When the fierce battles for Stalingrad began. They commanded fronts and armies in the Battle of Stalingrad

Seventy-one years ago ended Battle of Stalingrad- the battle that finally changed the course of World War II. On February 2, 1943, German troops surrounded on the banks of the Volga capitulated. I dedicate this photo album to this significant event.

1. A Soviet pilot stands next to a personalized Yak-1B fighter, donated to the 291st Fighter Aviation Regiment by collective farmers Saratov region. The inscription on the fuselage of the fighter: “To the Hero’s Unit Soviet Union Shishkina V.I. from the collective farm Signal of the Revolution, Voroshilovsky district, Saratov region." Winter 1942 - 1943

2. A Soviet pilot stands next to a personalized Yak-1B fighter, donated to the 291st Fighter Aviation Regiment by collective farmers of the Saratov region.

3. A Soviet soldier demonstrates to his comrades German guard boats, captured among other German property at Stalingrad. 1943

4. German 75-mm RaK 40 cannon on the outskirts of a village near Stalingrad.

5. A dog sits in the snow against the backdrop of a column of Italian troops retreating from Stalingrad. December 1942

7. Soviet soldiers walk past the corpses of German soldiers in Stalingrad. 1943

8. Soviet soldiers listen to an accordion player play near Stalingrad. 1943

9. Red Army soldiers go on the attack against the enemy near Stalingrad. 1942

10. Soviet infantry attacks the enemy near Stalingrad. 1943

11. Soviet field hospital near Stalingrad. 1942

12. A medical instructor bandages the head of a wounded soldier before sending him to a rear hospital on a dog sled. Stalingrad region. 1943

13. A captured German soldier in ersatz felt boots in a field near Stalingrad. 1943

14. Soviet soldiers in battle in the destroyed workshop of the Red October plant in Stalingrad. January 1943

15. Infantrymen of the 4th Romanian Army on vacation at the self-propelled gun StuG III Ausf. F on the road near Stalingrad. November-December 1942

16. The bodies of German soldiers on the road southwest of Stalingrad near an abandoned Renault AHS truck. February-April 1943

17. Captured German soldiers in the destroyed Stalingrad. 1943

18. Romanian soldiers with a 7.92 mm ZB-30 machine gun in a trench near Stalingrad.

19. Infantryman takes aim with a submachine gun the one lying on the armor of the American-made Soviet tank M3 “Stuart” with the proper name “Suvorov”. Don Front. Stalingrad region. November 1942

20. Commander of the XI Army Corps of the Wehrmacht, Colonel General to Karl Strecker (Karl Strecker, 1884-1973, standing with his back in the center left) surrenders to representatives of the Soviet command in Stalingrad. 02/02/1943

21. A group of German infantry during an attack in the Stalingrad area. 1942

22. Civilians at the construction of anti-tank ditches. Stalingrad. 1942

23. One of the Red Army units in the Stalingrad area. 1942

24. Colonel General to the Wehrmacht Friedrich Paulus (Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Paulus, 1890-1957, right) with officers on command post near Stalingrad. Second from the right is Paulus' adjutant, Colonel Wilhelm Adam (1893-1978). December 1942

25. At the crossing of the Volga to Stalingrad. 1942

26. Refugees from Stalingrad during a halt. September 1942

27. Guardsmen of Lieutenant Levchenko's reconnaissance company during reconnaissance on the outskirts of Stalingrad. 1942

28. The fighters take their starting positions. Stalingrad front. 1942

29. Evacuation of the plant beyond the Volga. Stalingrad. 1942

30. Burning Stalingrad. Anti-aircraft artillery fires at German planes. Stalingrad, "Fallen Fighters" Square. 1942

31. Meeting of the Military Council of the Stalingrad Front: from left to right - N.S. Khrushchev, A.I. Kirichenko, Secretary of the Stalingrad Regional Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) A.S. Chuyanovand front commander Colonel General to Eremenko A.I. Stalingrad. 1942

32. A group of machine gunners of the 120th (308th) Guards Rifle Division, under the command of A. Sergeev,conducts reconnaissance during street fighting in Stalingrad. 1942

33. Red Navy men of the Volga military flotilla during the landing operation in the Stalingrad area. 1942

34. Military Council of the 62nd Army: from left to right - Chief of Army Staff N.I. Krylov, Army Commander V.I. Chuikov, member of the Military Council K.A. Gurov.and commander of the 13th Guards Rifle Division A.I. Rodimtsev. Stalingrad district. 1942

35. Soldiers of the 64th Army are fighting for a house in one of the districts of Stalingrad. 1942

36. Commander of the Don Front troops, Lieutenant General t Rokossovsky K.K. at a combat position in the region of Stalingrad. 1942

37. Battle in the Stalingrad area. 1942

38. Fight for a house on Gogol Street. 1943

39. Baking your own bread. Stalingrad front. 1942

40. Fights in the city center. 1943

41. Assault on the railway station. 1943

42. Soldiers of the long-range gun of junior lieutenant I. Snegirev are firing from the left bank of the Volga. 1943

43. A military orderly carries a wounded Red Army soldier. Stalingrad. 1942

44. Soldiers of the Don Front are moving to a new firing line in the area of ​​​​the encircled Stalingrad German group. 1943

45. Soviet sappers walk through the destroyed snow-covered Stalingrad. 1943

46. Captured Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus (1890-1957) gets out of a GAZ-M1 car at the headquarters of the 64th Army in Beketovka, Stalingrad region. 01/31/1943

47. Soviet soldiers climb the stairs of a destroyed house in Stalingrad. January 1943

48. Soviet troops in battle in Stalingrad. January 1943

49. Soviet soldiers in battle among destroyed buildings in Stalingrad. 1942

50. Soviet soldiers attack enemy positions in the Stalingrad area. January 1943

51. Italian and German prisoners leave Stalingrad after the surrender. February 1943

52. Soviet soldiers move through a destroyed factory workshop in Stalingrad during the battle.

53. Soviet light tank T-70 with armored troops on the Stalingrad front. November 1942

54. German artillerymen fire on the approaches to Stalingrad. In the foreground is a killed Red Army soldier in cover. 1942

55. Conducting political information in the 434th Fighter Wing. In the first row from left to right: Heroes of the Soviet Union, Senior Lieutenant I.F. Golubin, captain V.P. Babkov, Lieutenant N.A. Karnachenok (posthumously), standing regiment commissar, battalion commissar V.G. Strelmashchuk. In the background is a Yak-7B fighter with the inscription on the fuselage “Death for death!” July 1942

56. Wehrmacht infantry near the destroyed Barricades factory in Stalingrad.

57. Red Army soldiers with an accordion celebrate victory in the Battle of Stalingrad on the Square of Fallen Fighters in liberated Stalingrad. January
1943

58. Soviet mechanized unit during the offensive at Stalingrad. November 1942

59. Soldiers of the 45th Infantry Division of Colonel Vasily Sokolov at the Red October plant in the destroyed Stalingrad. December 1942

60. Soviet tanks T-34/76 near the Square of Fallen Fighters in Stalingrad. January 1943

61. German infantry takes cover behind stacks of steel blanks (blooms) at the Red October plant during the battle for Stalingrad. 1942

62. Sniper Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Zaitsev explains the upcoming task to the newcomers. Stalingrad. December 1942

63. Soviet snipers take up a firing position in the destroyed Stalingrad. The legendary sniper of the 284th Infantry Division Vasily Grigorievich Zaitsev and his students go into an ambush. December 1942.

