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__NOTOC__[[File: Stalingrad one.jpg|thumbnail|350px|left|Fighting at Stalingrad]]This article will discuss the The Battle of Stalingrad in WWII. This battle, between Nazi Germany and fought by the Soviet Unionand German forces, is rightly considered as one of was a decisive victory for the most important in World War II, if not in all of military history. The battle proved to be decisive and changed USSR that turned the fortunes tide of war in the warAllies favor. Germany's defeat at Stalingrad led to was not only a catastrophic German losses and from then on the Nazi war machine was loss but put Germany on the defensive. This article will examine the reasons for the Germans defeat at the Battle rest of Stalingrad and identify the factors in the Soviet victorywar. The work will argue that Stalingrad halted the German defeat at Stalingrad was a result invasion of Hitler's tactics, his personal intransigence , poor German battlefield leadership Russia and superior Soviet leadership, numbers, and tacticsturned the tide of World War Two in Europe.
However, the weather was cold and German soldiers had begun to suffer in the harsh conditions. The Soviet’s used the weather to their advantage. The Soviets stationed considerable forces in the east in to defend Siberia from a Japanese invasion. He withdrew them and under General George Zhukov. They were then organized into a strike force aimed at repelling the German advance on Moscow. On December 12th, Zhukov’s army launched a surprise attack on the German frontline and pushed them back with heavy losses some one hundred miles from Moscow.<ref> MacDonald, John. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785830979/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0785830979&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=ff12114d460899b1d3d40f8245e19df5 Great Battles of World War II]'' (London, Michael Joseph books, 1986), p. 245</ref> The Soviet Capital had been saved. However, despite the setback, the Germans had a secure hold over much of western Soviet Union and had laid siege to the city of Leningrad.{{Mediawiki:TabletAd1}}====Stalingrad Campaign====Hitler's General Staff had intended to ‘win the war by Christmas.’ <ref> MacDonald, p, 234</ref> However, despite defeat near Moscow, there was still widespread optimism among the German generals. The German general staff eventually was able to stabilize the German front line and fended off further Soviet attacks during early 1942. Hitler and his generals planned a Spring offensive that they hoped would lead to Stalin suing for peace or unconditional Soviet surrender. The Germans instead of thrusting forward towards the Soviet capital again, decided to launch an attack on the south. The German army led by the sixth army was to advance into the southern Russian Steppe. Hitler and his army had only limited access to oil, and he believed that if his army could occupy the oil fields, then his army could advance possibly into the Middle East. <ref>Antil, p. 115</ref> In the late summer of 1942, the Germany army was in engaged in a rapid advance through southern Russia. It was reminiscent of the early days of Barbarossa. The 6th army was invincible, and they defeated a series of Russian divisions and armies. By August, they were on the Volga near the city of Stalingrad. The city (today Volgograd) had been renamed Stalingrad in honor of Stalin, who had seized the city from the White Counter-Revolutionaries in 1920. <ref>Antil, p. 117</ref> ====Hitler’s mistaken tacticsMistakes====
[[File:Stalingrad three.jpg|thumbnail|300px|Fighting at Stalingrad]]
Hitler saw the war in terms of regarding his personal rivalry with Stalin , and he decided to attack the city, because of its symbolic value. However, the original aim of the offensive in Southern Russian was to secure the oil fields in the Caucasus. The oil was essential for the German war machine. Hitler knew this – instead of opting for concentrating all his forces on the conquest of the oil fields, he made perhaps a fateful mistake. He divided his forces. It has long been one of the fundamental beliefs in military strategy that it was reckless to divide one’s forces in enemy territory. However, this is exactly what Hitler did, contrary to all the advice of his Generals.<ref> Beevor, Antony, ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140284583/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0140284583&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=19c551047636454c9c37c00ac3d62654 Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943]'' (Viking, London, 1998), p. 117</ref> He sent some of the German army armies south to take the oil fields in the Caucuses and their prime objective was Baku. Hitler then ordered the 6th Army to advance towards Stalingrad and to take the city, even though it lacked strategic value. The idea of capturing Stalingrad fixated Hitler, and it became his obsession. This obsession led him to ignore the reality on the ground and his general's advice. This mistake destroyed the German 6th army. Not only had Hitler divided his forces, but he also allocated too little men and material to the capture of Stalingrad. It was usually accepted at the time, and since that, an attacking force needs to have at least a 3 to one advantage over the defenders to achieve their goals. The Germans did not have the necessary numerical advantage over the Soviets.<ref> Beevor, p. 119</ref> This made the 6th army’s prospect of success very uncertain.
Furthermore, Hitler then ordered in his obsession to seize the city meant that he was not fully aware of the 6th Army to advance towards Stalingrad and to take situation around the city. For example, even though it German forces had really only symbolic and no strategic value. Hitler was fixated by been unable to push back Soviet forces during the idea series of capturing Stalingrad and it became his personal obsession and this led him to ignore battles known as the Kolton Operations. This left the reality Germans exposed on their flanks as they pressed further into the ground and this was to lead the German 6th army to disastercity. Not only had Because Hitler divided his the German forces, but he also allocated too little men and material to the capture flank of Stalingrad. It the 6th army was usually accepted at the time and since that an attacking force needs to have at least a 3 to one advantage over the defenders in order to achieve their goals. The Germans did not have any such numerical advantage over the Sovietsinsufficiently protected.<ref> Beevor, p. 119156</ref> This made Poorly trained Romanian and Italian troops guarded the 6th army’s prospect of success very uncertainflanks and many German commanders privately believed that they could not protect their rear from Soviet attack.
