Devil Doc
When Death smiles, Corpsmen smile back
It was on this day in 1942 that the Battle of Stalingrad began. While most Americans think of D-Day as the turning point of the war, military historians often point to Stalingrad as the real turning point.
The German army had begun the invasion of Russia in the summer of 1941, and they assumed they'd be able to take Stalingrad before the winter. But they got bogged down in a lengthy siege of the city. The German commanders had been so confident of success back in August that they'd never been fully equipped with winter gear, and as the temperature dropped, they were still fighting in their summer fatigues. On November 19th, the Soviets attacked in the middle of a snowstorm, driving the Germans back and encircling their army.
By February, all the German soldiers had surrendered or been killed. It was the first decisive defeat of Hitler's army. About 800,000 of Hitler's soldiers were killed in the battle. But even though the Soviets were the victors, they actually lost more men. Official Russian military historians estimate that more than a million Soviet soldiers died defending the city.
Doc.
The German army had begun the invasion of Russia in the summer of 1941, and they assumed they'd be able to take Stalingrad before the winter. But they got bogged down in a lengthy siege of the city. The German commanders had been so confident of success back in August that they'd never been fully equipped with winter gear, and as the temperature dropped, they were still fighting in their summer fatigues. On November 19th, the Soviets attacked in the middle of a snowstorm, driving the Germans back and encircling their army.
By February, all the German soldiers had surrendered or been killed. It was the first decisive defeat of Hitler's army. About 800,000 of Hitler's soldiers were killed in the battle. But even though the Soviets were the victors, they actually lost more men. Official Russian military historians estimate that more than a million Soviet soldiers died defending the city.
Doc.