64. Italian driver killed on the road near Stalingrad. Nearby is a FIAT SPA CL39 truck. February 1943

65. An unknown Soviet machine gunner with a PPSh-41 during the battles for Stalingrad. 1942

66. Red Army soldiers fight among the ruins of a destroyed workshop in Stalingrad. November 1942

67. Red Army soldiers fight among the ruins of a destroyed workshop in Stalingrad. 1942

68. German prisoners of war captured by the Red Army at Stalingrad. January 1943

69. Crew of the Soviet 76-mm divisional gun ZiS-3 at a position near the Red October plant in Stalingrad. 12/10/1942

70. An unknown Soviet machine gunner with a DP-27 in one of the destroyed houses in Stalingrad. 12/10/1942

71. Soviet artillery fires at surrounded German troops in Stalingrad. Presumably , in the foreground is a 76-mm regimental gun of the 1927 model. January 1943

72. Soviet attack aircraft Il-2 aircraft fly out on a combat mission near Stalingrad. January 1943

73. exterminator pilot l 237th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 220th Fighter Aviation Division of the 16th Air Army of the Stalingrad Front, Sergeant Ilya Mikhailovich Chumbaryov at the wreckage of a German reconnaissance aircraft he shot down with a ram ika Focke-Wulf Fw 189. 1942

74. Soviet artillerymen fire at German positions in Stalingrad from a 152-mm ML-20 howitzer gun, model 1937. January 1943

75. The crew of the Soviet 76.2 mm ZiS-3 cannon fires in Stalingrad. November 1942

76. Soviet soldiers sit by the fire during a moment of calm in Stalingrad. The second soldier from the left has a captured German MP-40 submachine gun. 01/07/1943

77. Cinematographer Valentin Ivanovich Orlyankin (1906-1999) in Stalingrad. 1943

78. Commander of the assault group Marine Corps P. Golberg in one of the workshops of the destroyed Barrikady plant. 1943

79. Red Army soldiers fight on the ruins of a building in Stalingrad. 1942

80. Portrait of Hauptmann Friedrich Winkler in the area of ​​the Barricades plant in Stalingrad.

81. Residents of a Soviet village, previously occupied by the Germans, greet the crew light tank T-60 from the Soviet troops - liberate lei. Stalingrad area. February 1943

82. Soviet troops on the offensive near Stalingrad, in the foreground the famous rocket launchers"Katyusha", behind the T-34 tanks.

86. Soviet T-34 tanks with armored soldiers on the march in the snowy steppe during the Stalingrad strategic offensive operation. November 1942

87. Soviet T-34 tanks with armored soldiers on the march in the snowy steppe during the Middle Don offensive operation. December 1942

88. Tankers of the 24th Soviet Tank Corps (from December 26, 1942 - 2nd Guards) on the armor of a T-34 tank during the liquidation of a group of German troops surrounded near Stalingrad. December 1942 she and the major general) are talking with soldiers near a German Pz.Kpfw tank captured near Stalingrad. III Ausf. L. 1942

92. The German Pz.Kpfw tank captured near Stalingrad. III Ausf. L. 1942

93. Captured Red Army soldiers who died from hunger and cold. The prisoner of war camp was located in the village of Bolshaya Rossoshka near Stalingrad. January 1943

94. German Heinkel He-177A-5 bombers from I./KG 50 at the airfield in Zaporozhye. These bombers were used to supply German troops surrounded at Stalingrad. January 1943

96. Romanian prisoners of war captured near the village of Raspopinskaya near the city of Kalach. November-December 1942

97. Romanian prisoners of war captured near the village of Raspopinskaya near the city of Kalach. November-December 1942

98. GAZ-MM trucks used as fuel tankers during refueling at one of the stations near Stalingrad. The engine hoods are covered with covers, and instead of doors there are canvas flaps. Don Front, winter 1942-1943.

99. The position of a German machine gun crew in one of the houses in Stalingrad. September-November 1942

100. Member of the Military Council for Logistics of the 62nd Army of the Stalingrad Front, Colonel Viktor Matveevich Lebedev in a dugout near Stalingrad. 1942

The Battle of Stalingrad is one of the largest battles of the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War, which marked the beginning of a radical change in the course of the war. The battle was the first large-scale defeat of the Wehrmacht, accompanied by the surrender of a large military group.

After the counter-offensive of Soviet troops near Moscow in the winter of 1941/42. the front has stabilized. When developing the plan for the new campaign, A. Hitler decided to abandon the new offensive near Moscow, which the General Staff insisted on, and concentrate his main efforts on the southern direction. The Wehrmacht was tasked with defeating Soviet troops in the Donbass and Don, breaking through North Caucasus and capture oil fields North Caucasus and Azerbaijan. Hitler insisted that, having lost its source of oil, the Red Army would not be able to wage an active fight due to lack of fuel, and for its part, the Wehrmacht, for a successful offensive in the center, needed additional fuel, which Hitler expected to receive from the Caucasus.

However, after the offensive near Kharkov was unsuccessful for the Red Army and, as a consequence, the improvement of the strategic situation for the Wehrmacht, Hitler in July 1942 ordered Army Group South to be divided into two parts, assigning each of them an independent task. Army Group "A" of Field Marshal Wilhelm List (1st Panzer, 11th and 17th armies) continued to develop the offensive in the North Caucasus, and Army Group "B" of Colonel General Baron Maximilian von Weichs (2nd, The 6th Army, later the 4th Tank Army, as well as the 2nd Hungarian and 8th Italian armies) received orders to break through to the Volga, take Stalingrad and cut off the lines of communication between the southern flank of the Soviet front and the center, thereby isolating it from the main group (if successful, Army Group B was supposed to strike along the Volga towards Astrakhan). As a result, from that moment on, Army Groups A and B advanced in divergent directions, with the gap between them constantly widening.

The task of directly capturing Stalingrad was assigned to the 6th Army, which was considered the best in the Wehrmacht (commander - Lieutenant General F. Paulus), whose actions were supported from the air by the 4th air fleet. Initially, it was opposed by the troops of the 62nd (commanders: Major General V.Ya. Kolpakchi, from August 3 - Lieutenant General A.I. Lopatin, from September 9 - Lieutenant General V.I. Chuikov) and 64th ( commanders: Lieutenant General V.I. Chuikov, from July 23 - Major General M.S. Shumilov) armies, which, together with the 63rd, 21st, 28th, 38th, 57th and 8th 1st Air Army on July 12, 1942 formed a new Stalingrad Front (commander: Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko, from July 23 - Lieutenant General V.N. Gordov, from August 10 - Colonel General A.I. Eremenko ).

