Battle of Stalingrad when. Chronicle of Victory. How did the Battle of Stalingrad begin?

Although some may consider the day of the Allied landings in Europe the moment of the Second World War when its course turned in favor of the Allies, in reality the Nazis ran out of steam and began to retreat during the Battle of Stalingrad, which took place more than a year and a half before this event. Without a doubt, the Battle of Stalingrad was the most brutal battle of the Second World War and the fiercest battle in military history. The result of this battle buried Hitler's dream of world empire and marked the beginning of the end of the Nazis. Without this battle, the Allied landings in Europe might not have happened at all. Now let's take a closer look at some of the events of this battle.

1. Losses


In order to fully understand the true scale, cruelty and importance of the Battle of Stalingrad, we must start from the end - from the losses. It was the bloodiest battle of the entire war, which lasted almost seven months, from mid-July 1942 to February 2, 1943, and in which not only Red Army soldiers and Nazis, but also Romanians, Hungarians, Italians, and also some Russian conscripts participated. Over 840,000 Axis soldiers died, disappeared or were captured in this battle, while the Soviet Union lost more than 1.1 million people. During the battle, more than 40 thousand Soviet civilians were also killed. Stalin himself strictly forbade the evacuation of Stalingrad, believing that the Soviet soldiers would fight better, knowing that they also had to protect the city's inhabitants.

For comparison, during the Allied landings in Europe and the subsequent invasion of Normandy, about 425,000 soldiers died or disappeared on both sides. At the same time, in Stalingrad, of the approximately 91,000 Germans who survived until February 2 and surrendered that day, only about 6,000 returned home at all. The rest were dying of starvation and exhaustion in Soviet labor camps, even ten years after the end of World War II. The Axis forces, about 250,000 strong, locked up in Stalingrad, found themselves in the worst possible conditions. With scarce supplies and no suitable clothing for the harsh Russian winter, many died of starvation or extreme cold. On both sides, many soldiers were forced to engage in cannibalism in order to survive. The average life of a recruit in Stalingrad was one day, while a captain could live there for three days. Of course, the Battle of Stalingrad is the bloodiest battle in human history, taking more lives than many other wars combined.

2. Reason for pride


Today this city is known as Volgograd, but until 1961 it was called Stalingrad in honor of the Soviet leader. So, as you can understand, the city was of great importance for both Hitler and Stalin. Of course, the Germans sought to capture the city not only because of its name, but it had its role here. main goal The Battle of Stalingrad was the defense of the northern flank of the German army, sent south into the Caucasus Mountains towards Baku and other oil-rich areas. Oil was, so to speak, Germany's Achilles' heel, as more than 75% of the oil came from Romania, whose reserves were already running low by 1941. In this regard, in order to continue the war, the Nazis needed to capture some oil areas. This search for oil was called "Operation Blue" by the Nazis. She was integral part an even larger operation "Barbarossa", the purpose of which was to conquer the Soviet Union.

encouraged initial victories and the rapid movement of the Axis forces across the territory of modern Ukraine and southern Russia, Hitler decided to divide his southern armies. While his northern armies were mainly focused on the siege of Leningrad (present-day Petersburg) and the capture of Moscow, the southern group of troops was tasked with capturing Stalingrad and the Caucasus. Present-day Belarus and Ukraine were important industrial zones for the Soviet Union, and if it also lost oil fields, it would most likely capitulate. Since the Red Army had suffered heavy casualties in previous battles, Hitler thought that Stalingrad would be easy pickings. By and large, Stalingrad was not of great strategic importance, but Hitler wanted to take the city because of its name. In turn, Stalin, for the same reason, wanted to keep the city at all costs. As a result, Stalin emerged victorious from this battle, marking the first major victory and turning point in World War II. And since this victory took place in the city named after him, it was an important tool propaganda for Stalin until the end of the war and for the rest of his life.

3. Not one step back!


Signed by Joseph Stalin himself on July 28, 1942, Order No. 227 is better known as the order “Not a step back!”. In the face of the catastrophic situation that developed during the Great Patriotic War, Stalin issued this decree to put an end to the massive desertion and unauthorized and chaotic retreats that had taken place up to that point. The west of the USSR, which included modern Ukraine and Belarus, was the most industrialized part of the country, as well as the so-called breadbasket of the Soviet state. Most of its civilian population lived in these areas, therefore, even despite the vast territory of the USSR, the constant retreat was not a way out. This order meant that no military commander should give any orders to retreat, regardless of the situation, in the absence of appropriate orders from the higher command. Violators of this order were subject to court-martial.

On every front, including Stalingrad, there were to be penal battalions. These battalions consisted of approximately 800 mid-level commanders with disciplinary problems, as well as ordinary soldiers who were under their command. The latter also included deserters, the so-called cowards, or other troublemakers. These battalions were put in the front ranks and always sent to the most dangerous battles. In addition, there were also detachments. Each army was to have several such detachments, each with 200 soldiers. Their task was to stand in the rearguard and turn around or kill deserters or those who tried to retreat without a proper order. According to rough estimates, 13,500 "traitors to the Motherland" were killed in Stalingrad alone.

