The Battle of Stalingrad · Stalingrad.1 The German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad was a remarkable turn of events and can be directly tied to Adolf Hitler’s hubris, which led

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The Battle of Stalingrad

The Early Triumph of the Nazi Military and

the Hubris That Led to Its Fall

Zachary Duffy Individual Junior Paper

2473 words

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Anyone familiar with World War II history can probably think of countless examples of

triumph and tragedy experienced by those who fought and died in the war. But the Battle of

Stalingrad is a particularly stunning example because it was German triumphs that made the

country’s leader, Adolf Hitler, brazen and overconfident. At the same time, it was the Russians’

tragic suffering that helped them find the strength to triumph over Germany in the Battle of

Stalingrad. The German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad was a remarkable turn of events and 1

can be directly tied to Adolf Hitler’s hubris, which led to the downfall of the German war

machine. It was this hubris, along with the doggedness of the Russian people, that gave Russia

the opportunity to triumph against all odds.

The year was 1933. A man named Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany after

leading the Nazi political party. This man’s deep-set hatred toward “lesser races” and extreme 2

pride in the German people led to the greatest war in history. His disdain for those he viewed as 3

inferior was the driving force that led him to direct the German Army to invade other countries

and begin the expansion of Germany.

One of Hitler’s main objectives was to expand Germany and unite the German people

who had spread over Europe since the days of the German empire. This expansion began with

demonstrations of force and the demand of small areas, such as the Sudetenland in

Czechoslovakia, but Hitler’s main goal was the Polish Corridor. This strip of land, conceded after

1 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. 2 “Hitler's Rise to Power: 1918-1933.” Facing History and Ourselves, www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1918-1933. Accessed March 11, 2019. 3“How Did World War 2 Start?” The Week UK, 15 Jan. 2019, www.theweek.co.uk/60237/how-did-world-war-2-start.

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WWI, divided Hitler’s great country in two. The corridor was a logistical burden to the Germans,

and they demanded it from the Allies.

The Allied Forces, a coalition of France, Great Britain, and Poland (later to include

Russia and the USA), sent a clear message to Germany that an invasion of Poland would mean

war. The Germans demanded the Polish Corridor from the Allies, but he Allies refused these

demands. Germany invaded Poland. War was declared. The Germans allied with Russia and

crushed Poland quickly. The Allies were surprised by this new alliance of Russia and Germany,

as they thought they would have time to support Poland if Germany invaded.

After this astonishing victory, the Nazi war machine turned its attention to France. The

French had been preparing for war with Germany. They had built a line of defenses along their

German border, called the Maginot line, to deter the Germans from invading. France didn’t,

however, extend the Maginot line to their border with Belgium, with whom they were friendly.

Belgium wouldn’t let France build defenses or place troops in their country. Belgium had very

few defenses and a minimal number of soldiers, while the Germans had committed 137

divisions, 2,000 tanks, and 3,800 Luftwaffe aircraft to the invasion. 4

The lack of defense in Belgium was the reason the Germans invaded. The French were

committed to supporting Belgium. Armed with the knowledge of Belgium's weak defenses, the

French rushed in, following a plan only put into place four days beforehand. This left much of 5

the Maginot line under-defended. They thought the large hills and forests would deter the

German troops. The knowledge of Belgium’s lack of defense is the reason the French

4“Belgium Besieged: From Blitzkrieg to Occupation.” Warfare History Network, warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/belgium-besieged-from-blitzkrieg-to-occupation/. 5 “Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally.

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overextended, leading to a shortage in troops elsewhere. The German forces bombarded Belgium

for 18 days, forcing the Belgian king to surrender unconditionally. 6

One under-defended point was the Ardennes, a very woody and hilly area on the

northern border of France. It was here that the Germans forced 50 divisions through and

penetrated the French line of defense. The French and British tried to retreat, but they were cut 7

off by the German forces as they moved across France. The best of the French and British forces

was encircled as the German armored divisions reached the Atlantic coast on May 20. Despite 8

vicious counter-attacks by the French, the Allies were unable to break free, though they did

sabotage many military supplies. The French and British were succeeding defensively, but a

large number of Belgian forces surrendered, leaving a gaping hole in the Allied army. Most of 9

France's best troops were subsequently wiped out, and the British only avoided capture because

of the desperate last-minute escape at Dunkirk. This rescue was executed with the help of many

brave British civilians, who miraculously crossed the extremely dangerous waters of the English

Channel to bring home 198,000 of their young men, along with 140,000 French and Belgians. 10

6 “Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally. 7 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 8 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 9 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 10 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Dunkirk Evacuation.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Feb. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation.