The first day of the Battle of Stalingrad is considered to be July 17, when those advanced to the river line. Then the advanced detachments of the Soviet troops came into contact with German units, which, however, did not show much activity, since in those days preparations for the offensive were just being completed. (The first combat contact took place on July 16 - at the positions of the 147th Infantry Division of the 62nd Army.) On July 18-19, units of the 62nd and 64th armies reached the front lines. For five days there were local battles, although German troops reached the main line of defense of the Stalingrad Front.

At the same time, the Soviet command used the lull at the front to speed up the preparation of Stalingrad for the defense: the local population was mobilized, sent to build field fortifications (four defensive lines were equipped), and the formation of militia units was deployed.

July 23rd started German offensive: units of the northern flank were the first to attack, two days later they were joined by the southern flank. The defense of the 62nd Army was broken through, several divisions were surrounded, the army and the entire Stalingrad Front found themselves in an extremely difficult situation. Under these conditions, on July 28, People's Commissar of Defense Order No. 227 was issued - “Not a step back!”, prohibiting the withdrawal of troops without an order. In accordance with this order, the formation of penal companies and battalions, as well as barrage detachments, began at the front. At the same time, the Soviet command strengthened the Stalingrad group by all possible means: during a week of fighting, 11 rifle divisions, 4 tank corps, 8 separate tank brigades were sent here, and on July 31, the 51st Army, Major General T.K., was also transferred to the Stalingrad Front. Kolomiets. On the same day, the German command also strengthened its group by deploying the 4th Panzer Army of Colonel General G. Hoth, which was advancing to the south, to Stalingrad. Already from this moment, the German command declared the task of capturing Stalingrad a priority and crucial for the success of the entire offensive on the southern sector of the Soviet-German front.

Although success on the whole was on the side of the Wehrmacht and Soviet troops, suffering heavy losses, were forced to retreat, however, thanks to the resistance, the plan to break through to the city on the move through Kalach-on-Don was thwarted, as well as the plan to encircle the Soviet group in the Don bend. The pace of the offensive - by August 10, the Germans had advanced only 60-80 km - did not suit Hitler, who stopped the offensive on August 17, ordering the start of preparations for a new operation. The most combat-ready German units, primarily tank and motorized formations, were concentrated in the directions of the main attack; the flanks were weakened by the transfer of them to Allied troops.

On August 19, German troops again went on the offensive and resumed their offensive. On the 22nd they crossed the Don, gaining a foothold on a 45-km bridgehead. For the next XIV Tank Corps, General. G. von Withersheim to the Volga on the Latoshinka-Market section, finding himself only 3 km from the Stalingrad Tractor Plant, and cut off parts of the 62nd Army from the main Red Army. At the same time, at 16:18, a massive air strike was carried out on the city itself; the bombing continued on August 24, 25, 26. The city was almost completely destroyed.

The German attempts to take the city from the north in the following days were stopped thanks to the stubborn resistance of the Soviet troops, who, despite the enemy's superiority in manpower and equipment, managed to launch a series of counterattacks and stop the offensive on August 28. After this, the next day the German command attacked the city from the southwest. Here the offensive developed successfully: German troops broke through the defensive line and began to enter the rear of the Soviet group. To avoid inevitable encirclement, Eremenko withdrew his troops to the internal line of defense on September 2. On September 12, the defense of Stalingrad was officially entrusted to the 62nd (operating in the northern and central parts of the city) and 64th (in the southern part of Stalingrad) armies. Now the battles were going on directly for Stalingrad.

On September 13, the German 6th Army attacked new blow- Now the troops were given the task of breaking through to the central part of the city. By the evening of the 14th, the Germans captured the ruins of the railway station and, at the junction of the 62nd and 64th armies in the Kuporosny area, broke through to the Volga. By September 26, the German troops entrenched in the occupied bridgeheads completely swept the Volga, which remained the only route for delivering reinforcements and ammunition to the units of the 62nd and 64th armies defending in the city.

The fighting in the city entered a protracted phase. There was a fierce struggle for Mamayev Kurgan, the Red October plant, the tractor plant, the Barrikady artillery plant, and individual houses and buildings. The ruins changed hands several times, in such conditions the use small arms was limited, often soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The advance of German troops, who had to overcome heroic resistance Soviet soldiers, developed extremely slowly: from September 27 to October 8, despite all the efforts, the German strike group managed to advance only 400-600 m. In order to turn the situation around, Gen. Paulus pulled additional forces into this area, increasing the number of his troops in the main direction to 90 thousand people, whose actions were supported by up to 2.3 thousand guns and mortars, about 300 tanks and about thousand aircraft. The Germans outnumbered the 62nd Army in personnel and artillery by 1:1.65, in tanks by 1:3.75, and in aviation by 1:5.2.

German troops launched a decisive offensive on the morning of October 14. The German 6th Army launched a decisive offensive against the Soviet bridgeheads near the Volga. On October 15, the Germans captured the tractor plant and broke through to the Volga, cutting off the 62nd Army group that was fighting north of the plant. However, Soviet fighters did not lay down their arms, but continued to resist, creating another hotbed of fighting. The position of the city’s defenders was complicated by a lack of food and ammunition: with the onset of cold weather, transportation across the Volga under constant enemy fire became even more difficult

The last decisive attempt to take control of the right bank of Stalingrad was made by Paulus on November 11. The Germans managed to capture the southern part of the Barrikady plant and take a 500-meter section of the Volga bank. After this, the German troops were completely exhausted and the fighting moved into a positional stage. By this time, Chuikov’s 62nd Army held three bridgeheads: in the area of ​​the village of Rynok; the eastern part of the Red October plant (700 by 400 m), which was held by the 138th rifle division Colonel I.I. Lyudnikova; 8 km along the Volga bank from the Red October plant to 9 January Square, incl. northern and eastern slopes of Mamayev Kurgan. (The southern part of the city continued to be controlled by units of the 64th Army.)

Stalingrad strategic offensive operation (November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943)

The plan for encircling the Stalingrad enemy group - Operation Uranus - was approved by I.V. Stalin on November 13, 1942. It envisaged attacks from bridgeheads north (on the Don) and south (Sarpinsky Lakes region) of Stalingrad, where a significant part of the defending forces were Germany's allies, to break through the defenses and envelop the enemy in converging directions to Kalach-on-Don - Soviet. The 2nd stage of the operation provided for the sequential compression of the ring and the destruction of the encircled group. The operation was to be carried out by forces of three fronts: Southwestern (General N.F. Vatutin), Don (General K.K. Rokossovsky) and Stalingrad (General A.I. Eremenko) - 9 field, 1 tank and 4 air armies. Fresh reinforcements were poured into the front units, as well as divisions transferred from the reserve of the Supreme High Command, large reserves of weapons and ammunition were created (even to the detriment of the supply of the group defending in Stalingrad), regroupings and the formation of strike groups in the directions of the main attack were carried out secretly from the enemy.