4. Tank T-34


Up until 1942, the Soviet Union lagged behind the Germans, as well as their Western allies, in terms of armored vehicles. However, the development of the T-34 tank began as early as 1939. By June 1941, there were only 1,200 T-34 tanks on the Eastern Front. However, by the end of the war, their numbers had grown to more than 84,000 units. Previous model Soviet tank, T-26, could not compete with the German Panzer III tanks. It moved slower, had weaker armor and much less firepower. In 1941 alone, the Nazis destroyed over 20,000 Russian T-26 tanks. But with the advent of the T-34 tank, the situation changed, and panzer tanks III were at a disadvantage.

The T-34 tank wasn't perfect by many standards, but it was a weapon to be reckoned with nonetheless. It was equipped with a V12 engine, which allowed it to reach speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour, and could also work in sub-zero temperatures. It also had a 76.2mm main gun and two machine guns. The T-34 tank had wider tracks than its predecessors and competitors, making it more maneuverable in seas of mud in autumn and spring and heavy snowfalls in winter. But the most notable thing about the T-34 was its sloped armor, which gave the tank the protection it needed without increasing total weight. As the Germans soon learned, most of their shells simply bounced off his armor. Tank T-34 became main reason for the development of the German Panther tank. In fact, the T-34 tank could be destroyed by throwing a grenade at it with close range or damaging its engine. This could also be done with a heavy anti-aircraft artillery.

However, the main advantage of the T-34 tank was the simplicity and cheapness of its mass production. As you might expect, it was uncomfortable, and it had a lot of imperfections. Many T-34 tanks were sent into battle straight from the factory assembly line. One such plant was in Stalingrad itself. However, it was designed with a relatively inexperienced crew in mind. This was the main difference between the T-34 tank and its German counterparts. The first army of T-34 tanks was deployed in the counteroffensive that preceded the Battle of Stalingrad, on the banks of the Don.

As a result of this counteroffensive, the German army suffered heavy losses, and the offensive against Stalingrad was delayed by almost three weeks. It also reduced the resources of the Nazis and severely damaged their morale. The Germans did not expect a Soviet counter-offensive at this stage of the war, let alone the appearance of new tanks.

5 Rat War


The attack on Stalingrad began with a heavy aerial bombardment that turned the city into heaps of charred ruins. An estimated 40,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the first week of the air attack. Soviet soldiers stubbornly refused to retreat to east side Volga, knowing full well what it would mean for both their war effort and their lives. Civilians, including women and children, dug trenches sometimes ten meters from the Germans. With constant shelling and aerial bombardment, the Battle of Stalingrad soon turned into a "rat war", as the Germans called it.

The battle for Stalingrad quickly turned into a fierce battle. guerrilla war in which, on both sides, countless soldiers died for every inch of urban territory. Before moving forward, it was necessary to clear every street, every basement, room, corridor or attic from enemy units. There were cases when the floors in multi-storey buildings were occupied in turn by Germans or Russians. They fired at each other through holes in the floor. Nowhere was safe. Fierce fighting took place in the streets, in trenches, in sewers, in blown up buildings, and even on above-ground industrial pipelines. The initial advantage of the Germans in armor and aircraft was reduced in this "rat war", which put the Russians in a better position.

6. Pavlov's House


Pavlov's house became a symbol representing the resistance of the Russians to the constant attacks of the Germans during the Battle of Stalingrad. It was a four-story apartment building overlooking the "January 9 Square". The house was of great strategic importance to the Russians, as it occupied a very advantageous position, giving its defenders a large line of sight 800 meters long to the west, north and south. The house was named after junior sergeant Yakov Pavlov, who became a platoon commander of the 13th Guards rifle division after the death of all senior sergeants. Pavlov's platoon received reinforcements a few days after he took up his duties, and its strength grew to 25 people. The platoon also received machine guns, anti-tank rifles and mortars.

Pavlov ordered his men to surround the building with four rows of barbed wire and mines, and placed a man with a machine gun in every window overlooking the square. Some mortars and anti-tank rifles were placed on the roof of the building. This turned out to be a big advantage, because german tanks, who tried to drive up to the building, knocked out from above with guns. The tanks could not raise their guns to shoot at the roof. However, the Germans stormed the building day and night, trying to capture it once and for all. At the same time, the Russians breached the walls in the basement and connected it to a trench system that brought supplies from the other side of the river. However, water and food supplies were limited.

Under the command of Yakov Pavlov, the platoon resisted the German attacks for almost two months, from September 27 to November 25, 1942. The commander of the Soviet forces in Stalingrad, General Vasily Chuikov, jokingly said that the Germans lost more soldiers and tanks in the attacks on Pavlov's house than in the capture of Paris.

7. Height 102


Closer to the center of Stalingrad is Mamaev Kurgan, which is a hill 102 meters high, from which good view to the surrounding city and suburbs, as well as to the opposite, eastern, bank of the Volga. And, of course, fierce battles were fought for him during the Battle of Stalingrad. The first attack on this hill (or Hill 102) took place on September 13, 1942. Before the German advance, the Russians surrounded the hill with trenches with barbed wire and mines. However, a day later, both the hill and the railroad station. Over 10,000 died in this battle. Soviet soldiers. And just two days later, the Russians recaptured the hill. In fact, Mamaev Kurgan changed hands 14 times during the Battle of Stalingrad.

