Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43)

As the Germans advanced towards Stalingrad in the Summer of 1942, the war came to the locals of the city and evacuation was slow to the speed of the Wehrmacht’s advancement.

Because the city bore Stalin’s name it was of a high importance for the morale of the Soviet forces to hold it.

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Credit:

Narrator:

Chris Kane

Artwork:

Daniel turner

Direction, Animation:
Daniel Turner

Research:

Oleg Guimaoutdinov

Music:

Pictures: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

[eldarranger]

Thier was a house in stalingrad that held out longer than France

[thepunisher]

"The Germans say they are willing to sacrifice anything to take this city, we will show them the meaning of sacrifice" - unknown Soviet soldier.

[Simplehistory]

Stalin had issued Order No. 227 on July 27th 1942 known as “Not one step backwards”. You may be wondering about the shooting deserters part of the battle. This happened on a small scale, but is mainly exaggerated by Hollywood.

[itsnadaaaa]

A German soldier in his diary documented "We would enter the home, fight the reds and win the kitchen, but then my god we would find ourselves fighting the reds for the bedroom"

[ik]

Not so much of a fun fact: More germans died in the battle of Stalingrad, than on entire Western front. And some people still think that it were americans who played the most important role in the war with Germany. Actually, America's most valuable effort in that was that it supplied russians with food/boots/weaponry. Not saying that the western front wasn't a great deal, but still...

[Screamingurchin]

The fact that the city bore Stalin’s name was not the only reason the city had so much importance. At the time hitler wanted to control the Caucasus region to use the oil and other natural recourses to win the war.
The plan was to encircle the Caucasus, then move south to take the region, and Stalingrad was one city that needed to be taken over to complete the encirclement. The reason this region is so important is because Germany was running out of oil and the Caucasus could supply them with enough oil to win the war, plus that would mean even more farmland and resources taken away from the soviets.
Extra side note: I am not an expert at WW2 so feel free to criticize any inaccuracies in this comment

[noahgilmore]

Let's be real the only reason the Soviets won was Reznov and Dimitri

[christopherfischer]

“It takes a brave man to be a coward in the Red Army.” -Joseph Stalin

[Cryptic_]

Feminists
We want equal rights
Russia
Sure we need as much people as we can get

[RuthlssKillrx]

hologram of stalin magically appears*
"commander, the time has come...execute order 227"
"yes my lord"

[Killzoneguy]

When you realize that Stalingrad saw a greater loss of life than entire wars

[alexanderskvortsov]

Hello, I am from Russia! Thank you for not forgetting about Eastern front because it so offensively and painful to folks who lived in the USSR that Western World (I mean prime people living in the Western World) doesn't know about great battles likewise Stalingard and we had many of them, for example, Battle of Kursk, Siege of Leningrad, Battle of Moscow, Belorussian offensive (operation "Bagration")in June 1944, Battle for Ukraine (1943-1944), Battle of Berlin and many other offensive operations planned and realised by Red Army. But we remember your battles, for exmaple, Battle of El-Alamein, D-Day (1944) and your assistance at Pacific theatre of WWII. Good channel!

[Simplehistory]

Soldiers sent to penal battalions were put on the most dangerous missions. And they could redeem themselves back to regular infantry units if they accomplished objectives. Penal air squadrons were tried too, but quickly proved to be worthless. In the air a coward-pilot can't be controlled or well motivated. The German Army also had penal units.

[zidorovichburblyatya]

Crossing from England to France is like walking in a Disney Park compared to Volga River Crossings.

[nikonly]

when you defend one house and city more than some european countries defend their whole territory .people went to front not for Stalin but for their families and homeland

[Brygar]

"Dimitri, as long as you live, the heart of this army will never be broken"~ Reznov

[pjb]

"Dimitri?"
"We thought you were among the dead in the massacre at the square!"

"He was. Among them, but not one of them."

"We're about to assault the communication post north of here..."

"Good. Such a move will prevent the German command calling for help."
Dimitri and I will provide cover from above... Wait till you hear the screams of dying Germans."

[cao]

Women: we want equal rights
Ussr: ok go to the battlefield with the men

[johnbarrett]

Stalin: "the time has come, execute order 227"

[dashippo]

4:17 My grandfather was a medic in the Wehrmachts 6th Army and was sent to Russia and Stalingrad. In enclosed Stalingrad he got ill, got Malaria and a high fever. He was flown out with such a Junkers JU52 plane, like shown in the movie. He was among the last soldiers, to be flown out. After his recovery, Stalingrad had fallen and his whole unit had been destroyed. Malaria had saved his live!
May the victims on both sides be a warning for us, today, not to start such wars again!