Stalingrad

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

Everyone knows that the battle of Stalingrad was a very important part of the war.
But I want to know some more about it, like how were the fights in the city and some things about operation Uranus.
And is it true that the Americans gave supplies to the Russians.
I've read the book about Stalingrad from Anthony Beevor but maybe someone can suggest some more books and documentaries.

[erupt]

As far as the U.S. giving the U.S.S.R. arms, I know they gave them what they could. However, I don't know if the supplies could reach Stalingrad considering how long the siege was. I'm pretty sure the supplies came via the Volga River, though.

If you watch World War II footage of Soviet soldiers fighting German soldiers, one will notice American tanks, planes, guns, and ammunition. I'm not saying the siege of Stalingrad was like that, though, because I cannot guarantee it; the battle was so vicious that troops from both sides used any weapons they could, including fists.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

As far as the U.S. giving the U.S.S.R. arms, I know they gave them what they could. However, I don't know if the supplies could reach Stalingrad considering how long the siege was. I'm pretty sure the supplies came via the Volga River, though.

If you watch World War II footage of Soviet soldiers fighting German soldiers, one will notice American tanks, planes, guns, and ammunition. I'm not saying the siege of Stalingrad was like that, though, because I cannot guarantee it; the battle was so vicious that troops from both sides used any weapons they could, including fists.

Yes thats the lend-lease program.
I read that the red army soldiers weren't that happy with it though, because the clothes weren't good enough in the winter.

[dodger]

Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed (Paperback)
Review by William Podmore

Michael K. Jones, an experienced writer on battles, has written a fine account of Stalingrad, the battle that saved the world. It is based on eyewitness testimony, interviews with veterans of the battle, and the 62nd Army's war diary and combat journals.

Stalin's directive number 227, issued on 28 July 1942, said, "Every commander, soldier and political worker must understand that our resources are not unlimited ... To retreat further would mean the ruin of our country and ourselves. Every new scrap of territory we lose will significantly strengthen the enemy and severely weaken our defence of our Motherland. ... Not a Step Back! This must now be our chief slogan. We must defend to the last drop every position, every metre of Soviet territory, to cling to every shred of Soviet earth and defend it to the utmost."

Lieutenant Anatoly Mereshko, a key member of 62nd Army's HQ staff, said, "Order 227 played a vital part in the battle. It opened the eyes of the army and the people, and showed them the truth of the situation facing the country. It led to the famous slogan at Stalingrad: `There is no land for us beyond the Volga.' We were no longer just fighting for a city. It inspired us to fight for every metre of ground, every bush and river, each little piece of land. Order 227 brought an incredible ferocity to our defence of Stalingrad."

Machine gunner Mikhail Kalinykov said, "To be honest with you, there was considerable uncertainty about the fate of the city - whether we could hold it or not. And yet, after Order 227, we felt that we had to hold out at Stalingrad regardless of that uncertainty - somehow, we had to make our stand there. You see, the soil was now precious to us, and we had to defend every metre of it. It was our promise to the Motherland."

As against Anthony Beevor's vicious lies (in his book Stalingrad) about 62nd Army's commander, Lieutenant-General Vasily Chuikov, Jones shows the qualities of Chuikov's leadership - his toughness in command, his distrust of blueprints, his democratic method of work, his trust in the ordinary soldier, his listening to his soldiers, his leadership by example, his courage (his HQ was always in or near the frontline), his decisiveness, his clear and direct orders, his high demands on both himself and his soldiers, and his ability to motivate his troops. Interestingly, Jones claims that on 14 October 1942 Khrushchev briefly sacked Chuikov. Stalin reinstated him at once.

The Nazi lie was that the Soviet Union won only because of its greater numbers of men and munitions. At Stalingrad the opposite was the case. The Red Army was hugely outnumbered and outgunned and the Nazis also had total command of the air. Yet the Nazis lost - because the Red Army had a better strategy, better tactics (especially in street-fighting) and higher morale
*****************

Hope this review is of interest..........

[erupt]

Yes thats the lend-lease program.
I read that the red army soldiers weren't that happy with it though, because the clothes weren't good enough in the winter.