By the end of hostilities, the once-steep slopes of the hill were flattened by almost continuous shelling. Throughout the winter, the hill almost never had snow due to the many explosions. Even in spring, the hill remained black, as grass did not grow on the burnt earth. According to available data, from 500 to 1250 metal fragments were found per square meter of the hall. Even today, people find shards of metal and human bones on the slopes of the hill. Mamaev Kurgan is also the burial place of more than 35,000 civilians who died in the city, and more than 15,000 soldiers who defended this position. Vasily Chuikov is also buried there. He became the first marshal of the Soviet Union not buried in Moscow. In 1967, a colossal monument 87 meters high, known as "The Motherland Calls", was also erected on the hill. (For comparison, the Statue of Liberty is only 46 meters high.)

8. Grain elevator

The southern outskirts of the city mainly consisted of wooden houses. After German air raids, during which thousands of incendiary bombs were dropped, these houses were left with piles of garbage with charred beams and brick chimneys. But among the wooden houses was a large, concrete grain elevator. The walls of this building were very thick and virtually invulnerable to artillery fire. By September 17, the entire area was under the control of the Germans - with the exception of the elevator and 52 Soviet soldiers who had settled in it. During three days the Germans carried out at least 10 unsuccessful attacks per day.

During the day, the defenders of the elevator fired at the enemy from the roof with machine guns and anti-tank rifles. At night they fought at the base of the tower, repelling attacks German soldiers who tried to get inside. On the second day, a German tank with a white flag drove up to the elevator. A German officer stepped out of it and, through an interpreter, demanded that the Russians surrender. Otherwise, he threatened to wipe them off the face of the earth along with the elevator. The Russians refused to surrender and knocked out a retreating tank with several anti-tank shells.

9. Extraordinary Soviet heroes


Vasily Zaitsev is one of the most notable heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad (if you have seen the movie "Enemy at the Gates", this name should be known to you, since he is its main character). Being a simple rural boy from the Urals, Zaitsev spent his childhood hunting deer and wolves in the mountains with his grandfather. After the German attack on the Soviet Union, Zaitsev volunteered for the front and eventually ended up in Stalingrad. He became the most famous among the snipers who participated in the battle for this city. He took aim from anti-tank rifle, installed it on his Mosin rifle and killed enemy soldiers, hiding behind the walls. During the Battle of Stalingrad, he killed 225 Germans. He even organized a kind of sniper school in which he trained 28 snipers.
The 1077th regiment did something similar air defense. When the Germans launched an attack on Stalingrad from the north, the Russians experienced a great shortage of soldiers to repel it. And then the soldiers of this regiment lowered their guns as much as possible and began to shoot at the advancing Germans and held them in this way for two days. In the end, all 37 guns were destroyed, their positions were captured by the Germans, and the regiment suffered heavy losses. But it was only after the Germans finally overcame the resistance of the 1077th Air Defense Regiment that they learned that it consisted of girls who had barely finished school.

10 Operation Uranus


Operation "Uranus" was launched in mid-November 1942 and had as its goal the encirclement of the 6th German Army in Stalingrad. involved in this operation Soviet forces about a million soldiers were supposed to strike from two directions instead of fighting the Germans right in the city. The Soviet troops were supposed to hit the flanks of the German army, which was defended by the Romanians, Hungarians and Italians. They lacked ammunition and men, and the front line was too stretched. The Axis forces did not believe that the Russians were capable of such a powerful offensive and were taken by surprise. Ten days into the offensive, the two formations of Soviet troops met at Kalach, a town about 100 kilometers west of Stalingrad, and the 6th Army was completely cut off. The German High Command urged Hitler to allow the army in Stalingrad to retreat and establish contact with the supply lines, but Hitler did not want to hear anything about it.

With the onset of winter, the cut-off German army could only be supplied by air. This supply was far from sufficient. At the same time, the Volga froze over and the Russians could easily supply their troops. In December, Hitler ordered the start of Operation Winter Storm, which was an attempt to save the encircled army. Special military units were to approach from the west and break through to Stalingrad. However, Hitler forbade the forces stationed in Stalingrad to attack from the east, and the operation failed. By January, the Germans were surrounded by six Soviet armies, and a month later the remnants of the German army surrendered.

The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of World War II. According to researchers, total losses (both irretrievable, i.e. dead, and sanitary), exceeds two million.

Initially, it was planned to capture Stalingrad in a week with the forces of one army. An attempt to do this resulted in the months-long Battle of Stalingrad.

Background for the Battle of Stalingrad

After the failure of the blitzkrieg, the German command was preparing for a long war. Initially, the generals planned a second offensive against Moscow, however, Hitler did not approve of this plan, considering such an offensive too predictable.

The possibility of operations in the north of the USSR and the south was also considered. The victory of Nazi Germany in the south of the country would guarantee the Germans control over the oil and other resources of the Caucasus and nearby regions, over the Volga and other transport arteries. This could interrupt the connection between the European part of the USSR and the Asian one and, ultimately, destroy Soviet industry and secure victory in the war.

In turn, the Soviet government tried to build on the success of the Battle of Moscow, seize the initiative and go on the counteroffensive. In May 1942, a counter-offensive near Kharkov began, which could have ended badly for the German Army Group South. The Germans managed to break through the defense.

Thereafter general group armies "South" was divided into two parts. The first part continued the attack on the Caucasus. The second part, "Group B", went east, towards Stalingrad.

