 1942
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Romanian soldiers near Stalingrad
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German soldiers as prisoners of war. In the background is the heavily fought-over Stalingrad grain elevator.
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A Ju 52 approaching Stalingrad
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The centre of Stalingrad after liberation
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Soviet gains (shown in blue) during Operation Little Saturn
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Commander-in-chief of the Don Front The Stalingrad Master General Konstantin Rokossovsky
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759,560 Soviet personnel were awarded this medal for the defence of Stalingrad from 22 December 1942.
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The aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad
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A Soviet soldier marches a German soldier into captivity.
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Generalfeldmarschall Paulus meets with Generaloberst Walter Heitz, then the two highest ranking German officers captured by the Allies, 4 February 1943
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The Eternal Flame in Mamayev Kurgan, Volgograd, Russia (collage)
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Stalingrado para niños