I have no knowledge concerning Soviet clothes other than the fact they didn't wear steel helmets saved them from the winter. Many German soldiers had shrunken/damaged livers, lungs, kidneys, etc. Historians claim it was from the German uniform and their helmets; less heat was held in than the Russian uniform and wool caps. In fact, from so many soldiers just falling over dead (on both sides, but the Germans were hit much harder),both sides sent doctors to see what the problem was. This is how we know of the shrunken organs.

I'm sure the Russians were cold and miserable, but in comparison to the German soldiers experience of the winter, the Russians had the upper hand.

[kashkin]

John Erickson's account is really good. As for Lend Lease, from what I've read it was mainly trucks and raw materials, with some tanks and aircraft (Shermans were used in August Storm).

[Drosophila]

Everyone knows that the battle of Stalingrad was a very important part of the war.

It was.

And is it true that the Americans gave supplies to the Russians.

Yes, but supplies were mainly to the Russians from the British.

I've read the book about Stalingrad from Anthony Beevor but maybe someone can suggest some more books and documentaries.

I'm reading The First Fifty Years: Soviet Russia 1917-1967 by Ian Grey, who specialized in Russian history. Although old, it's a decent book that is a good relief from the typical anti-communist stuff you see from many bourgeois historians. A large portion of it deals with The Great Patriotic War.

[seventeethdecember2016]

Supplies from the US being the cause for the Soviet victory is an absurd claim. I know this wasn't your claim, but I just wanted to point it out.

Supplies from the US under Lend-Lease only made up a small fraction of the entire Red Army's supplies.

[dodger]

Supplies from the US being the cause for the Soviet victory is an absurd claim. I know this wasn't your claim, but I just wanted to point it out.

Supplies from the US under Lend-Lease only made up a small fraction of the entire Red Army's supplies.

Dodge and Studebaker trucks,much admired and praised. American can do and expertise. Essential for taking full advantage of every victory and taking the fight deeper into the Nazi lair. Let's then give credit where credit was due. Many I was told made by women. The Nazis in their madness used slave labour. The supplies that did reach the Soviets were brought over at great cost. U boats in the Atlantic. U-boats, torpedo boats and aircraft made the Baltic convoy's a hellish experience. In any event "Another Plane for Uncle Joe" with slogans comical depictions of Hitler written by the workers themselves spoke volumes.

[Homo Songun]

Viva Stalingrad! Death to fascism!

[ВАЛТЕР]

Here is an episode from the show "Soviet Storm WWII in the East"

the show was originally produced for Russian TV but was translated to English. A really great show that covers all the important battles on the Eastern Front.

This Episode is specifically about Stalingrad

+ YouTube Video

[OnlyCommunistYouKnow]

I love learning of Stalingrad! I'm very interested with WWII.
Don't forget the infamous order, "not one step back". Or the saying, "there's no land past the Volga".

[OnlyCommunistYouKnow]

The battle of Stalingrad was the fight for the industrial city of Stalingrad. The German sixth army (considered to be Germanys best fighters) against the red army.
Infamous battles include Pavlovs house, Red October Factory, the grain elevator. And many others. The Germans had taken up to 90% of the city at the peak of the battle, with the only soviet forces holding the opposite side of the Volga. In winter, the Soviets gained a foothold in the city when the river had frozen and they could run over the ice.
Operation Uranus was a plan to surround the German forces that was successful. The Soviets had to fight through Italians (which were designated to guard German flanks). The Italians didn't last long and the Soviets easily encircled the Germans. There's a video clip of when the two soviet groups made contact and men would run at eachother and jump into eachothers arms in glee. Once the Germans realized they were surrounded, they asked Hitler to fall back and break through the Soviet line. Hitler had already declared that Stalingrad had been taken and he was determined that the Germans could be supplied via air drops. In reality this only cost the Germans hundreds of planes and a tenth of the needed supply's. The Germans main enemy at this point was starvation and hypothermia. German troops also lacked winter apparel since victory was expected to be quick. Paulus (commander of the sixth army) was determined to stay and fight. However, once the only German airfield was taken by the Soviets, he began to lose hope. He asked Hitler for permission to surrender. Hitler denied and promoted Paulus to Field Marshal. No German field marshal had ever surrendered and Hitler expected Paulus to commit suicide. However, Paulus surrendered the German sixth army to the soviets, officially ending the battle of Stalingrad. All surviving Germans were then taken to work camps. Statistics report around 5000 Germans survived to leave the camps.
I will gladly tell you more on any subject of Stalingrad if you want.