Causes of the Battle of Stalingrad

The possession of Stalingrad was critical for both sides. It was one of the largest industrial centers on the Volga coast. It was also the key to the Volga, along which and next to which strategically important routes passed, central part USSR with several southern regions.

Video about how the battle of Stalingrad developed

If the Soviet Union lost Stalingrad, this would allow the Nazis to block most of the critical communications, reliably protect the left flank of the army group advancing on North Caucasus and demoralize Soviet citizens. After all, the city bore the name of the Soviet leader.

It was important for the USSR to prevent the surrender of the city to the Germans and the blockade of important transport arteries, to develop the first successes in the war.

Beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad

To understand at what time the battle of Stalingrad took place, one must remember that it was the height of the war, both Patriotic and World. The war had already turned from blitzkrieg into positional warfare, and its final outcome was unclear.

The dates of the battle of Stalingrad are from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943. Despite the fact that the generally accepted date for the start of the battle is the 17th, according to some sources, the first clashes were already on July 16th. And the Soviet and German troops occupied positions since the beginning of the month.

On July 17, a clash began between detachments of the 62nd and 64th armies of the Soviet troops and the 6th Army of Germany. The fighting continued for five days, as a result of which the resistance of the Soviet army was broken through, and the Germans moved to the main defensive line of the Stalingrad Front. Due to five days of fierce resistance, the German command had to strengthen the Sixth Army from 13 divisions to 18. At that time, they were opposed by 16 divisions of the Red Army.

Until the end of the month, German troops pushed the Soviet army back beyond the Don. On July 28, the famous Stalinist order No. 227 was issued - "Not a step back." The classic strategy of the Nazi command - to break through the defenses with one blow and break through to Stalingrad - failed due to rather stubborn resistance Soviet armies in the bend of the Don. Over the next three weeks, the Nazis advanced only 70-80 km.

On August 22, German troops crossed the Don and entrenched themselves on it. east coast. The next day, the Germans managed to break through to the Volga, just north of Stalingrad, and block the 62nd Army. On August 22-23, the first air raids on Stalingrad took place.

War in the city

By August 23, about 300 thousand inhabitants remained in the city, another 100 thousand went into evacuation. The official decision to evacuate women and children was made by the City Defense Committee only after the start of the bombing directly in the city, on August 24th.

During the first city bombardments, about 60 percent of the housing stock was destroyed and several tens of thousands of people were killed. Much of the city was reduced to ruins. The situation was aggravated by the use of incendiary bombs: many old houses were built of wood or had many relevant elements.

By mid-September, German troops reached the city center. Individual battles, such as the defense of the Krasny Oktyabr plant, became famous throughout the world. While the fighting was going on, the workers of factories and factories in urgently repaired tanks and weapons. All work took place in the immediate vicinity of the battle. A separate battle went on for each street and house, some of which received their names and went down in history. Including the four-story house of Pavlov, which the German attack aircraft tried to capture for two months.

Video about the Battle of Stalingrad

As the battle of Stalingrad developed, the Soviet command worked out retaliatory measures. On September 12, the development of the Soviet counter offensive operation"Uranus", headed by Marshal Zhukov. Over the next two months, while fierce battles were going on in the city, a shock group of troops was created near Stalingrad. On November 19, the counteroffensive began. The armies of the Southwestern and Don fronts, under the command of Generals Vatutin and Rokossovsky, managed to break through the enemy's barriers and surround him. Within a few days, 12 German divisions were destroyed or otherwise neutralized.

From November 23 to November 30, Soviet troops managed to strengthen the blockade of the Germans. To break through the blockade, the German command created the Don Army Group, headed by Field Marshal Manstein. However, the army group was defeated.

After that, the Soviet troops managed to block the supplies. In order for the encircled troops to be maintained in a combat-ready state, the Germans needed to transport about 700 tons of various cargoes daily. Transportation could only be carried out by the Luftwaffe, who tried to provide up to 300 tons. Sometimes German pilots managed to make about 100 flights a day. Gradually, the number of deliveries decreased: Soviet aviation organized perimeter patrols. The cities, where the bases for supplying the encircled troops were originally located, came under the control of the Soviet troops.

On January 31, the southern grouping of troops was completely liquidated, and its command, including Field Marshal Paulus, was taken prisoner. Separate battles were fought until February 2, the day of the official surrender of the Germans. This day is considered the date when the battle of Stalingrad took place, one of the largest victories Soviet Union.

Significance of the Battle of Stalingrad

The significance of the battle of Stalingrad can hardly be overestimated. One of the consequences of the Battle of Stalingrad was a significant demoralization of the German troops. In Germany, the day of surrender was declared a day of mourning. Then a crisis began in Italy, Romania and other countries with a pro-Hitler regime, and in the future it was not necessary to rely on the allied troops of Germany.

On both sides, more than two million people and a huge amount of equipment were put out of action. According to the German command, during the battle of Stalingrad, the loss of equipment was equal to the number of losses in the entire previous Soviet-German war. The German troops never fully recovered from the defeat.

The answer to the question of what significance the Battle of Stalingrad had, is the reaction of foreign statesmen and ordinary people. After this battle, Stalin received many congratulatory messages. Churchill gave the Soviet leader a personal gift English king George - The Sword of Stalingrad, engraved on the blade with admiration for the resilience of the inhabitants of the city.