On November 19, as envisaged by the plan, after powerful artillery barrage, the troops of the Southwestern and Don Fronts went on the offensive, and on November 20, the troops of the Stalingrad Front. The battle developed rapidly: the Romanian troops occupying areas located in the direction of the main attacks could not stand it and fled. The Soviet command, introducing pre-prepared mobile groups into the breakthrough, developed an offensive. On the morning of November 23, troops of the Stalingrad Front took Kalach-on-Don; on the same day, units of the 4th Tank Corps of the Southwestern Front and the 4th Mechanized Corps of the Stalingrad Front met in the area of ​​the Sovetsky farm. The encirclement ring was closed. Then an internal encirclement front was formed from rifle units, and tank and motorized rifle units began to push back the few German units on the flanks, forming an external front. The German group was surrounded - parts of the 6th and 4th tank armies - under the command of General F. Paulus: 7 corps, 22 divisions, 284 thousand people.

On November 24, the Soviet Headquarters gave the order to the Southwestern, Don and Stalingrad fronts to destroy the Stalingrad group of Germans. On the same day, Paulus approached Hitler with a proposal to begin a breakthrough from Stalingrad in a southeast direction. However, Hitler categorically prohibited a breakthrough, saying that by fighting surrounded, the 6th Army was drawing large enemy forces onto itself, and ordered the defense to continue, waiting for the encircled group to be released. Then all German troops in this area (both inside and outside the ring) were united into the new Army Group Don, headed by Field Marshal E. von Manstein.

The attempt of the Soviet troops to quickly eliminate the encircled group, squeezing it from all sides, failed, and therefore military operations were suspended and the General Staff began the systematic development of a new operation, codenamed “Ring”.

For its part, the German command forced the implementation of Operation Winter Thunderstorm (Wintergewitter) to relieve the blockade of the 6th Army. For this, Manstein formed a strong group in the area of ​​​​the village of Kotelnikovsky under the command of General G. Hoth, the main striking force of which was the LVII Tank Corps of General of the Tank Forces F. Kirchner. The breakthrough was to be carried out in the area occupied by the 51st Army, whose troops were exhausted by battles and were severely short-staffed. Having gone on the offensive on December 12, the Goth group failed the Soviet defense and crossed the river on the 13th. Aksai, however, then got bogged down in battles near the village of Verkhne-Kumsky. Only on December 19, the Germans, having brought up reinforcements, managed to push the Soviet troops back to the river. Myshkova. In connection with the emerging threatening situation, the Soviet command transferred part of the forces from the reserve, weakening other sectors of the front, and was forced to reconsider the plans for Operation Saturn in terms of their limitations. However, by this time the Hoth group, which had lost more than half of its armored vehicles, was exhausted. Hitler refused to give the order for a counter breakthrough of the Stalingrad group, which was 35-40 km away, continuing to demand that Stalingrad be held until the last soldier.

On December 16, Soviet troops with the forces of the Southwestern and Voronezh fronts began carrying out Operation Little Saturn. The enemy's defenses were broken through and mobile units were introduced into the breakthrough. Manstein was forced to urgently begin transferring troops to Middle Don, weakening incl. and the group of G. Goth, which was finally stopped on December 22. Following this, the troops of the Southwestern Front expanded the breakthrough zone and threw the enemy back 150-200 km and reached the Novaya Kalitva - Millerovo - Morozovsk line. As a result of the operation, the danger of releasing the blockade of the encircled Stalingrad enemy group was completely eliminated

The implementation of the Operation Ring plan was entrusted to the troops of the Don Front. On January 8, 1943, the commander of the 6th Army, General Paulus, was presented with an ultimatum: if the German troops do not lay down their arms by 10 o’clock on January 9, then all those surrounded will be destroyed. Paulus ignored the ultimatum. On January 10, after a powerful artillery barrage, the Don Front went on the offensive; the main blow was delivered by the 65th Army of Lieutenant General P.I. Batova. However, the Soviet command underestimated the possibility of resistance from the encircled group: the Germans, relying on a deeply echeloned defense, put up desperate resistance. Due to new circumstances, on January 17, the Soviet offensive was suspended and a regrouping of troops and preparations for a new strike began, which followed on January 22. On this day, the last airfield was taken, through which the 6th Army communicated with the outside world. After this, the situation with the supply of the Stalingrad group, which, on Hitler’s orders, was carried out by air by the Luftwaffe, became even more complicated: if before it was also completely insufficient, now the situation has become critical. On January 26, in the area of ​​Mamayev Kurgan, the troops of the 62nd and 65th armies, advancing towards each other, united. The Stalingrad group of Germans was cut into two parts, which, in accordance with the operation plan, were to be destroyed in parts. On January 31, the southern group capitulated, along with Paulus, who was promoted to field marshal general on January 30. On February 2, the northern group, commanded by General K. Strecker, laid down its arms. This ended the Battle of Stalingrad. 24 generals, 2,500 officers, more than 91 thousand soldiers were captured, more than 7 thousand guns and mortars, 744 aircraft, 166 tanks, 261 armored vehicles, more than 80 thousand cars, etc. were captured.

Results

As a result of the victory of the Red Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, it managed to seize the strategic initiative from the enemy, which created the preconditions for preparing a new large-scale offensive and, in the future, the complete defeat of the aggressor. The battle marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the war, and also contributed to the strengthening of the international authority of the USSR. In addition, such a serious defeat undermined the authority of Germany and its armed forces and contributed to increased resistance on the part of the enslaved peoples of Europe.

Dates: 17.07.1942 - 2.02.1943

Place: USSR, Stalingrad region

Results: Victory of the USSR

Opponents: USSR, Germany and its allies

Commanders: A.M. Vasilevsky, N.F. Vatutin, A.I. Eremenko, K.K. Rokossovsky, V.I. Chuikov, E. von Manstein, M. von Weichs, F. Paulus, G. Goth.

Red Army: 187 thousand people, 2.2 thousand guns and mortars, 230 tanks, 454 aircraft

Germany and allies: 270 thousand people, approx. 3000 guns and mortars, 250 tanks and self-propelled guns, 1200 aircraft

Strengths of the parties(at the start of the counteroffensive):

Red Army: 1,103,000 people, 15,501 guns and mortars, 1,463 tanks, 1,350 aircraft

Germany and its allies: approx. 1,012,000 people (including approximately 400 thousand Germans, 143 thousand Romanians, 220 Italians, 200 Hungarians, 52 thousand Hiwis), 10,290 guns and mortars, 675 tanks, 1,216 aircraft

Losses:

USSR: 1,129,619 people. (including 478,741 irrevocable people, 650,878 ambulances), 15,728 guns and mortars, 4,341 tanks and self-propelled guns, 2,769 aircraft

Germany and its allies: 1,078,775 people. (including 841 thousand people - irrevocable and sanitary, 237,775 people - prisoners)

By the beginning of 1942, it became obvious that the initial plan of the command of the German armed forces (Operation Barbarossa) had failed and adjustments needed to be made to it.

