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73 Years ago today: Battle of Stalingrad ends with the surrender of 6th Army
Posted on 2/2/16 at 8:59 am
Posted on 2/2/16 at 8:59 am
6th Army was regarded as the best field army of the Wehrmacht going into the Battle of Stalingrad. They reached the outskirts of the city in early August 1942. After three months of some of the most brutal fighting in history, the Germans had reached the Volga and controlled over 90% of the city. Hitler himself even declared the the city had been taken and would remain in German hands forever. But the Soviets had other plans, big plans in fact. On Nov. 19, 1942 the Soviets launched Operation Uranus, aimed at both the right & left flanks of the 6th Army which were held by less reliable Italian and Romanian armies. Within a week they had totally smashed the Italians and Romanians and 6th Army was completely surrounded in the ruins of Stalingrad.
At this early stage 6th Army probably could have fought it's way out but Hitler forbade it. Instead the Germans tried to keep 6th Army alive via air drop. but the Luftwaffe could not come close to meeting the supply needs of 6th Army. The Germans did finally attempt to relieve 6th army, sending LVII Panzer Corps northward towards the city in severe blizzard conditions in the middle of December. They got to within 30 miles when it's commander, Erich von Manstein sent word to 6th Army's commander Gen. Paulus asking him to break out of the city and attack towards him so they could join up and get 6th Army back to safety. Citing Hitler's orders, Paulus refused thus sealing 6th Army's fate.
The 6th continued to resist until Feb. 2, 1943 when Gen Paulus emerged from his headquarters in the basement of a bombed out department store to surrender the approximately 90,000 - 100,000 survivors to the Soviets. Fewer than 6,000 of them would ever see Germany again. The rest would die in Soviet captivity.
Here's what he city looked like before the Battle of Stalingrad...
Here's some views of the city after the battle
LINK
At this early stage 6th Army probably could have fought it's way out but Hitler forbade it. Instead the Germans tried to keep 6th Army alive via air drop. but the Luftwaffe could not come close to meeting the supply needs of 6th Army. The Germans did finally attempt to relieve 6th army, sending LVII Panzer Corps northward towards the city in severe blizzard conditions in the middle of December. They got to within 30 miles when it's commander, Erich von Manstein sent word to 6th Army's commander Gen. Paulus asking him to break out of the city and attack towards him so they could join up and get 6th Army back to safety. Citing Hitler's orders, Paulus refused thus sealing 6th Army's fate.
The 6th continued to resist until Feb. 2, 1943 when Gen Paulus emerged from his headquarters in the basement of a bombed out department store to surrender the approximately 90,000 - 100,000 survivors to the Soviets. Fewer than 6,000 of them would ever see Germany again. The rest would die in Soviet captivity.
Here's what he city looked like before the Battle of Stalingrad...
Here's some views of the city after the battle
LINK
20
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:02 am to Darth_Vader
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:02 am to Darth_Vader
The Nazis and the Soviets deserved each other.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:03 am to Darth_Vader
Is it Stalingrad or Leningrad where the citizens were fighting with household items?
I had a great history professor that was a German Jew who went to Harvard and she had a Russian grandfather that she said died fighting with a sharpened broom stick in that battle.
Always thought that was so badass
I had a great history professor that was a German Jew who went to Harvard and she had a Russian grandfather that she said died fighting with a sharpened broom stick in that battle.
Always thought that was so badass
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:03 am to Darth_Vader
And this guy 
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:03 am to Darth_Vader
Vasily Zaytsev was a badass.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:05 am to Darth_Vader
Paulus wouldn't do the obvious because Hitler said no retreat.
The Germans are considered to be a smart people, but how many blindly listened to this evil dictator even when it cost thousands and thousands of lives.
It's incredible to think about what the German people did and didn't do in Hitler's name.
Then you think of our country and how some blindly follow the leader. Makes you think.
The Germans are considered to be a smart people, but how many blindly listened to this evil dictator even when it cost thousands and thousands of lives.
It's incredible to think about what the German people did and didn't do in Hitler's name.
Then you think of our country and how some blindly follow the leader. Makes you think.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:12 am to Darth_Vader
If it weren't for the disasterous acts the Soviets committed during the war and in the decades after, Operation Uranus would be looked upon with the same valor and reverence as something like D-Day.
It was that gamechanging.
It was that gamechanging.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:13 am to Darth_Vader
German Army was stretched too far and Stalin had an unending supply of Soldiers.
Didn't he have about 15 million ready after the Battle of Stalingrad?
Is it true that before they marched the captive German Soldiers through Red Square they fed them some kind of soup that acts as an industrial laxative.They were shitting themselves while being forced to march.
Didn't he have about 15 million ready after the Battle of Stalingrad?
Is it true that before they marched the captive German Soldiers through Red Square they fed them some kind of soup that acts as an industrial laxative.They were shitting themselves while being forced to march.
