Preceden

Battle of Stalingrad Timeline

(August 23, 1942 – February 2, 1943)

The Battle of Stalingrad was a major confrontation between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southern Russia. Fought with extreme ferocity, it became one of the deadliest battles in history and is widely regarded as the turning point of World War II in Europe, ending with the surrender of German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus and his encircled Sixth Army. Less

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Prelude and Planning

Wehrmacht captures vast territories in the East

1942

By the spring of 1942, despite the failure of Operation Barbarossa to defeat the Soviet Union in a single campaign, the Wehrmacht had captured vast territories, including Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic republics.

Image source: Eastern Front (World War II)

Wehrmacht captures vast territories in the East

Hitler confident despite losses west of Moscow

1942

Hitler remained confident of breaking the Red Army, despite heavy losses west of Moscow in the winter of 1941–42, because large parts of Army Group Centre had been rested and re-equipped.

Image source: Adolf Hitler

Hitler confident despite losses west of Moscow

Soviets plan summer campaign after winter counteroffensive

Mar 1942

As the Soviet winter counteroffensive of 1941–1942 culminated in March, the Soviet high command began planning for the summer campaign.

Image source: Winter campaign of 1941–1942

Soviets plan summer campaign after winter counteroffensive

Hitler targets southern Soviet Union for 1942 offensive

Apr 1942

Hitler decided that the 1942 summer campaign would target the southern Soviet Union. The start of Case Blue had been planned for late May 1942.

Image source: Case Blue

Hitler targets southern Soviet Union for 1942 offensive

Case Blue opens with attack into southern Russia

Jun 28, 1942

Blau finally opened as Army Group South began its attack into southern Russia on 28 June 1942.

Hitler expands objectives to include Stalingrad

Jul 23, 1942

On 23 July 1942, Hitler expanded the campaign's objectives to include occupying Stalingrad, a city with immense propaganda value, as it bore the name of the Soviet leader.

Image source: Battle of Stalingrad

Hitler expands objectives to include Stalingrad

Battle for the City

Order No. 227 forbids unauthorized retreat

Jul 27, 1942

Order 227 of 27 July 1942 decreed that all commanders who ordered unauthorised retreats would be subject to a military tribunal.

Image source: Order No. 227

Order No. 227 forbids unauthorized retreat

Yeryomenko appointed commander of Southeastern Front

Aug 1, 1942

After German intentions became clear in July, Stalin appointed General Andrey Yeryomenko commander of the Southeastern Front on 1 August 1942.

Image source: Andrey Yeryomenko

Yeryomenko appointed commander of Southeastern Front

62nd Army formed under Chuikov beyond the Volga

Sep 11, 1942

Beyond the Volga River on the eastern boundary of Stalingrad, additional Soviet units were formed into the 62nd Army under Lieutenant General Vasiliy Chuikov on 11 September 1942.

Image source: Vasily Chuikov

62nd Army formed under Chuikov beyond the Volga

Hosenfeld compares Stalingrad to Verdun

Oct 1942

German captain Wilhelm Hosenfeld wrote in early October 1942 that 'The fight for Stalingrad now surpasses all our previous struggles—it has rightly been compared to Verdun.'

Image source: Wilm Hosenfeld

Hosenfeld compares Stalingrad to Verdun

Stalingrad Front Political Department reports on morale

Oct 8, 1942

Beevor noted the 'sinister' message from the Stalingrad Front's Political Department on 8 October 1942 that: 'The defeatist mood is almost eliminated and the number of treasonous incidents is getting lower' as an example of the coercion Red Army soldiers experienced under the Special Detachments (renamed SMERSH).

Image source: SMERSH

Stalingrad Front Political Department reports on morale

Romanian pilots fly thousands of sorties over Stalingrad

Oct 23, 1942

Starting on 23 October 1942, Romanian pilots flew a total of 4,000 sorties, during which they destroyed 61 Soviet aircraft.

Image source: Romania in World War II

Romanian pilots fly thousands of sorties over Stalingrad

Das Schwarze Korps describes relentless Soviet defense

Oct 29, 1942

A 29 October 1942 article in the SS newspaper Das Schwarze Korps stated 'The Bolshevists attack until total exhaustion, and defend themselves until the physical extermination of the last man and weapon.'

Image source: Das Schwarze Korps

Das Schwarze Korps describes relentless Soviet defense

Germans reach the Volga, capturing 90% of the city

Nov 1942

In November 1942, after three months of slow advance, the Germans finally reached the river banks, capturing 90% of the ruined city and splitting the remaining Soviet forces into two narrow pockets.

Operation Uranus and Encirclement

Second Battle of El Alamein won by Britain

Nov 1942

At this point, the British had won the Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942, adding to Axis setbacks across multiple theaters.

Image source: Second Battle of El Alamein

Second Battle of El Alamein won by Britain

Double envelopment plan echoes Khalkhin Gol

Nov 1942

The plan was similar to that used by Zhukov to achieve victory at Khalkhin Gol in 1939, where he had sprung a double envelopment and destroyed the 23rd Division of the Japanese army.

Image source: Battles of Khalkhin Gol

Double envelopment plan echoes Khalkhin Gol

Winter Campaign of 1942–1943 begins

Nov 19, 1942 - Mar 3, 1943

These operations opened the Winter Campaign of 1942–1943 (19 November 1942 – 3 March 1943), which involved some fifteen Armies operating on several fronts.