====Hitler’s Intransigence==== [[File: Hitler believed that if German soldiers were well-led and motivated then there was nothing that they could not do.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Adolf Hitler]]By 1942, no enemy that they could not Hitler had been very successful in all his campaigns. He had only experienced defeatat the Battle of Britain and near Moscow. Hitler when he heard that his army was However, on the point face of being encircled at Stalingradit, ordered that neither defeat had stopped the German war machine from going on the 6th Army should not retreat offensive and he demanded that they fight on with greater zealfrom securing more victories. Hitler, while admitting that as commander in chief of the situation in Stalingrad was direarmy, believe that if the German soldiers and their officers had great faith in his military abilities and as a strategist. He believed that he was a military genius and was destined to lead the final German people to victory then they would be victorious. This belief meant Central to Hitler’s views on military tactics was that Hitler curbed his officers' ability to respond to the developing situation willpower could achieve anything on the ground.<ref> Victor, George, ''Hitler: Pathology of Evil'' (Washington, DC: Brassey's Inc.2008) pbattlefield. 208</ref>
==Stalingrad Consequences==Could the 6th army have been saved?====In February 1943, Von News of the encirclement of the German divisions under Pauluswas a severe blow to Hitler, surrender and he ordered an immediate attack to relieve the remaining, starving and ragged German encircled forces in Stalingrad. Finally, he had defied Hitler’s orders to fight to Goering intervened and believed that the last man and bullet. The Luftwaffe or German defeat had been devastatingair force could re-supply Paulus’ army. They had lost half a million, either killed or captured. The Goering promised Hitler that he would supply the Germans after the Soviet victory lost a significant amount of territory in Stalingrad with all that was needed. In the south of Russia.<ref> Hoyt, p. 211</ref> Howeverend, the German army Luftwaffe’s efforts to supply the besieged forces was far from defeated and in early 1943, Von Manstein inflicted a devastating defeat on the Red Army at Kharkovutterly inadequate.<ref> Hoyt, p. 2013</ref> However, It has been estimated that the German army had lost its aura of invincibility and its enemies were no longer afraid air force only dropped one-quarter of it and believed that it could be beaten. Furthermore, after Stalingrad, many more Germans became critical of Hitler and his policies, this was particular the case in the German military material and there have even been suggestions that after the debacle food that the German generals conspired soldiers needed to start a mutiny fight and survive in the army and depose Hitler.<ref> Beevor, p. 221</ref> However, these plots came to nothingRussian Steppe during the winter.
*[[What were the goals of the Axis powers and the Soviet Union during World War Two?]]
*[[How Did the German Military Develop Blitzkrieg?]]
*[[Why did Operation Market Garden in 1944 fail?]]
*[[How did Mussolini become Prime Minister of Italy?]]
*[[The Nazi triumph: how How did Adolf Hitler become the Fuehrer Dictator and Fuhrer of Germany?]]
*[[Why was France defeated in 1940?]]
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In February 1943, Von Paulus surrendered the remaining starving and ragged German forces in Stalingrad. Finally, he had defied Hitler’s orders to fight to the last man and bullet. The German defeat had been devastating. They had lost half a million, either killed or captured. The Germans after the Soviet victory lost a significant amount of territory in the south of Russia.<ref> Hoyt, p. 211</ref> Stalingrad halted Germany's invasion into Russia. Instead of advancing, the German army engaged in a long slow retreat. However, the German army was far from defeated and in early 1943, Von Manstein inflicted a devastating defeat on the Red Army at Kharkov.<ref> Hoyt, p. 2013</ref> However, the German army had lost its aura of invincibility, and the Soviets believed that they could defeat. Furthermore, after Stalingrad, many more Germans became critical of Hitler and his policies, this was particularly the case in the German military, and there have even been suggestions that after the debacle that the German generals conspired to start a mutiny in the army and depose Hitler.<ref> Beevor, p. 221</ref> However, these plots did not succeed. ====Conclusion====Stalingrad was one of the most important battles in WW II if not in entire human history. It was a catastrophic defeat for the German army, and they never recovered from the battle. The defeat was avoidable. The main reason for the defeat was that Hitler became obsessed with the idea of capturing the city. This irrational behavior led him to ignore his Generals warnings and to make several strategic mistakes. The mistakes and errors of Hitler allowed the Soviets to take advantage of the situation to encircle and annihilate an entire German 6th army. The responsibility for the cataclysmic defeat was Hitler's. Furthermore, he compounded his initial errors, by refusing to allow Paulus to force a way out of Stalingrad his General could have saved some of the German forces and mitigated the consequences of Hitler’s mistakes. Hitler’ meddling, misguided strategy, and poor tactics meant that the 6th army was doomed to defeat at Stalingrad.{{MediawikiMediaWiki:WWIIAmNative}} ====References====<references/> [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:Russian History]] [[Category:Military History]][[Category:World War Two History]][[Category:European History]] [[Category:20th Century History]]{{Contributors}}Updated May 7, 2019.