Interestingly, several divisions that had previously taken part in the occupation of Paris were destroyed near Stalingrad. This made it possible for many French anti-fascists to say that the defeat at Stalingrad was, among other things, revenge for France.

Many monuments and architectural structures are dedicated to the Battle of Stalingrad. Several dozen streets in a number of cities around the world are named after this city, even though Stalingrad itself was renamed after Stalin's death.

What role do you think the Battle of Stalingrad played in the war, and why? Share your opinion in

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Attention! The slide preview is for informational purposes only and may not represent the full extent of the presentation. If you are interested this work please download the full version.

Target: to introduce students to one of the most important in the history of the Great Patriotic War battles, determine the stages, find out the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad during the Great Patriotic War.

Tasks:

• introduce the main events Stalingrad battle;
• reveal the reasons for the victory of the Soviet people in the battle on the Volga;
• develop skills in working with a map, additional literature, select, evaluate, analyze the studied material;
• to cultivate a sense of patriotism, pride and respect for compatriots for a perfect feat.

Equipment: map "Battle of Stalingrad", handout (cards - assignments), textbook Danilova A.A., Kosulina L.G., Brandt M.Yu. History of Russia XX – beginning of XXI century. M., "Enlightenment", 2009. Video clips from the movie "Stalingrad". In advance, students prepare messages about the heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad.

Predicted results: students must show the ability to work with a map, video clips, a textbook. Prepare your own message and speak to the audience.

Lesson plan:

1. Stages of the Battle of Stalingrad.
2. Results and meaning.
3. Conclusion.

DURING THE CLASSES

I. Organizing time. Greeting students

II. New topic

The topic of the lesson is recorded.

Teacher: Today in the lesson we have to analyze the main events of the battle of Stalingrad; characterize the significance of the Battle of Stalingrad as the beginning of a radical turning point in World War II; to reveal the reasons for the victory of the Soviet people in the battle on the Volga.

Problem task: Slide 1. Some Western historians and military leaders claim that the reasons for the defeat of the Nazi army at Stalingrad are the following: terrible cold, mud, snow.
Can we agree with this? Try to answer this question at the end of the lesson.

Assignment to students: listening to the teacher's story, compose thesis plan response.

Teacher: Let's look at the map. In mid-July 1942, German troops rushed to Stalingrad - an important strategic point and the largest center of the defense industry.
The Battle of Stalingrad is divided into two periods:

I - July 17 - November 18, 1942 - defensive;
II - November 19, 1942 - February 2, 1943 - counteroffensive, encirclement and defeat of German troops.

I period. July 17, 1942 Parts of the 62nd Soviet Army came into contact in the bend of the Don with the advanced units of the 6th Army of the German troops under the command of General Paulus.
The city was preparing for defense: defensive structures were built, their total length was 3860 m. Anti-tank ditches were dug in the most important areas, the city's industry produced up to 80 types of military products. So, the tractor supplied the front with tanks, and the Krasny Oktyabr metallurgical plant - with mortars. (Video clip).
In the course of heavy fighting, the Soviet troops, showing stamina and heroism, thwarted the enemy’s plan to capture Stalingrad on the move. From July 17 to August 17, 1942, the Germans managed to advance no more than 60-80 km. (See map).
But still the enemy, albeit slowly, was approaching the city. The tragic day came on August 23, when the German 6th Army reached the western outskirts of Stalingrad, surrounding the city from the north. Simultaneously 4th tank army together with the Romanian units advanced to Stalingrad from the southwest. Fascist aviation subjected the entire city to a brutal bombing attack, making 2,000 sorties. Residential areas and industrial facilities were destroyed, tens of thousands of civilians were killed. Embittered fascists decided to wipe the city off the face of the earth. (Video clip)
On September 13, the enemy, having introduced an additional 9 divisions and one brigade into battle, began to storm the city. The direct defense of the city was carried out by the 62nd and 64th armies (commanders - Generals Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich and Shumilov Mikhail Stepanovich).
Fighting began on the streets of the city. Soviet soldiers fought to the death, defending every five Volga lands.
"Not one step back! Stand to death!" - these words became the motto of the defenders of Stalingrad.
The famous Pavlov's house became the embodiment of the courage of Stalingraders.

Student message:“There is no land for us beyond the Volga” - this phrase of sniper Vasily Zaitsev became winged.

Student message: In one of the battles in mid-October, the signalman of the headquarters of the 308th Infantry Division Matvey Putilov performed an immortal feat.

Student message: As a symbol of immortal glory, the name of the Marine Mikhail Panikakha entered the history of Stalingrad.

Student message: The height dominating the city - Mamayev Kurgan, during the Battle of Stalingrad - was the place of the most fierce battles, the key position of the defense, which appeared in the reports as height 102.

Student message: During the defensive stage, residents of the city showed perseverance in the struggle for the city.

Student message: Paulus launched his last offensive on November 11, 1942, in a narrow area near the Red Barricades plant, where the Nazis won their last success.
Results defensive period find page 216 in the textbook.
By mid-November, the offensive capabilities of the Germans had dried up.