Photo 1942–1943. Battle of Stalingrad

The cherished line from Arkhangelsk to Astrakhan, which the troops were supposed to reach during the summer and autumn of 1941, was not reached. However, Germany had captured large areas of the USSR and still had the potential for an offensive war. The only question was on which sector of the front to concentrate the offensive.

Background to the Battle of Stalingrad

As the experience of the 1941 campaign showed, in general the German command overestimated the strength of its troops. The offensive in three directions: north, center and south - brought conflicting results.

Leningrad was never taken, the offensive near Moscow took place much later (due to the need to eliminate resistance in the southern direction) and was lost.

In the southern sector, Germany achieved significant success, but it was also far from the original plans. It was concluded that it was necessary to concentrate the attack on the southern direction.

The war and the battle for Stalingrad entered new phase confrontation.

Plans of the parties in the Battle of Stalingrad

The German leadership realized that the solution to such strategic tasks as the capture of Moscow and Leningrad was not achieved during the lightning war, and a further positional offensive would bring colossal losses. The Soviet Union managed to strengthen the lines on the approaches to the largest cities.

On the other hand, the offensive in the southern direction could be carried out in the course of quick and large-scale maneuvers, which would reduce losses. Moreover, the strategic goal of the offensive in the southern direction was to cut off the USSR from the largest oil fields in the country at that time.

In the last pre-war year, of the 31 million tons of oil produced, Azerbaijani oil accounted for 71%, and the fields of Chechnya and the Kuban region accounted for another 15%.

By cutting off the USSR from 95% of all oil produced, Germany could immobilize all military production and the army itself. Accelerated production of new military equipment (tanks, airplanes, etc.) outside the boundaries of German aviation would be pointless, since there would be nothing to fuel it with.

Moreover, all supplies to the USSR from the allies under Lend-Lease, at the beginning of 1942, also began to pass in a southern direction - through Iran, the Caspian Sea and further along the Volga.

In developing plans for 1942, the Soviet command took into account a number of important factors. First of all, it realized that the opening of a second front might not take place this year.

At the same time, Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin believed that Germany had enough resources to strike in two directions at once: southern and central (toward Moscow).

The USSR strategy for this period was active defense with a number of offensive operations of a local nature

It was important to create decent reserves for the subsequent offensive campaign.

Let us note that the military intelligence of the Soviets provided information that Germany would carry out a large-scale offensive in the southern direction in the summer of 1942. However, I.V. Stalin believed that the main blow would fall on the center, since this section of the front was concentrated greatest number enemy divisions.

Number of troops

As statistics show, the Soviet leadership miscalculated strategic plans for 1942. The general ratio of armed forces by the spring of 1942, on the date of the Battle of Stalingrad, was as follows.

At the same time, in the southern direction, Germany formed the Paulus Army, and on the USSR side, the Southwestern (later Stalingrad) Front took defensive positions. The balance of forces looked as follows.

As you can see, we are talking about a significant superiority of German troops at the beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad (1.7 to 1 in numbers, 1.4 to 1 in guns, 1.3 to 1 in tanks, about 2.2 to 1 in aircraft). The German command had every reason to believe that the tank battle at Stalingrad would ensure the success of the operation and it would all end in the complete defeat of the Red Army within 7 days.

Progress of the Battle of Stalingrad

It would seem that after revaluation own strength and the necessary time to seize the territory of the USSR in 1941, the German leadership should have set more realistic goals and dates for the new campaign.

However, in the southern direction not only was a numerical advantage achieved, but there were also a number of tactical features that made it possible to count on shortest period military operations.

The fighting took place in the steppe region.

What allowed German tanks to carry out rapid forced marches, and Soviet anti-tank guns were in full view of the German aviation.

At the same time, back in May 1942, Soviet troops launched an independent attack on German positions in the Kharkov area. The Red Army's counterattack came as a surprise to the Reich. But the Nazis quickly recovered from the blow. The German offensive on Stalingrad began after the defeat of Soviet troops near Kharkov on July 17.

It is customary to distinguish two key dates in the year of the Battle of Stalingrad - defensive in the period from 07.17.1942 to 11.18.1942 and offensive in the period from 11.19.1942 to 02.02.1943.

The beginning of this military conflict is considered to be the battle for Stalingrad near the Chir and Tsimpla rivers on July 17. Soviet troops waged fierce resistance, but Germany constantly reinforced Paulus's 6th Army with new divisions.

July 1942, the enemy’s northern and southern attack groups went on the offensive

As a result, the enemy reached the Don in some areas, surrounded about three groupings of Soviet troops and made serious progress on the flanks.

Battle of Stalingrad - plans of the parties

It should be noted the military genius of Paulus, who, instead of a well-developed method of attack along railway tracks, concentrated the main offensive almost along the banks of the Don.

One way or another, the Soviet troops retreated, and on July 28, order No. 227 was issued, which later became known as “Not a Step Back.” In accordance with it, retreat from the front was punishable by execution, loss of personnel and equipment was punishable by execution.

When captured, the officer and his family members were declared enemies of the people. NKVD barrage troops were created, which received the right to shoot soldiers fleeing from the front on the spot. Penal battalions were also created.

Order No. 227 Not a step back

It's already August 2 German forces approached Kotelnikovsky, on August 7-9 to Kalach-on-Don. Despite the failure of the lightning operation, German troops advanced 60-80 kilometers and were not far from Stalingrad.

Stalingrad is on fire

Briefly about the breakthrough to Stalingrad and the battles - in the following table.

Date of battle	Event	Note
August 19	Resumption of the offensive
August 22	6th Army crosses the Don	The bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Don is occupied
August 23	14th Tank Corps occupies Rynok village	As a result of the breakthrough, German forces break through to the Volga just north of Stalingrad. The 62nd Soviet Army in Stalingrad is cut off from the others
August 23	The bombing of the city begins	The bombing will continue for several more months and by the end of the battle, not a single intact building will remain in the city. The Germans surrounded Stalingrad - the confrontation reached its climax
September 13-26	Reich forces enter the city	As a result of the assault, Soviet troops (mainly soldiers of Chuikov's 62nd Army) retreat. The battle begins in Stalingrad, within the city
October 14 – November 11	Decisive German offensive with the aim of eliminating the forces of the 62nd Army and access to the Volga throughout Stalingrad	Significant German forces were concentrated for this offensive, but the battle in the city was fought for every house, not to say floor. The German tank crews were ineffective - the tanks simply got stuck on street debris. Despite the Mamaev Kurgan being occupied by the Germans, Soviet artillery also supported soldiers from the opposite bank of the Volga. At night it was possible to transport supplies and new forces to ensure Stalingrad's resistance to the occupation. There were colossal losses on both sides, on November 11 there was a breakthrough of fascist forces to the Volga, the 62nd Army controlled only three separated regions of the city

Despite fierce resistance, constant reinforcements of Soviet troops, and support from artillery and ships from the Volga, Stalingrad could fall at any moment. Under these conditions, the Soviet leadership is working on a counteroffensive plan.