Image source: Volkhov Front

Winter Campaign of 1942–1943 begins

Operation Uranus launched

Nov 19, 1942

On 19 November 1942, Operation Uranus was launched. By 19 November 1942, the German forces in the pocket numbered about 210,000, with 50,000 soldiers outside the encirclement.

Image source: Operation Uranus

Operation Uranus launched

Stavka plans winter offensives against German forces

Nov 19, 1942 - Feb 2, 1943

Recognising that German troops were ill-prepared for offensive operations during the winter of 1942 and that most of them were deployed elsewhere on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, the Stavka decided to conduct a number of offensive operations between 19 November 1942 and 2 February 1943.

Soviet envoys deliver surrender terms to 6th Army

Jan 7, 1943

The Red Army High Command sent three envoys while, simultaneously, aircraft and loudspeakers announced the terms of capitulation on 7 January 1943. It aimed to break through to the Sixth Army and establish a corridor so it could maintain its 'cornerstone' position on the Volga.

Largest bombardment of the war opens final Soviet assault

Jan 10, 1943

The operation launched on 10 January 1943 with what was the single largest bombardment of the war at that point, with nearly 7,000 field guns, launchers and mortars firing against German positions.

Fall of Pitomnik airfield ends air supply

Jan 16, 1943

The loss of the airfield Pitomnik on 16 January 1943 meant an end to air supplies and the evacuation of the wounded.

Image source: Pitomnik Airfield

Fall of Pitomnik airfield ends air supply

Loss of Gumrak airfield seals the pocket's fate

Jan 21, 1943 - Jan 22, 1943

The loss of Gumrak on the night of 21/22 January meant an end to air supplies and the evacuation of the wounded.

Soviet Victory

Hitler silent on tenth anniversary of his rule

Jan 30, 1943

On 30 January 1943, the tenth anniversary of his coming to power, Hitler chose not to speak. The German public was not officially told of the impending disaster until the end of January 1943.

6th Army capitulates at Stalingrad

Feb 2, 1943

On 2 February 1943, the 6th Army, having exhausted its ammunition and food, finally capitulated, making it the first of Hitler's field armies to surrender.

Western press hails Stalingrad victory

Feb 2, 1943 - Feb 3, 1943

On 2 February 1943, American journalist Barnet Nover wrote in the Washington Post that 'Stalingrad's role in this war was that of the Battles of the Marne, Verdun and the Second Marne of the last war rolled into one', while on 3 February 1943 the New York Times heralded the destruction of 'the flower of Adolf Hitler's army'.

Red Army Day celebrated across the Soviet Union

Feb 23, 1943

The country celebrated 'Red Army Day' on 23 February 1943. 'And now! We start 1943 under conditions I would never have dared to hope.'

Image source: Defender of the Fatherland Day

Red Army Day celebrated across the Soviet Union

Last isolated pockets of resistance surrender

Mar 1, 1943 - Mar 10, 1943

The remaining forces continued to resist, hiding in cellars and sewers, but by early March 1943 the last small and isolated pockets of resistance had surrendered.

Legacy and Commemoration

Churchill presents Stalingrad sword at Tehran Conference

Nov 1943

After being put on public display in Britain, the Sword of Stalingrad was presented to Stalin by Winston Churchill at the Tehran Conference later in 1943.

Image source: Tehran Conference

Churchill presents Stalingrad sword at Tehran Conference

Hitler blames Stalingrad in speech

Nov 9, 1944

In a speech on 9 November 1944, Hitler himself blamed Stalingrad for Germany's impending doom.

Stalingrad awarded Hero City title

1945

In recognition of the determination of its defenders, Stalingrad was awarded the title Hero City in 1945.

Image source: Hero City (Soviet Union)

Stalingrad awarded Hero City title

Paulus settles in Dresden defending his actions

1952

He remained in the Soviet Union until 1952, then moved to Dresden in East Germany, where he spent the remainder of his days defending his actions at Stalingrad and was quoted as saying that Communism was the best hope for postwar Europe.

Image source: Friedrich Paulus

Paulus settles in Dresden defending his actions

Survivors of Stalingrad repatriated to West Germany

1955

It was not until 1955 that the last of the 5,000–6,000 survivors were repatriated (to West Germany) after a plea to the Politburo by Konrad Adenauer.

The Motherland Calls monument erected

1967

A colossal monument called The Motherland Calls was erected in 1967 on Mamayev Kurgan, the hill overlooking the city where bones and rusty metal splinters can still be found.

Image source: The Motherland Calls

The Motherland Calls monument erected

Analyses confirm Stalingrad as turning point

1989 - 2004

In 1989, a comprehensive quantitative analysis concluded that Stalingrad was the military turning point of the war, and an analysis in 2004 also concluded that the epic battle sealed the fate of the Germans in the East, establishing the Battle of Stalingrad as the fundamental turning point in the war on the Eastern Front.

Key Facts

  1. The battle began on August 23, 1942, when German forces reached the Volga River at Stalingrad and launched massive aerial bombardments that devastated the city.
  2. It was one of the bloodiest battles in history, with an estimated 2 million total casualties including soldiers and civilians.
  3. Soviet forces under Generals Zhukov and Vasilevsky launched Operation Uranus on November 19, 1942, encircling roughly 300,000 Axis troops.
  4. Hitler refused to allow General Paulus's Sixth Army to break out or surrender, and attempts to resupply the pocket by air failed.
  5. On February 2, 1943, Paulus surrendered, marking the first time a German field marshal was captured and signaling a major shift of momentum to the Soviet Union.

Source

This Battle of Stalingrad timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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