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Germany’s occupation of France took only six weeks. The Germans, now without 11

enemies in the west, began pushing eastward towards the Volga River and Moscow, piling up

victory after victory, setting the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad. These great triumphs inspired

the German people and convinced their Chancellor that the Germans could not be defeated.

After the Nazi successes in Western Europe, the Germans turned on Russia on June 22,

1941. The Germans, now unhindered by the western Allies, blitzkrieged through Western 12

Russia, bringing them up to the gates of Moscow by the end of November. Blitzkrieg was a 13

form of warfare defined by quick strikes using motorized and armored vehicles or infantry,

followed by close air support in order to break the lines of the enemy and encircle them. The 14

poorly trained Russian troops were captured in huge numbers as Germans encircled retreating

armies and cities in which the Russians were encamped. 5.7 million Russian troops were

captured over the course of the war. 15

Most of the shocking atrocities of Hitler's reign occurred in the push eastward. Jewish

people across Europe were persecuted, enslaved, and killed. The Jewish people were dragged to

death camps, where they were starved, brutally beaten, put to work, and ultimately sentenced to

11 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016, nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-battle-moscow-how-russia-stopped-hitlers-nazi-germany-17641. 12 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016, 13 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016. 14 Editors, History.com. “Blitzkrieg.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 14 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg. 15 Staff, HistoryNet. “Soviet Prisoners of War: Forgotten Nazi Victims of World War II.” HistoryNet, HistoryNet, 3 Aug. 2016, www.historynet.com/soviet-prisoners-of-war-forgotten-nazi-victims-of-world-war-ii.htm.

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death. Anyone who would try to stand up to their occupiers would be dragged with the rest of 16

the Jews to death camps. The killing of Jews was considered by many Nazi leaders to be a source

of entertainment. Stories began circulating of terrible acts committed against Jewish people, such

as 90 Jewish children who were locked in a cellar without food or water. The many atrocities 17

committed fed Hitler’s ego and the Germans’ overconfidence and made them feel unstoppable.

At this point in the war, most of Europe was under the control of Hitler and the Nazis.

The quick fall of France and the lack of resistance from Russia gave the Germans a lot of

confidence in their push eastward. They felt as though they could not be beaten, their tactics

were impossible to counter, and there was no possibility they could lose. Hitler started to take

control of the day to day operations of his army, making strategic decisions on his own without

the help of his officers or strategists. This was a problem, as Hitler was usually acting on

outdated information, an obvious deficiency to any army. These strategists were the same people

that historians regard as the most brilliant military minds of the day, having invented and

successfully executed the blitzkrieg.

Hitler’s overconfidence turned out to be a grave mistake as the German army was

quickly running out of supplies. His men were spread thin across Eastern Front, and almost all 18

of Hitler’s junior officers were advising him to slow down and to wait for reinforcements and

supplies. The pleas for help were ignored. When one of his officers said, “there would be a

16 “Auschwitz-Birkenau: Living Conditions, Labor & Executions.” Living Conditions, Labor & Executions at Auschwitz-Birkenau, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/living-conditions-labor-and-executions-at-auschwitz-birkenau. 17 “Season 1, Episode 4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” Battlefield . Public Broadcasting System. 1994. Accessed Jan. 18, 2019. 18 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.

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disaster,” if reinforcements were not sent, Hitler accused him of not having “national socialist 19

ardour.” Hitler admonished him, “Clearly I cannot expect this of you (Halder).” Hitler had set 20

his sights upon Russia and was not to be stopped from advancing.

At this point, the German Army was very poorly supplied as they advanced into

Stalingrad in early fall. They expected to have another quick victory but were met by a surprising

amount of resistance. This resistance was put forward by the Russian people, who were desperate

to stop the march of the German Army into their territory.

The Battle of Stalingrad began, with both sides fighting ferociously. Russian troops

shipped cattle and grain out of the city, to prevent them from falling into German hands. No

civilians left, however, as the Russians did not want the world to think they could not defend

their own cities. Civilians helped in combat, which inspired the soldiers, reminding them who

they were defending. Despite all of this though, the Russians were getting pushed back further

and further into the heart of the city. The Luftwaffe, German air divisions, were starting to take

over the skies. The Volga River behind the Russians could no longer be used commercially due

to the bombing of the Luftwaffe and the onshore fighting, which crippled the Russian economy. 21

The Germans captured scores of civilians and Russian troops, most being shipped off to work in

concentration camps.

