Although Stalingrad was a prime target for the political siginificance of the name, it also was a strategically important area for the oilfields, and the boat traffic on the Volga. If the Germans won at Stalingrad, it may have meant the Soviets would not have been able to regroup and counter attack so successfully.Hitler's insistence prevented Paulus from retreating, attempts to supply the army by plane failed to prevent them from starving and Manstein's attempt to break through was turned back. When the starved, frozen force was surrendered, the Russians took 91 000 prisoners, the largest defeat in German military history.Although German forces led a strong attack into Soviet territory, a strategic counteroffensive by Soviet forces flanked and surrounded a large body of German troops, eventually forcing them to surrender.
Why was Stalingrad so devastating for Germany : But Stalingrad was more devastating for Germany, not only because its total manpower was less, but also because it was the first real reason for the German people to doubt the ultimate victory, the first dramatic loss of troops from minor Axis nations, and because it was a decisive strategic defeat.
What if D-Day had failed
“Had D-Day failed, there would have been an agonising reappraisal among the Americans who had pushed for a cross-channel invasion. Eisenhower would almost certainly have offered his resignation, it would almost certainly have had to be accepted.
Did Germany lose because of Stalingrad : In February 1943, after months of fierce fighting and heavy casualties, the surviving German forces—only about 91,000 soldiers—surrendered. After the victory at Stalingrad, the Soviet army remained on the offensive, liberating most of Ukraine, and virtually all of Russia and eastern Belorussia during 1943.
Battle of StalingradSieges and urban combat
| Siege | Year | Casualties |
|---|---|---|
| (High est.) | ||
| Battle of Stalingrad | 1942–1943 | 4,172,000 |
| Battle of Changde | 1943 | 100,000 |
| Battle of West Hubei | 1943 | 115,830 |
The German 6th Army surrendered in the Battle of Stalingrad, 91,000 of the survivors became prisoners of war raising the number to 170,000 in early 1943, but 85,000 died in the months following their capture at Stalingrad, with only approximately 6,000 of them surviving to be repatriated after the war.
What was Hitler’s reaction to D-Day
Hitler was not angry, or vindictive – far from it. He seemed relieved. Goebbels thought the German leader looked as if a great burden had fallen from his shoulders. He had earlier said Normandy was a possible landing site, for one thing.While the ultimate goal of liberating France and ousting the Germans did happen, a lot went wrong on D-Day — especially for the Americans, who were the first to launch the invasion.The German 6th Army surrendered in the Battle of Stalingrad, 91,000 of the survivors became prisoners of war raising the number to 170,000 in early 1943, but 85,000 died in the months following their capture at Stalingrad, with only approximately 6,000 of them surviving to be repatriated after the war.
Economic destruction and human losses in Leningrad on both sides exceeded those of the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Moscow, or the bombing of Tokyo.
Was Stalingrad the worst Battle ever : The fight for Stalingrad was a grueling conflict that lasted from August 23, 1942 until February 2, 1943. Both the Soviet Union and Germany stopped at nothing in order to achieve victory. As a result, the casualties amounted to around 2.2 million, making it the bloodiest battle that had ever taken place.
What if Russia lost Stalingrad : If Stalingrad fell, the enemy command would be able to cut off the south of the country from the center. We could lose the Volga — the important water artery, along which a large amount of goods flowed from the Caucasus. Stalin rushed all available troops to the east bank of the Volga, some from as far away as Siberia.
Did the Soviets shoot retreating soldiers
Although there was Order No. 227 (Russian: Директива Ставки ВГК №227) that became the rallying cry of "Not a step back!" (Russian: Ни шагу назад!, romanized: Ni shagu nazad!),machine gunners were not placed behind regular troops with orders to kill anyone who retreated, and they were used only for penal troops.
The Soviet Union, as one of the Allies, was also closely following the events of that day. After the news of the successful landing of the Allied forces on the Normandy beaches, the Soviet Union welcomed it as a much-needed boost to the war effort.the German approach to intelligence was a faulty one: insufficient attention was given to the subject as a whole, its importance was generally underrated, and the intelligence officer was rarely able to attain the prestige necessary for his job.
Could Normandy have failed : Beyond all of these tactical and operational factors, Normandy posed the likelihood of strategic and political failure. If Rommel had succeeded in throwing the Allies back into the Channel, the chance of a follow-on Allied attack within a year or two was extremely remote.