The Battle of Stalingrad was the largest battle of World War II. It was also the deadliest in world history. Over 1,500,000 people, civilians and soldiers, lost their lives.
This battle was a series of military engagements between Germany and the Soviet Union that lasted from August 23, 1942 to February 2, 1943.
Hitler wanted to bring the oil resources of the Caucasus under his control. It was also an industrial center near the Volga River.
The Soviet leader, Stalin, did not want the city that bore his name to fall into enemy hands.
The battle began with 850,000 German troops pushing the Soviets back to the banks of the Don River.
In the opposing camp there were 1,700,000 Soviet soldiers.
Then the German air force was able to destroy 80% of the city’s buildings in just a few days.
By September, the city was surrounded and supplied only from the Volga River under German fire.
Initially the Soviets chose to defend through the city. But in October the winter began to make the work of the Germans difficult.
Eventually the defenders counter-attacked the following month with great success.
By February of the following year, 91,000 German soldiers had surrendered.
[Source: http://www.sansimera.gr]