Stalin then issued Order 227, which told the Russian people that it was time to stop

retreating. The order sentenced cowards and “panic mongers” to death and explained to the

19 ”World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed Feb. 3, 2019. 20 ”World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad. 21 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.

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Russian people that just because Russia is a huge country, that does not mean all its land should

be fought upon. Many Russians at the time had counted on Russia endlessly retreating into their

vast territory. Order 227 ends with the now famous phrase, “Not one step back!”, which became

Russia’s new slogan. 22

Stalingrad was now under renewed fighting, as the Russian people were inspired. The

general mood around the war was shifting from one of despair and constant retreat to one of

strength and moving as one to repel the Nazis and reclaim what was theirs. A restructure of the

of the Russian forces at Stalingrad occurred, offering the men renewed hope. 23

After months of fighting, Russian forces were down to fewer than 20,000 troops and 24

were trapped on the brink of the Volga. Yet morale among the soldiers was high. It looked like a

German victory was imminent, leaving them the gateway into the main Caucasus. The Caucasus

are a land rich in food and oil, which the Germans needed badly. But the Russians knew

reinforcements were coming and a sense of brotherhood propelled them forward. Anatoly

Mereshko described their spirit this way: “When only a few hundred of a division that once had

over 7,000 soldiers [remained], they would hold the ground for their dead friends.” The soldiers 25

were not ready to give up on this battle, despite the odds stacked against them.

These reinforcements arrived mid-winter, gathering in the surrounding mountains and

encircling the German Army in a move much resembling their own blitzkrieg. This shocked the

German forces. They were so close to winning the city of Stalingrad and had not expected Russia

22 By. “Stalin's Order No. 227: ‘Not a Step Back.’” The History Reader, 21 Feb. 2015, www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/stalins-order-227-step-back/. 23 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 18 24 Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed source Jan. 25, 2019 25 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 9

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to have more strength. The German forces were now surrounded, trapped in the city of

Stalingrad. The Russians pelted them with artillery shells, pushed in from all sides, and fired on

the German troop movements in the rough terrain of the destroyed city. This type of warfare is

the one the Soviets preferred, as their extremely large population could sustain mass casualties,

something the Germans could not afford. The destroyed city created an abundance of hiding

places that only the Russian army knew about which gave them a huge advantage in the

close-quarters of city combat, contributing further to the shift in dominance over the city.

The Axis powers of Germany, Italy, Hungary and Romania were running out of supplies.

The Italians, Hungarians, and Romanians were defeated in rapid succession. Allied forces

captured 100,000 Germans and most of the Italian and Romanian armies, leaving the western 26

German flank exposed. The Russians attempted to exploit this temporary weakness, but the

Germans closed in tighter leaving all flanks equally vulnerable. This put the Axis powers on the

defensive, a position they had not been in the entire war. This pressure, combined with a lack of

food and having been weakened by a harsh winter they were not accustomed to, made the

Germans extremely weak and growing ever weaker. The Russians would soon win the Battle of

Stalingrad against a starved and weakened German force. 27

This change in power on the Eastern Front, the triumph of a Russian force that won

against one of Hitler's very own German armies, was the most important turning point in the war.

The Germans now had to pull troops from the Western Front, Africa, and the occupation of

France. The start of the Allied invasion of Italy meant that both the Russians and the western

26 Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad 27 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.

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Allied forces could move more freely, and offensive action could be taken. The great acts of

D-day, the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Battle of the Bulge were all made possible by

the depleted German force and the success of the Russian army. This was exemplified by the

next moves of the Russian forces, the reclamation of oil fields and grain stocks, the freeing of the

Russian people in areas previously occupied by the German forces, and the advancement of the

Russian forces towards Berlin.