This post was edited on 2/2/16 at 9:44 am
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:13 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
Operation Uranus
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:15 am to doubleb
quote:
Paulus wouldn't do the obvious because Hitler said no retreat.
The Germans are considered to be a smart people, but how many blindly listened to this evil dictator even when it cost thousands and thousands of lives.
It's incredible to think about what the German people did and didn't do in Hitler's name.
Then you think of our country and how some blindly follow the leader. Makes you think.
Meh, Hitler basically fired his top general and he considered himself one. The most eye opening impact for me is that if Hitler would have listened to his top brass they probably would've won the war.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:15 am to doubleb
It's because the German Weimar Republic had strict representational legislature. Most countries have a certain barrier of entry for a party to get representation to keep out insane political parties. Let's say 6-7%!of the vote.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:18 am to StarkRebel
quote:
And this guy
Was as great movie. But it likely was mostly a work of fiction. The real Vasily Zaytsev did claim to kill a German sniper names Major Erwin Konig who was supposed to be the head of the Wehrmacht's sniper school in Germany. However, the Germans have no record of him ever existing.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:19 am to FootballNostradamus
Russia was able to ship troops from the Far East because their intell indicated the Japanese were not going to attack Russia.
Germany and Japan had a screwy alliance. Japan never declared war on Russia and did not threaten Russia, but as soon as Japan attacked the US Hitler jumped in and declared war on the US three days later.
If Germany stayed out of the Japanese war with the US how would history have changed? How long could Germany have gone against Russia without D-Day, Italy, African campaign involving the US, etc?
Germany and Japan had a screwy alliance. Japan never declared war on Russia and did not threaten Russia, but as soon as Japan attacked the US Hitler jumped in and declared war on the US three days later.
If Germany stayed out of the Japanese war with the US how would history have changed? How long could Germany have gone against Russia without D-Day, Italy, African campaign involving the US, etc?
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:22 am to doubleb
quote:
Russia was able to ship troops from the Far East because their intell indicated the Japanese were not going to attack Russia.
Germany and Japan had a screwy alliance. Japan never declared war on Russia and did not threaten Russia, but as soon as Japan attacked the US Hitler jumped in and declared war on the US three days later.
If Germany stayed out of the Japanese war with the US how would history have changed? How long could Germany have gone against Russia without D-Day, Italy, African campaign involving the US, etc?
I've always wondered why Hitler would do something as stupid as declaring war on the U.S. Yes, he had a treaty with Japan. But that treaty only stated one would come to the aid of the other if that country had been attacked. That's why the Japanese never felt compelled to go to war with the Soviet Union. Germany invaded the Soviet Union unprovoked. Thus Japan had no obligation to go to war with the Soviets. Being that Japan attacked the U.S., Hitler did not have to declare war against the U.S. either. But he did. I'd love to be able to go back and ask him what the hell made him think that was a good idea.
This post was edited on 2/2/16 at 9:24 am
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:25 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
Was as great movie. But it likely was mostly a work of fiction.
As most good war movies are.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:25 am to doubleb
quote:
It's incredible to think about what the German people did and didn't do in Hitler's name.
Then you think of our country and how some blindly follow the leader. Makes you think.
Cult of personality. Humans are naive and trusting of political, religious leaders. It is our fatal flaw. It still amazes me that more people simply don't have the ability to think for themselves in this day and age and with all of the information available to us at our fingertips.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:28 am to StarkRebel
quote:
As most good war movies are.
True. At least it somewhat stuck to the real story. Then there's abominations like this....
I remember being so fired up for this movie to come out. Went to see it opening night and wanted to vomit within the first 15 minutes.
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:30 am to Darth_Vader
Because, despite claiming neutrality, the US was giving Great Britain a ton of supplies. Hitler wanted an excuse to go after the shipping routes. No one really respected the US military at the time and they didn't think the US would be a real threat
Posted on 2/2/16 at 9:32 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
I've always wondered why Hitler would do something as stupid as declaring war on the U.S.
Because American corporate interests like Rockefeller and others were funding both the Germans and the Americans. In WW2 many of the German vehicles and tanks were Fords and General Motors. The Nazi's gave Henry Ford their highest award for a citizen. Hitler had a portrait of Ford in his office. The company Ford in fact sued the American government for bombing their german tank factories and they won the lawsuit. Bring these two military giants into conflict and oil and machinery profits skyrocket. All wars of the past two hundred years can be traced back by following the money. War is a huge moneymaker as well as being a huge wedge to convince the population that greater and greater centralization of political and economic power into the hands of a few is a good thing for the good of the citizens. Win-win. The League of Nations after WW1 and the UN after WW2 are two perfect examples. These organizations were planned way before either war ever started. Profits and power. That is what war is all about.
This post was edited on 2/2/16 at 11:52 am
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