Offensive stage

In accordance with the offensive Operation Uranus, Soviet troops were supposed to attack the flanks of the 6th Army, namely the weakest positions of the Romanian troops to the southeast and northwest of the city.

Battle of Stalingrad, 1942, Operation Uranus

Also, according to the plan, it was envisaged not only to encircle the 6th Army, isolating it from other enemy forces, but also, breaking it into 2 parts, to immediately liquidate it. This was not possible, but by November 23, Soviet troops closed the ring, meeting in the Kalach-on-Don area.

Subsequently, in November-December 1942, the German military leadership made an attempt to break through to Paulus's army, which was surrounded.

Operation Wintergewitter was led by G. Goth.

The German divisions were pretty battered, but by December 19 they almost managed to break through the defenses, but Soviet reserves arrived in time and forced G. Hoth to fail.

In the remaining days of December, the Middle Don operation took place, during which Soviet troops significantly pushed the enemy forces away from Stalingrad, finally defeating the Romanian and Italian troops, part of the Hungarian and Croatian corps.

This meant that all that remained was to finish off the encircled army of Paulus in order for the complete defeat of the German troops at Stalingrad to take place.

Paulus was asked to capitulate

But this did not happen; Paulus chose to fight, hoping for reinforcements.

On January 10-17, the first offensive of Soviet troops took place, and on January 22-26, the second, which ended with the capture of Mamayev Kurgan and the division of German troops into two groups - northern and southern. Possession of the mound meant significant superiority for Soviet artillery and snipers.

This became the decisive moment of the battle. Paulus, who was in the southern group, surrendered on January 31, and on February 2 the forces of the northern group were defeated.

The battle for Stalingrad lasted more than six months, how many days and nights did the civilians of the city and the soldiers endure? decisive battle 20th century was calculated with scrupulous accuracy - 200 days.

The meaning and results of the battle. Losses of the parties

The Battle of Stalingrad is considered the largest and greatest in the history of World War II. On the Soviet side, over the months of the battle, over 1.5 million people took part, of which over 450 thousand people were lost irretrievably, and over 650 thousand people were attributed to sanitary losses.

German losses in the Battle of Stalingrad vary depending on the source. It is estimated that the Axis countries lost over 1.5 million people (not only killed, but also wounded and captured). More than 3.5 thousand tanks, 22 thousand guns, and 5 thousand aircraft were destroyed in the battle.

3,500 tanks

22 thousand guns and 5 thousand aircraft were destroyed during the Battle of Stalingrad

In fact, the victory of the Soviet troops in this fight was the beginning of the end for Germany. Realizing the severity of the losses suffered, the military leadership of the Wehrmacht eventually gave the order for the construction of the Eastern Wall, on which in the future German troops would take up defensive positions.

Germany also lost the opportunity to replenish divisions from the allied forces - Romania no longer sent soldiers to the war, Hungary and Slovakia also seriously limited their participation in the war.

Stalingrad in February 1943 was a completely destroyed city (90% of all buildings, about 42 thousand houses, were destroyed). 500 thousand residents were left without any shelter.

Foreign experts who visited the city after the end of the fighting came to the conclusion that it was easier to rebuild military Stalingrad in a new place than to restore it from ruins. However, the city was restored.

From March to September 1943 Over 150 thousand residents and volunteers arrived there; by the end of the war, 300 thousand mines had been collected, over a million artillery shells, the restoration of the housing stock has begun.

As a result, the work of Stalingrad residents helped to accomplish no less a feat - to return the city from the ashes.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

MUNICIPAL STATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

Novokvasnikovskaya secondary school.

MKOU "Novsokvasnikovskaya Secondary School"

2012 – 2013 academic year year.

Marshals and generals of the Battle of Stalingrad.

Goals: development in students of citizenship and patriotism as the most important spiritual and moral qualities, the ability to actively demonstrate them in various fields life of society, education of high responsibility and loyalty to duty to the Motherland.

Tasks:

· To form students’ knowledge about the Great Patriotic War gg., its defenders and their exploits.

· Contribute to the moral and patriotic education of students, to cultivate love and respect for their people, for the history of their country, city, school, and respect for veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

· Develop children's search and research work and creative abilities.

Progress of the lesson.

(Song “Hot Snow”. A. Pakhmutova)

1st. Time has its own memory - history. And therefore the world never forgets about the tragedies that shook the planet in different eras, including brutal wars.

Today we remember the names and surnames of those who led this great battle.

It was in Stalingrad in 1942-43 that the future fate of the planet was decided.

Most of the divisions that arrived from the General Headquarters reserve did not yet have combat experience. Other divisions were exhausted from previous battles. At the cost of incredible efforts Soviet soldiers had to hold back the enemy's onslaught.

The memory of the Battle of Stalingrad is the memory of a great national feat, spiritual impulse, unity and courage. ( slide)

1. Do you remember how in the battle for Tsaritsyn,

The squad followed the squad

The feat of the fighters was repeated

In the battle for our Stalingrad.

2. For every house... but there were no houses -

Charred, terrible remains

For every meter - but to the Volga from the hills

The tanks were crawling with a vibrating howl.

And there were still meters to the water and the Volga was cold with misfortune.

3. Traces of the enemy - ruins and ashes

Every living thing here has been burned to the ground.

Through the smoke - no sun in the black sky

Where the streets used to be are stones and ash.

4. Here everything is mixed up in this whirlwind:

Fire and smoke, dust and lead hail.

Who will survive here... until death

The formidable Stalingrad will not be forgotten.

The commanders of Stalingrad... How much these words mean in the history of Russia and in the history of the world, and how little is said about those who remained in the history and memory of people, and about those who disappeared into the eternity of non-existence. Glorified and favored, awarded and exalted, repressed and shot, surrounded and able to break through, cursed by their people and covered with the shame of the enemy’s neglect, with their death trampling the death of their own and others, they, pressed together with their comrades in arms to the Volga, did what which inscribed their names in golden letters in the history of mankind.

On behalf of the headquarters of the Supreme High Commandcoordinatedfighting our troops generals: Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky and Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.(slide)

1. May there be thousands of guns against us here

For each - tens of tons of lead.

Even if we are mortal, even if we are only human,

But we are loyal to our fatherland to the end.

2. “Stand to death, not a step back!” –

This was the motto of our soldiers

And they did not spare their lives

Expelling the enemy from his native land.

3. Even though it took us a long time to retreat

At the cost of grief and loss

But “There is no Land beyond the Volga for us” -

Iron Stalingrad said!

4. And here is the order “Don’t take a step back!”

Stalin's harsh order

Instilled courage in the hearts of people

That the hour of Victory is not far away.