II. The counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad began on November 19, 1942. Within the framework of this strategic plan, an operation was carried out to encircle the Nazi troops near Stalingrad, code-named "Uranus".

Viewing a video clip. The children complete the task - fill in the gaps in the text. ( Attachment 1 )

Questions:

• Which fronts participated in Operation Uranus?
• At what city did the main parts of the Soviet army unite?

Field Marshal Manstein, an assault tank group, was supposed to help Paulus.
After stubborn battles, Manstein's divisions approached the encircled troops from the southwest at a distance of 35-40 km, but the 2nd Guards Army under the command of General Malinovsky, who approached from the reserve, not only stopped the enemy, but also inflicted a crushing defeat on him.
At the same time, the offensive of the army group Gota was stopped, which was trying to break the encirclement in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Kotelnikov.
According to the “Ring” plan (General Rokosovsky led the implementation of the operation), on January 10, 1943, Soviet troops began to defeat the fascist group.
On February 2, 1943, the encircled enemy group capitulated. Its commander-in-chief, General Field Marshal Paulus, was also captured.
Viewing a video clip.
Exercise. Put on the map "The defeat of the German troops at Stalingrad" ( Annex 2 )

• The direction of the strikes of the Soviet troops;
• The direction of the counterattack of the Manstein tank group.

All actions of the Soviet troops during the Battle of Stalingrad were coordinated by Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.
The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the course of not only the Great Patriotic War, but the entire Second World War.
- What is the essence of the concept of "radical change"? (The Germans lost their offensive fighting spirit. The strategic initiative finally passed into the hands of the Soviet command)
- Let's get back to the problem task: Some Western historians and military leaders say that the reasons for the defeat of the Nazi army at Stalingrad are the following: terrible cold, mud, snow.
slide 8.
– Can we agree with this? (Student answers)
Slide 9. “The Battle of Stalingrad is really a golden page in the military history of our people,” wrote the commander of the Stalingrad Front, General Eremenko. And one cannot but agree with this.

Poem(student reads)

In the heat of factories, houses, station.
Dust on a steep bank.
The voice of the Fatherland said to him:
"Don't hand over the city to the enemy!"
Rumbled in the bloody mist
Hundredth attack shaft,
Angry and stubborn, chest-deep in the ground,
The soldier stood to death.
He knew that there was no way back -
He defended Stalingrad...

Alexey Surkov

III. Outcome

To consolidate the material, complete the task on the cards (work in pairs).
(Appendix 3 )
Stalingrad is a symbol of courage, steadfastness, heroism Soviet soldiers. Stalingrad is a symbol of the power and greatness of our state. Near Stalingrad, the Red Army broke the back of the German fascist troops, and under the walls of Stalingrad, a foundation was laid for the destruction of fascism.

IV. Reflection

grading, homework: p. 32,

Literature:

1. Alekseev M.N. Wreath of Glory "Battle of Stalingrad". M., Sovremennik, 1987
2. Alekseev S.P. A book to read on the history of our Motherland. M., "Enlightenment", 1991
3. Goncharuk V.A."Commemorative badges of cities - heroes." M., "Soviet Russia", 1986
4. Danilov A.A., Kosulina L.G., Brandt M.Yu. History of Russia XX - beginning of XX? century. M., "Enlightenment", 2009
5. Danilov A.A., Kosulina L.G. Workbook on the history of Russia Grade 9. Issue 2..M., "Enlightenment", 1998
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The Battle of Stalingrad is one of the largest in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. It began on July 17, 1942 and ended on February 2, 1943. By the nature of the fighting, the Battle of Stalingrad is divided into two periods: defensive, which lasted from July 17 to November 18, 1942, the purpose of which was the defense of the city of Stalingrad (since 1961 - Volgograd), and offensive, which began on November 19, 1942 and ended on February 2, 1943 of the year by the defeat of the grouping of Nazi troops operating in the Stalingrad direction.

For two hundred days and nights on the banks of the Don and Volga, and then at the walls of Stalingrad and directly in the city itself, this fierce battle continued. It unfolded over a vast territory of about 100 thousand square kilometers with a front length of 400 to 850 kilometers. Participated in it on both sides different stages fighting more than 2.1 million people. In terms of goals, scope and intensity of hostilities, the Battle of Stalingrad surpassed all the battles of world history that preceded it.

From the side of the Soviet Union in the Battle of Stalingrad in different time troops of the Stalingrad, South-Eastern, South-Western, Don, left wing of the Voronezh fronts, the Volga military flotilla and the Stalingrad air defense corps area (operational-tactical formation of Soviet air defense forces) took part. The general leadership and coordination of the actions of the fronts near Stalingrad on behalf of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (VGK) was carried out by Deputy Supreme Commander General of the Army Georgy Zhukov and Chief general staff Colonel General Alexander Vasilevsky.

The fascist German command planned in the summer of 1942 to crush the Soviet troops in the south of the country, to seize the oil regions of the Caucasus, the rich agricultural regions of the Don and Kuban, to disrupt communications linking the center of the country with the Caucasus, and to create conditions for ending the war in their favor. This task was entrusted to Army Groups "A" and "B".

