Stalingrad (2013)
75 years ago: January 31 1943, the German 6th Army, after spending two months surrounded, starved and half-death, finally surrenders, bringing an end to the bloodiest battle of World War Two, the Battle of Stalingrad.
Out of an estimate of 91,000 survivors, only about 5,000 would return to Germany 10 years later, most dying mere weeks after their surrender due to their poor state following the battle, further compounded by the harsh conditions found in the first POW camps they were sent into.
This defeat eventually paved the way into the expulsion of the German Army from the Soviet Union, and the subsequent defeat of Germany at the very heart of the fatherland, Berlin.
Today in history: February 2, 1943 – The Soviet Union wins what becomes the decisive battle against the Nazis in World War 2 at Stalingrad.
The nearly 6 month long battle was fought in constant close-quarters building-by-building combat from Summer 1942 until February 2, 1943. It was one of the bloodiest battles in history, costing the lives of an estimated half a million Soviet soldiers to defend the city, with over 600,000 more people injured.
After defeating the Nazis and their allies at Stalingrad, the USSR pushed them back across Eastern Europe, never losing the momentum until the Nazis were totally defeated.
To get a sense of the scale of sacrifice at Stalingrad: There were around 4,414 British and U.S. lives lost in the D-Day landings – the USSR lost nearly this many people every single day during the 164 days of the battle on the Volga.
(image: Soviet soldier waving the red flag over the central plaza of Stalingrad in 1943)
Via Freedom Road Socialist Organization (Fight Back!)
