Battle of Stalingrad Flashcards
0
Q
What was the military significance of the city?
A
- Made tanks, steel, and small arms
- Oil fields
- Communication center
1
Q
Why was Stalingrad attacked by Hitler?
A
- Needed to conquer it in order to move forwards without weaknesses in the rear
- Russia’s center of communications/manufacturing
- Contained oil fields
- City named after Stalin
2
Q
Why did Stalin refuse to let his soldiers retreat?
A
- People would be demoralized
- Reputation rested on it
3
Q
Why was the fighting so brutal in Stalingrad?
A
Hand to hand combat, soldiers unused to it and were trained for blitzkrieg
4
Q
Why did the German army not retreat?
A
- Hitler wanted to crush the symbol of the Soviet Union
- Did not want to give up
5
Q
Why did he Germans lose the battle of Stalingrad?
A
- Bad weather
- City decimated, bombed to oblivion and tanks were rendered useless as a result
- Supplies cut off, needed much food for soldiers
- Gave men on northern front 6 bullets and guns
- Italians (southern front) surrendered
6
Q
Significance of the loss of the battle of Stalingrad?
A
5,000 soldiers return from army, originally 350,000 (Germany)
