🏅 #OTD in 1943 one of the largest and fiercest battles in history, which radically changed the course of World War II, the Battle of Stalingrad was concluded.

This bitter battle lasted 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days on the banks of the Don and Volga rivers, at the walls of Stalingrad, and finally in the city itself. The Battle for Stalingrad surpassed all previous battles in world history in its scale and intensity.

Up to 2.1 million people took part in the battle on both sides at a given time.

By late June, 1942, the enemy had concentrated at a front some 600–650 kilometres long from Kursk to Taganrog up to 35 percent of the infantry and over 50 percent of the tank and motorised divisions from the overall number of forces on the Soviet-German front.

☝️ However, their plans to win because of significant forces in this area were not destined to come true.

The Battle of Stalingrad includes two periods:

Defensive: from July 17 to November 18, 1942

Offensive: from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943.

There were no long pauses or lulls in the battle - the fighting was continuous. Stalingrad for the Nazi was a kind of "mill", which grinded thousands of German soldiers and officers.

The invaders lost a quarter of its forces on the Soviet-German front during this battle with the total losses, including the dead and wounded, prisoners of war and those who went missing, totalling around 1.5 million people. This led Germany to announce its first national day of mourning during the war.

🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended with a historic victory by the Soviet armed forces, marking a radical turn not only in the course of the Great Patriotic War, but also in the entire World War II.

The victory in Stalingrad created conditions enabling Soviet forces to mount a large-scale counteroffensive aimed at expelling the invaders from the Motherland.

☝️ Not only did this massive feat increase the international prestige of the USSR & the Red Army, but also helped strengthen the anti-Hitler coalition.

📖 Learn more

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