For the offensive in the Stalingrad direction, the 6th Army under the command of Colonel General Friedrich Paulus and the 4th Panzer Army were allocated from the German Army Group B. By July 17, the German 6th Army had about 270,000 men, 3,000 guns and mortars, and about 500 tanks. She was supported by aviation of the 4th air fleet(up to 1200 combat aircraft). The Nazi troops were opposed by the Stalingrad Front, which had 160 thousand people, 2.2 thousand guns and mortars, and about 400 tanks. It was supported by 454 aircraft of the 8th Air Army, 150-200 long-range bombers. The main efforts of the Stalingrad Front were concentrated in the large bend of the Don, where the 62nd and 64th armies took up defense in order to prevent the enemy from forcing the river and breaking through it by the shortest route to Stalingrad.

The defensive operation began on the distant approaches to the city at the turn of the Chir and Tsimla rivers. On July 22, having suffered heavy losses, the Soviet troops withdrew to the main line of defense of Stalingrad. Having regrouped, on July 23 the enemy troops resumed their offensive. The enemy tried to surround the Soviet troops in the big bend of the Don, go to the area of ​​the city of Kalach and break through to Stalingrad from the west.

Bloody battles in this area continued until August 10, when the troops of the Stalingrad Front, having suffered heavy losses, withdrew to the left bank of the Don and took up defensive positions on the outer bypass of Stalingrad, where on August 17 they temporarily stopped the enemy.

The headquarters of the Supreme High Command systematically strengthened the troops of the Stalingrad direction. By the beginning of August, the German command also brought new forces into the battle (8th Italian Army, 3rd Romanian Army). After a short break, having a significant superiority in forces, the enemy resumed the offensive on the entire front of the outer defensive bypass of Stalingrad. After fierce battles on August 23, his troops broke through to the Volga north of the city, but they could not take it on the move. On August 23 and 24, German aviation undertook a fierce massive bombardment of Stalingrad, turning it into ruins.

Building up strength, German troops on September 12 came close to the city. Fierce street battles unfolded, which lasted almost around the clock. They went for every quarter, lane, for every house, for every meter of land. On October 15, the enemy broke through to the area of ​​the Stalingrad Tractor Plant. On November 11, German troops made their last attempt to capture the city.

They managed to break through to the Volga south of the Barrikady plant, but they could not achieve more. With continuous counterattacks and counterattacks, the Soviet troops minimized the successes of the enemy, destroying his manpower and equipment. On November 18, the advance of the German troops was finally stopped on the entire front, the enemy was forced to go on the defensive. The enemy's plan to capture Stalingrad failed.

© East News/Universal Images Group/Sovfoto

© East News/Universal Images Group/Sovfoto

Even during the defensive battle, the Soviet command began to concentrate forces for a counteroffensive, preparations for which were completed in mid-November. By the beginning of the offensive operation, Soviet troops had 1.11 million people, 15 thousand guns and mortars, about 1.5 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts, over 1.3 thousand combat aircraft.

The enemy opposing them had 1.01 million people, 10.2 thousand guns and mortars, 675 tanks and assault guns, 1216 combat aircraft. As a result of the massing of forces and means in the directions of the main attacks of the fronts, a significant superiority of Soviet troops over the enemy was created - on the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts in people - 2-2.5 times, artillery and tanks - 4-5 and more times.

The offensive of the Southwestern Front and the 65th Army of the Don Front began on November 19, 1942 after an 80-minute artillery preparation. By the end of the day, the defense of the 3rd Romanian army was broken through in two sectors. The Stalingrad Front launched an offensive on November 20.

Having struck at the flanks of the main enemy grouping, the troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts on November 23, 1942 closed the ring of its encirclement. 22 divisions and more than 160 separate parts 6th Army and partly 4th Panzer Army of the enemy, total strength about 300 thousand people.

On December 12, the German command made an attempt to release the encircled troops with a blow from the area of ​​​​the village of Kotelnikovo (now the city of Kotelnikovo), but did not reach the goal. On December 16, the offensive of the Soviet troops on the Middle Don was launched, which forced the German command to finally abandon the release of the encircled group. By the end of December 1942, the enemy was defeated in front of the outer front of the encirclement, its remnants were driven back 150-200 kilometers. This created favorable conditions for the liquidation of the group surrounded by Stalingrad.

To defeat the encircled troops, the Don Front under the command of Lieutenant General Konstantin Rokossovsky carried out an operation code-named "Ring". The plan provided for the sequential destruction of the enemy: first in the western, then in the southern part of the encirclement, and subsequently, the dismemberment of the remaining grouping into two parts by a strike from west to east and the elimination of each of them. The operation began on January 10, 1943. On January 26, the 21st Army linked up with the 62nd Army in the area of ​​Mamaev Kurgan. The enemy group was divided into two parts. On January 31, the southern grouping of troops led by Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus stopped resistance, and on February 2, the northern one, which was the completion of the destruction of the encircled enemy. During the offensive from January 10 to February 2, 1943, over 91 thousand people were taken prisoner, about 140 thousand were destroyed.

During the Stalingrad offensive operation, the German 6th Army and 4th Panzer Army, the 3rd and 4th Romanian armies, and the 8th Italian army were defeated. Total losses the enemy amounted to about 1.5 million people. In Germany, for the first time during the war years, national mourning was declared.