On July 12, 1942 - by decision of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command - the Stalingrad Front was created under the command of Marshal of the USSR Sergei Konstantinovich Timoshenko, and from August - Colonel General Andrei Ivanovich Eremenko. July 14, 1942 - the Stalingrad region was declared in a state of siege.. Let's name the names of the commanders. They are military leaders of different generations, but they are united by two great words - “Stalingrad” and “Commander”:

1. ZHUKOV Georgy Konstantinovich, Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief;

Over the years, as a representative of the Headquarters, he coordinated the actions of the fronts at Stalingrad. During the successful large-scale offensive operation, five enemy armies were defeated: two German tanks, two Romanian and Italian.

2. VASILEVSKY Alexander Mikhailovich, Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army; representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters

Under his leadership, the largest operations of the Soviet Armed Forces were developed. A. M. Vasilevsky coordinated the actions of the fronts: in the Battle of Stalingrad (operations “Uranus”, “Little Saturn”)

3. Timoshenko Semyon Konstantinovich, commander of the Stalingrad Front;

In July 1942, Marshal Timoshenko was appointed commander of the Stalingrad Front, and in October - the North-Western Front.

4. EREMENKO Andrey Ivanovich, commander of the Stalingrad Front;

Commander of the South-Eastern Front.

DuringOperation UranusIn November1942, Eremenko’s troops broke through the enemy’s defensive lines to the southStalingradand joined forces with the generalN. F. Vatutina, thereby closing the encirclement ring around6th German army generalFriedrich Paulus.

5. ROKOSSOVSKY Konstantin Konstantinovich, commander of the Don Front; September 30th 1942 lieutenant generalK.K. Rokossovsky was appointed commanderDon Front. With his participation, a plan was developedOperation Uranusto encircle and destroy the enemy group advancing on Stalingrad. Forces on several fronts

November 19 1942the operation beganNovember 23ring around the 6th army generalF. Pauluswas closed.

6. CHUIKOV Vasily Ivanovich, commander of the 62nd Army. From september1942commanded62nd Army, which became famous for its heroic six-month defenseStalingradin street fighting in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads on the banks of a wideVolga.

The grave of V.I. Chuikov is located inVolgograd, on the Square of Sorrow (Mamaev kurgan).

One of the central streets is named after ChuikovVolgograd, the one along which the front line of defense of the 62nd Army passed (1982 ).

7. VATUTIN Nikolay Fedorovich, commander of the Southwestern Front; In October 1942, Nikolai Fedorovich was appointed commander of the created Southwestern Front, took direct part in the development, preparation and conductStalingrad operation . Vatutin's troops in cooperation with the troops of Stalingrad (commander ) and Donskoy (commanderRokossovsky K.K. ) fronts from November 19 to December 16, 1942 carried out Operation Little Saturn - they surrounded the groupField Marshal Paulus near Stalingrad. In this operation, the actions of the Southwestern Front led to the defeat of the 8th Italian, the remnants of the 3rd Romanian armies, and the German Hollidt group.

8. VORONOV Nikolay Nikolaevich, Marshal of Artillery;

On November 19, 1942, a powerful artillery preparation began, which largely predetermined the success of the counteroffensive, as a result of which a three hundred thousand enemy group was surrounded

9. SHUMILOV Mikhail Stepanovich, Colonel General of the 64th Army;

64 - the army under his command held back Hoth’s 4th Panzer Army on the distant approaches of Stalingrad for almost a month

10. RODIMTSEV Alexander Ilyich, Major General of the 62nd Army;

13th Guards Rifle Division(later - the 13th Poltava Order of Lenin, twice Red Banner Guards Rifle Division) became part of the 62nd Army, which heroically defended Stalingrad.

11. CHISTYAKOV Ivan Mikhailovich, Colonel General; During the Battle of Stalingrad he commanded the 21st Army. Field Marshal Paulus showed high organizational skills during the encirclement and defeat of the 6th German Army.

12. MALINOVSKY Rodion Yakovlevich, commander of the 66th and 2nd Guards armies; In August 1942, to strengthen the defense onStalingrad direction The 66th Army was created, reinforced with tank and artillery units. Its commander was appointed

13. TOLBUKHIN Fedor Ivanovich, commander of the 57th Army;In July 1942, Tolbukhin was appointed commander of the 57th Army, which defended the southern approaches toStalingrad . For more than three months, its formations fought heavy defensive battles, not allowing the 4th Wehrmacht Tank Army to reach the city, and then participated in the dismemberment and destruction of the German group surrounded on the Volga.

14. MOSKALENKO Kirill Semenovich, commander of the 1st Tank and 2nd Guards (first formation) armies; WITH12th of February1942 - commander of the 6th Cavalry Corps, from March to July1942- commander38th Army(Valuysko-Rossoshansky defensive operation), after the transformation of the latter, from July 1942, he commanded1st tank army , with which he participated in battles on the distant approaches toStalingrad(July−August 1942). In August 1942 he was appointed commander1st guards army , with which until October 1942 he participated inBattle of Stalingrad

15. GOLIKOV Philip Ivanovich, Commander of the 1st Guards Army; In August 1942, Golikov was appointed commander

1st Guards ArmyonSouth-East

AndStalingradfronts, participated in defensive battles on the approaches toStalingrad.

From September 1942 - Deputy Commander

Stalingrad Front

16. AKHROMEEV Sergey Fedorovich, platoon commander of the 197th Infantry Regiment of the 28th Army;

Platoon commander of the 197th Infantry Regiment of the 28th Army

17. BIRYUZOV Sergey Semenovich, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Guards Army;

From November 1942 to April 1943 - Chief of Staff of the 2nd Guards ArmyStalingrad(laterSouthern) front.

18. KOSHEVOY Petr Kirillovich, commander of the 24th Guards Rifle Division;

Since July 1942, commander of the 24th Guards Rifle Division

19. KRYLOV Nikolai Ivanovich, Chief of Staff of the 62nd Army;

Chief of staff62nd Army, which waged months-long street battles in the city.

1. I see the city of Stalingrad in 1942
The earth is burning, the water is burning.
Metal boils in hell.
The sky is blue and the sun is not visible
The city is shrouded in black smoke, and it’s hard to breathe

10. Where was Stalingrad once,
The stove pipes were just sticking out.
There was a thick, foul stench,
And corpses lay in the fields.
They dug into the ground as best they could.
We couldn't look for a more reliable place.
“There is no land for us beyond the Volga,”
Like an oath often repeated.

11Death approached him point blank.
The steel was lashed by darkness.
Artilleryman, infantryman, sapper -
He hasn't gone crazy.
What is the flames of Gehenna and hell to him?
He defended Stalingrad.

12. Just a soldier, lieutenant, general
He grew up in the suffering of battle.
Where metal died in fire,
He passed through alive.
One hundred grueling days in a row
He defended Stalingrad.

They will receive marshal ranks after the Battle of Stalingrad, some already in Peaceful time, after the Victory, with the exception of those who received it on May 7, 1940. But both marshals and generals - they were all great patriots of their Motherland, commanders Great Army, in which everyone was the sons of their people. It was their regiments and divisions, corps and armies, retreating, breaking through and dying, that took the lives of enemies, fighting for Brest and Kyiv, Minsk and Smolensk, Stalingrad and Sevastopol. It was they who crushed the “invincible” armadas of the tank and field armies of the “thousand-year” Reich. Their strategy turned out to be higher and their tactics more cunning than that of the well-born Prussian field marshals and generals. It was their sergeants who were able to turn houses into impregnable fortresses, and the soldiers stood to the death where no one would ever have stood.

