The suburbs of Stalingrad marked the farthest extent of the German advance into the Soviet Union. The 200-day-long Battle of Stalingrad involved over two million men on both sides at some of its stages and was waged over a territory of 40,000 square miles. By September 1942 the Germans had reached the city’s center, where they encountered stiff resistance from the Red Army. In the constant street fighting the Soviet soldiers defended each street and house and, although driven almost to the Volga, prevented the Germans from crossing the river.

On 19 November 1942 the Red Army launched a counterattack in the form of pincer movements north and south of the city, and by the twenty-third they had encircled a substantial part of the enemy troops, including the Sixth Army under Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus. The surrounded troops finally surrendered on 2 February 1943. In the course of the Battle of Stalingrad the Wehrmacht lost a staggering 1.5 million men.

The Battle of Stalingrad proved a decisive victory that turned the tide of war and changed the global military and political balance in favor of the Allies. It was appraised as the greatest battle of the Second World War by the whole world and inspired the rise of resistance movements in the countries of Europe and Asia under Axis occupation.