Transcript Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was a major turning point in
World War II and is considered the bloodiest battle in
recorded human history. The battle was marked by the
brutality and disregard for military and civilian casualties
on both sides. The battle is taken to include the German siege of the southern Russian
city of Stalingrad (today Volgograd), the battle inside the city, and the Soviet counteroffensive which eventually trapped and destroyed the German Sixth Army and other Axis
forces in and around the city. Total casualties are estimated to be over 2 million. The
Axis powers lost large numbers of men and equipment, and never fully recovered from
the defeat. For the Soviets, who also suffered great losses during the battle, the victory
at Stalingrad marked the start of the liberation of the Soviet Union, leading to eventual
victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
On August 21, 1942, the battle of Stalingrad, USSR—began, lasting 7 months and finally ending in a bloody defeat for the Germans,
and a decisive Soviet victory, on February 2,
1943
Another important date, is the beginning of Operation
Blau (operation blue)—n advance of German troops
through Russian Steppes into the Caucasus to capture
th
vital Soviet oil fields. This advance
started on the 7 of
th
May, 1942, all the way to the 18 of
November, the same year.
The battle of Stalingrad began in the Southern
part of Russia in what is today, Volgograd.
Volgograd is located in the Northern Caucasus
District and currently has a population of
1,011,417 people, compared to the hundreds dead
due to the bloody massacre that
we know now as the Battle of Stalingrad. The battle took place inside
the city, mainly at the gates.
Although Germany had just
suffered a great loss in a recent
Battle, the Fuhrer, Adolph Hitler,
decided to move eastward,
believing that the area had used
up it’s resources due to the
recent hard winter, and therefore
was unable to defend itself.
Fortunately, or unfortunately,
however you want to look at it,
Russia (then, the Soviet Union)
fought back hard receiving a
victory in battle. (nobody learns,
don’t mess with Russia in
Winter!)
Approximately 2,000,000
deathsthough
occurred
in those
7 months,
The Russians,
at the
time known
as the Soviet Union, were
the two
in theSoldiers
Battle ofalone.
Stalingrad—they were the side
Over 400,000 ofone
the of
deaths
weresides
German
by hundreds
of German
directly after a harsh
But these deathsbeing
were attacked
not all from
battle wounds.
Sometroops,
of the soldiers
winter.
died of malnutrition,
disease, and famine—especially in POW camps—
something the Russians hated with a passion, they would rather die than be
a POW.
The Germans, were the other side. The Offensive force, under the
control of Hitler. Majority of the soldiers were sent on Operation Blau
(blue) to move into Russia, causing hundreds of German deaths.
Division: 29th Motorized infantry
Mr. Wagner was asked a total of 150 questions, all having to do with his
During
Stalingrad
memory of the battle. This was
his mostthe
memorable
week:battle, Mr.
Wagner
theand29th
“We travel along a long flat
dirt roadwas
for a an
whileUnteroffizier
and came acrossinOtto
his
motorcycle parked on the
side of the road
near anDivision.
abandoned Russian
Motorized
Infantry
He wastank.
part
We stop for a while and talked to him. He said that he was returning from his
of the command staff of the 13th (Infantry
mission when he got caught-up in one the rocket attacks. He said that a few of
Infantry
Regiment
the rounds landed near Gun)
him andCompany,
that he and the
motorcycle
had landed71
in a
ditch on their sides.”
(Motorized)
and fought in the southern
He continued to tell theapproaches
reporter about his
friend
Otto,city
whoofunfortunately
and
in
the
Stalingrad.
died as a result of enemy rockets, where they buried him among others out in
the Stalingrad countryside.He was wounded on September 23, 1942,
0and did not return to the battle and was posted on the Germany’s
Western front until the end of the war.
in 1945, after the breakthrough of Siegfried Line, Mr. Groth and his fellow soldiers were surrounded while defending a
small border town in Poland. Mr. Groth was captured and sent to a Siberian prison camp along with 1,000 other men.
Mr. Groth came to the United States in
while in the prison
camp,the
theyauspices
kept Mr.ofGroth
near Starvation, working on state farms and building houses. it wasn't
1951 under
the Germanuncommon for
a few men
to dieHeeach
for him however, he was released as an "invalid" because he had a
American
Society.
wasday.
bornluckily
in Narden,
wounded leg, along with about 2000 others.
Mr. WagnerGermany,
was asked
a farming
a total ofcommunity
150 questions,
on theallcoast
having to do with his
memory
the
ThisSea.
was
hiswas
most
memorable
Once
free,ofwith
no home,
no
money,
and
no food,
heweek:
returned to Farming in Narden, where his parents still resided.
of battle.
the
North
He
drafted
in 1941
“We travel
a long
flat
road
andZone,
cameheacross
Ottotoand
and went
theofdirt
front
following
a short
Finally,
afteralong
working
atohalf
a year
inforthea while
Russian
traveled
thehis
western zone where he found his sister and
parked
on the
sideaofgirl
the road
near an abandoned Russian tank.
hismotorcycle
uncle, andtraining
eventually
found
period.
While heand
andwed.
his fellow
We stop for a while and talked to him. He said that he was returning from his
Mr.
Groth
soon
came
the United
states
’51 and
he andHe
wife
now
reside
mission
when
got to
caught-up
inMr.
one
theinrocket
attacks.
said
that
a few
soldiers
were
inhe
Russian
territory,
Groth
was
wounded
inhis
his
right
leg
by of in Council Bluffs.
the rounds landed near him and that he and the motorcycle had landed in a
shrapnel from a grenade, he was
thenonsent
the hospital where he eventually spent
ditch
theirtosides.”
18 months. "That was quite a day" he remarked. "in the morning i had been hit by a
He continued to tell the reporter about his friend Otto, who unfortunately
shell
helmet.
i considered
this my
last him
warning
andothers
sure enough,
diedfragment
as a resultinoftheenemy
rockets,
where they
buried
among
out in i
the wounded
Stalingradbefore
countryside.
was
the day was over.“ when he was sent back to the front,
Germany was in control of almost all of Europe.
http://www.columbia.edu/~lnp3/mydocs/culture/Battle_of_Stalingrad.htm
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9069378?&query=battle
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Stalingrad.jpg
http://www.panzermodellbau.com/en_gal_stalingrad.html
http://www.airstreamtravel.com/images/battle_stalingrad.jpg
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimag
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http://www.versedaily.org/stalingrad.shtml
And of Course, Karen’s Wonderful Grandpa, Artur Groth 