13. And finally the day came
Which had to happen.
The giant gathered his strength,
And remembering the centuries-old valor,
The people rose as one
to a mortal battle for holy Rus'.

14.Everything around began to rumble,
Our soldiers went forward
There, to the west, day after day,
Until the hour of reckoning has struck.

15. Our sword severely punished
Fascists in their own lair,
And showed the way to insight
For those who have lost their way on the road.
There was a mortal battle at Stalingrad
Everyone defended our native city,
The fire burns like a memory terrible years,
We will remember everyone who is not here today.

Stalingrad survived because it was in it that the whole meaning of the Motherland was embodied. That is why nowhere else in the world has there been such mass heroism. All the spiritual and moral strength of our people was concentrated here.

The world applauded the victory of Soviet military art, which marked a radical change in the course of the Second World War. There were three words on the lips of the whole world in those days:

"Russia, Stalin, Stalingrad...".

(Song “Let’s bow to those great years.”)

The liberation of Stalingrad is a large-scale military operation by Soviet troops with the goal of liberating the city from a large strategic German group. It must be said that it is considered the largest land battle in the history of all mankind.

Causes of the Battle of Stalingrad

On April 20, 1942, the fierce battle for the capital, Moscow, ended. Initially, it seemed that the German troops were simply unstoppable and impossible to defeat. However, Soviet troops managed not only to defeat the enemy, but also to push him back 150-300 km from the capital of the Soviet Union. The enemy suffered considerable losses, but was still strong, but even this did not help him simultaneously advance on all sectors of the Soviet-German front.

It must be said that the Nazis developed the Blue Plan. Their goal was to conquer the oil fields of Grozny, as well as Baku, followed by an attack on Persia. It must be said that the Soviet command did not sit idly by. They were going to conduct an offensive in the zone of the Bryansk, Southwestern and Southern fronts. It is important that Soviet troops were the first to strike at the Germans and were able to push them back to Kharkov. However, the Germans managed to defeat the Red Army and reach the Don.

Mistake for Hitler in the Blue Plan

It is important that it was at this moment that Hitler did something irreparable for all of Germany. He decided to make changes to the Blue Option, according to which Army Group South was divided into 2 parts. He believed that the first group "A" should have continued the attack on the Caucasus, while the group "B" should have attacked and captured Stalingrad.

It was this city that was very important for Hitler, because Stalingrad was a large industrial center. However, there was another reason: the capture of Stalingrad was symbolic for him, because the city was named after the main enemy. The capture of Stalingrad would have been a huge achievement for Hitler.

The liberation of Stalingrad was a joyful event that has not been forgotten and will never be forgotten. The courage and bravery of the Red Army soldiers are worthy of respect, because they defended their native land and were never ready to give it into the hands of the enemy.

The superiority of the Nazis over the Red Army

It must be said that the number of German troops was many times greater than the number of Red Army soldiers. The Nazis numbered 270,000 soldiers, while the Soviet forces numbered only 160,000. guns and military equipment was also much smaller than the enemy's. With such an unequal number of soldiers and equipment, the Red Army was forced to defend Stalingrad. It is important that another problem was the steppe terrain, because enemy tanks could operate here at full strength.

Attack on Stalingrad. First stage

On July 17, 1942, the Nazis began their offensive against Stalingrad. By July 22, German troops managed to push the Red Army back almost 70 km. The German command expected to take the city with lightning speed, as a result of which it decided to create two strike groups that attacked from the south and north.

On July 23, the northern group struck and was able to break through the defense front of the Soviet troops. Already on July 26, the Nazis reached the Don. The command organized a counterattack.

On the territory of Kalach, the villages of Trekhostrovskaya and Kachalinskaya, fierce battles lasted until August 7-8. The Soviet troops only managed to unblock the Nazis, but there was no talk of their defeat. The level of preparation and errors in coordination of actions affected the course of military operations.

Offensive 30 August

The Soviet command ordered a strike against the German army in the area of ​​the Nizhne-Chirskaya village no later than August 30. Combat capabilities The Red Army soldiers suffered from entering the battle on the move, but they still managed to push back the Nazis and even create a threat to their encirclement. But the German army still managed to help its group. They brought in fresh troops, after which the battles near Stalingrad became even fiercer.

The liberation of Stalingrad is a battle that is rightfully considered the largest land battle. Over all this time, she has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives; many tears of mothers, daughters and wives have been shed because of her. Courage will forever remain in everyone's hearts.

Battles for Stalingrad in the city

Later, on September 5 and then on September 18, the Red Army soldiers were able to weaken the onslaught of German troops thanks to two major operations.

On September 13, fighting began in the city, which lasted until November 19. Then Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive.

The battle for the station was the most fierce, as on September 17 it changed hands several times.

Fierce fighting continued from September 27 to October 4. It was during this period that those battles that everyone knows about lasted. They cause a storm of emotions and worries even in a person with strong nerves. After such battles, the German troops began to “run out of steam.”

The operation to liberate Stalingrad will not leave a single person indifferent. and the courage of the Soviet troops makes us admire them.

Operation Uranus

On December 12, Operation Winter Storm began. After it, the Germans returned to their initial positions, their forces were exhausted, and the army suffered huge losses.

On January 10, 1943, Operation Ring began, which was the final one. German troops resisted to the last, and from January 17 to 22 they managed to stop the Red Army.

1943 - the year of the liberation of Stalingrad. On February 2, the battle near the city finally ended and the Germans were defeated.

The long-awaited release was a joyful event for everyone. The battle for Stalingrad was very fierce. Both Soviet and German troops suffered a huge number of losses. This battle will leave absolutely no one indifferent. The heroism and courage of the Red Army soldiers must be admired. Despite the fact that the German troops were superior in numbers and training, the soldiers of the Red Army still managed to repel all attacks and bravely stand in the battles for Stalingrad.

The liberation of Stalingrad was joyful, long-awaited and heroic. The photos of the battle are mesmerizing and convey all the emotions of the soldiers. Photographs in which Soviet troops rejoice in victory convey extraordinary energy. They cannot be compared with any work of art, because real human emotions conveyed in the photo will not leave absolutely anyone indifferent.

Medal for the liberation of Stalingrad

It is worth noting that the battle of Stalingrad was considered the largest and fiercest. All participants in the defense of the city received a medal for the liberation of Stalingrad. However, it is worth noting that it was awarded not only to soldiers of the Red Army, Navy and NKVD troops, but also civilian population, which took part in the defense of the city and fierce battles near Stalingrad.

This battle became a turning point in the course of hostilities, and it was after it that German troops lost the strategic initiative. The liberation of Stalingrad will remain in the memory for a long time, because such events, the number of human losses and grief are simply impossible to forget.