The Battle of Stalingrad made a decisive contribution to achieving a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet armed forces seized the strategic initiative and held it until the end of the war. The defeat of the fascist bloc at Stalingrad undermined the confidence in Germany on the part of its allies, and contributed to the intensification of the resistance movement in European countries. Japan and Turkey were forced to abandon plans for active action against the USSR.

The victory at Stalingrad was the result of the unbending fortitude, courage and mass heroism of the Soviet troops. For military distinctions shown during the Battle of Stalingrad, 44 formations and units were awarded honorary titles, 55 were awarded orders, 183 were converted into guards. Tens of thousands of soldiers and officers were awarded government awards. 112 most distinguished soldiers became Heroes of the Soviet Union.

In honor of the heroic defense of the city, on December 22, 1942, the Soviet government established the medal "For the Defense of Stalingrad", which was awarded to more than 700 thousand participants in the battle.

On May 1, 1945, in the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Stalingrad was named a Hero City. On May 8, 1965, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War, the hero city was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

The city has over 200 historical sites associated with its heroic past. Among them are the memorial ensemble "To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad" on Mamayev Kurgan, the House of Soldiers' Glory (Pavlov's House) and others. In 1982, the Panorama Museum "Battle of Stalingrad" was opened.

Day February 2, 1943 in accordance with federal law dated March 13, 1995 "About the days military glory and anniversaries Russia" is celebrated as the day of military glory of Russia - the Day of the defeat of the Nazi troops by the Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad.

Material prepared on the basis of informationopen sources

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By the middle of the summer of 1942, the battles of the Great Patriotic War had reached the Volga.

In the plan for a large-scale offensive in the south of the USSR (Caucasus, Crimea), the German command also includes Stalingrad. Germany's goal was to take over an industrial city, the enterprises in which produced military products that were needed; gaining access to the Volga, from where it was possible to get to the Caspian Sea, to the Caucasus, where the oil needed for the front was extracted.

Hitler wanted to carry out this plan in just a week with the help of the 6th field army Paulus. It included 13 divisions, where there were about 270,000 people, 3 thousand guns and about five hundred tanks.

From the side of the USSR, the forces of Germany were opposed by the Stalingrad Front. It was created by decision of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command on July 12, 1942 (commander - Marshal Timoshenko, from July 23 - Lieutenant General Gordov).

The difficulty also lay in the fact that our side experienced a shortage of ammunition.

The beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad can be considered on July 17, when near the rivers Chir and Tsimla, the forward detachments of the 62nd and 64th armies of the Stalingrad Front met with detachments of the 6th German army. Throughout the second half of the summer, fierce battles were going on near Stalingrad. Further, the chronicle of events developed as follows.

Defensive stage of the Battle of Stalingrad

On August 23, 1942, German tanks approached Stalingrad. From that day on, fascist aviation began to systematically bomb the city. On the ground, battles did not stop either. It was simply impossible to live in the city - you had to fight to win. 75 thousand people volunteered for the front. But in the city itself, people worked day and night. By mid-September, the German army broke through to the city center, the battles went right on the streets. The Nazis stepped up their attack more and more. Almost 500 tanks took part in the assault on Stalingrad, German aircraft dropped about 1 million bombs on the city.

The courage of the Stalingraders was unparalleled. A lot of European countries conquered by the Germans. Sometimes they needed only 2-3 weeks to capture the whole country. In Stalingrad, the situation was different. It took the Nazis weeks to capture one house, one street.

In the battles passed the beginning of autumn, mid-November. By November, almost the entire city, despite resistance, was captured by the Germans. Only a small strip of land on the banks of the Volga was still held by our troops. But it was still too early to announce the capture of Stalingrad, as Hitler did. The Germans did not know that the Soviet command already had a plan for the defeat of the German troops, which began to be developed even in the midst of the fighting, on September 12th. The development of the offensive operation "Uranus" was carried out by Marshal G.K. Zhukov.

Within 2 months, in conditions of increased secrecy, a strike force was created near Stalingrad. The Nazis were aware of the weakness of their flanks, but did not assume that the Soviet command would be able to gather the required number of troops.

On November 19, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of General N.F. Vatutin and the Don Front under the command of General K.K. Rokossovsky went on the offensive. They managed to surround the enemy, despite the resistance. Also during the offensive, five enemy divisions were captured and defeated. During the week from November 23, the efforts of the Soviet troops were directed to strengthening the blockade around the enemy. In order to remove this blockade, the German command formed the Don Army Group (commander - Field Marshal Manstein), however, it was also defeated.

The destruction of the encircled grouping of the enemy army was entrusted to the troops of the Don Front (commander - General K.K. Rokossovsky). Since the German command rejected the ultimatum to end resistance, the Soviet troops proceeded to destroy the enemy, which was the last of the main stages of the Battle of Stalingrad. On February 2, 1943, the last enemy grouping was liquidated, which is considered the end date of the battle.

Results of the Battle of Stalingrad:

Losses in the Battle of Stalingrad on each side amounted to about 2 million people.

Significance of the Battle of Stalingrad

The significance of the Battle of Stalingrad can hardly be overestimated. Victory Soviet troops in the battle of Stalingrad big influence for the course of World War II. She stepped up the fight against the Nazis in all European countries. As a result of this victory, the German side ceased to dominate. The outcome of this battle caused confusion in the Axis (Hitler's coalition). There was a crisis of pro-fascist regimes in European countries.