In History

Stalingrad. The deadliest example of urban warfare in human history. The siege of Stalingrad lasted 199 days. In that time an estimated 1.2 to 3 million individuals lost their lives.

The battle of Stalingrad would alter the war in Europe entirely. When Russian forces met at Kalach on November 23, 1942, the fate of the Third Reich was sealed. From that point forward the Germans would primarily fight a rear guard action which would ultimately result in the Russians taking Berlin.

Oil

The catastrophic reality of Stalingrad would begin over the ultimate mission of Army Group South.

When Operation Barbarossa began on June 22nd, 1941, three different Army Groups were assigned different tasks. Army Group North invaded the Baltic States with its ultimate goal being Leningrad, a missive that it would accomplish. Army Group Centre was tasked with advancing through Belorussia to Smolensk and ultimately Moscow. It would fail in achieving its ultimate goal. Army Group South targeted Ukraine, its ultimate goal being to reach the oil fields in the Caucasus.

For some reason unbeknownst to me, the Germans entered the war without taking the overwhelming need for oil into account. They tried in Africa but failed, their ambitions ending at El Alamein in 1942, though they would not technically abandon North Africa until 1943. The Allies would then come to control oil in the Middle East, as well as the Suez Canal.

The Germans were still pursuing plans in Africa when Operation Barbarossa was launched. So Army Group South’s objective was critical given German requirements for oil.

Operation Case Blue

In the summer of 1942, following failures on the Eastern Front, the need to secure the Caucasus became paramount. So it was decided that Army Group South be split into two forces - Army Group A and Army Group B.

The commander of Army Group A was Field Marshal Wilhelm List. His task was to capture Grozny, Maikop, and ultimately Baku and secure their oil production.

The commander of Army Group B was Field Marshal Maximilian von Weichs. His task was to cover the Northern flank of Army Group A, moving along the River Don.

On the 28th of June, 1942, Operation Case Blue was launched. By the 17th of July Army Group B would attack Stalingrad, leaving Romanians, Italians, Hungarians, and Croatians primarily covering the flank.

Intent And Madness

In truth, Stalingrad was a viable military target. Beyond its strategic position on the Volga, its factories were responsible for producing some 50% of all Russian T-34 tanks as well as artillery and other arms.

Ironically, that’s not why it was attacked.

While capturing Stalingrad would disrupt Russian supply routes, its ultimate fate lay in the hands of to absolute megalomaniacs.

Its propaganda value was significant. To take the namesake of Stalin himself would be, for Hitler, a massive victory. On the flip side, defending it would be just as equally important for Stalin.

That said, concerning the actual goal of Operation Case Blue, it would be a devastating decision.

Stalingrad

The German siege of Stalingrad began on July 17th, 1942. The battle for the city would last until February 2nd of 1943. In those 199 days would be the most apocalyptic example of urban warfare in human history.

It began with a massive German bombardment, from both the air and from artillery. It spared no part of the city’s then 108 square kilometres. It left homes, factories, and other buildings in rubble. In some instances fires burned for months.

What the Germans didn’t realize was that that horrific landscape would actually aid in the Russian’s defence of the city. That’s not to say that the Russians didn’t abandon their practice of simply throwing human beings at a problem, they absolutely did, which explains the dramatic death toll - not to mention civilians caught up in all of it. But they absolutely used the destruction of the city to their advantage.

Within Feet

Fighting in Stalingrad featured the most extreme urban combat in human history. At times the Germans and Russians fought mere feet from one another in an absolutely apocalyptic landscape. The fighting spread to even the sewers, burning factories, and a within an endless rubble. It was an absolute nightmare.

That said the Russians would ultimately be forced into two pockets along the Volga.

Winter

No military force in history has ever gone east and endured a Russian winter. Napoleon learned that lesson. Even after the failure to take Moscow, the Germans hadn’t either. So when winter set in at Stalingrad the Germans were caught out.

Their summer and fall campaign had seen success, but come November of 1942 things changed. Handicapped by snow and mud German machines were unable to move. The Germans were also not prepared for winter, their attire wholly unsuited for it. How they’d not learned that lesson the year before is astounding.

Nevertheless, they were able to drive the Russians into two areas with near complete control of the city. What they didn’t expect was bringing surrounded.

Operation Uranus

The Russian high command weren’t idiots. They used the situation in Stalingrad to launch an offensive that would result in the destruction and capture of German forces sieging the city.

Masterminded by General Goergy Zhukov and others, it would see the Germans wholly taken aback. The build up was done in secret and would see two Russian forces encircle the 6th German Army and parts of the Fourth Panzer Army. It would also see the Romanians waylaid even though they initially put up a fight.

By the time the operation was launched both Army Group A and Army Group B were overextended. The siege of Stalingrad had left those Germans involved in it overwhelmingly depleted. The goals of Army Group A were not achieved given overextension and also because Army Group B’s initial missive was abandoned. It would ultimately lead to Army Group A attempting to break through to Army Group B, an offensive that failed.

Ultimately, Russian northern and southern forces would meet up at Kalach on the Don on November 23, 1942. In doing so they would encircle some 300,000 Axis forces, the largest German losses up until that time.

The Christian

With the surrounding of the 6th Army, and despite its deprivations, Hitler would promote General Friedrich Paulus to the rank of Field Marshal knowing that no Field Marshal had ever surrendered. Paulus was left with two horrible options, to continue to fight to the very last or take his own life.

As Christian Paulus refused to take his own life. Further, he would not “fight to the last” and sacrifice his men. Thus, the 6th Army surrendered to the Russians on January 31, 1943.

What Won The War

Stalingrad was the fundamental turning point in the European theatre. It was the most important battle fought in the European theatre as the Germans would remain on the defensive until the fall of Berlin.

The Russians lost more people during WWII than any other nation, upwards of 22 million. Without their sacrifice and contribution, Germany may not have been have been defeated for another half decade. And yet the reality of Russian perseverance is largely overlooked and little taught.

In Conclusion

The information in this entry barely scratches the surface of the matter. I have written about it in hopes that it might peak curiosities and intrigue others to delve into the subject matter further.