The Battle of Stalingrad, in my opinion, was beautifully summarized in this quote by

Col. Serebryakov, who served in the Russian Army during the Battle of Stalingrad. “It was a

struggle for survival - and both sides learnt from each other along the way. There was one vital

factor which coexisted alongside the terrible exhaustion caused by combat at close quarters: in

this extreme situation, extraordinary inner resources were released within people. I witnessed a

mother lifting up the entire side of a German truck to free her trapped child and saw small nurses

carrying wounded paratroopers twice their size back to the trenches. Such things seemed

physically impossible, but something was happening to people, both physiologically and

psychologically. Some sunk under the stress of the fighting; others found something greater to

draw upon. One such guiding principle was to always look out for others. We would put it like

this: help your comrade first, then worry about your own survival. It was an attitude that really

sustained our soldiers.” 28

Still, we must remember that even this would not have been enough to win the battle of

Stalingrad if it wasn’t for the hubris of Hitler. It was this that gave the Russians an opportunity to

fight a weakened German Army in the city named for its leader. The Russians drew upon the

28 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 11.

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tragedy that had struck them, losing their cities and facing persecution, fighting in horrendous

conditions for feet of ground, and triumphing as a result of their spirit and determination. They

used the tragedy they experienced to galvanize their efforts to not only survive but triumph. This

triumphant message is etched not only in Russian history, but in world history as well. The

tragedy they endured, in the Battle of Stalingrad, would echo for generations to come.

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Appendix 1

Starved and Weak German soldiers huddled up to stay warm under siege.

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Appendix 2

Photo of Josef Stalin’s Order No.227.

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Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources

“75th Anniversary Of Victory In The Battle Of Stalingrad.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty ,

RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, www.rferl.org/a/stalingrad-photo-gallery/24691866.html.

Accessed source Feb.2, 2019. This primary source was a good source of photos.

By. “Stalin's Order No. 227: ‘Not a Step Back.’” The History Reader , 21 Feb. 2015,

www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/stalins-order-227-step-back/. Accessed source

Jan.27, 2019. This is a translation and breakdown of Josef Stalin's Order No.227

Delphinus Daily Herald. “News from inside Russia States the Germans Move Closer to

Stalingrad, Breaking down Soviet Defenses.” Delphinus Daily Herald , 26 Aug. 1942.

Accessed source Mar.10, 2019. This source showed me of the Soviet political views at the

time around the approaching battle.

Emerson Kent , www.google.com/search?q=map of stalingrad

1942&safe=strict&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5gs-k1aXhAhUp9IM

KHXL-Dj4Q_AUIkAIoAQ&biw=1920&bih=969#imgrc=eJuyFAf7AsrOvM: Accessed

source Mar.15, 2019. This source helped me understand the desperate situation of the

Russian troops in the middle phases of the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Des Moines Register. “A Desperate Soviet Stand at Stalingrad.” The Des Moines

Register , 26 Aug. 1942, pp. 1–2. Newspapers.com. Accessed source Mar 11, 2019. This

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primary source helped me understand the political effects of the battle of Stalingrad in

America.

Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019. This Source

had both primary and secondary sources and helped me understand the tragedies

associated with the battle of Stalingrad such as what the captured soldiers had to endure as

well as the hopeless positions both armies were in during different stages of the battle.

This source also gave good primary sources such as conversations with Hitler and his

generals.

“Germans Gain Streets in Stalingrad.” The Sydney Morning Herald ,

www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22648262&fcfToken=697457446f4d4b6e325031763

1733446646e6d6d61327231796a336a6c4c3636654e713737335a4e332f76395667682f466

f34772f616c444f54624a78495743. Newspapers.com. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This

article showed me what the Red Army was putting out for propaganda.

“In Stalingrad Now.” The Guardian . Accessed source Jan. 25, 2019. This primary source gave

me an inside view into the horrors and some of the perspective of the civilians.

National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1a.” The National Archives , The

National Archives, 1 Apr. 2014,

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1a/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source was a transcript of Nevile Henderson's

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recommendations to Chamberlain for a meeting with Hitler about what was happening at

Nuremberg.

National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1b.” The National Archives , The


www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1b/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This is a transcript of a note from Nevile Henderson to

Chamberlain about Hitler and what war might mean.

National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1c.” The National Archives , The


www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1c/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of a note from Nevile Henderson to

Chamberlain showed me of how the climate of the British government was acting around

Hitler.

National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2a.” The National Archives , The


www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2a/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This was a transcript of the talks about the Sudetenland in

Czechoslovakia. It helped me understand Hitler's strategy for taking territory and and his

motivations.

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National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2b.” The National Archives , The


www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2b/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of the talks about the Sudetenland in

Czechoslovakia gave me an idea of the extreme measures Hitler was willing to go to in

order to get what he wanted.

National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2c.” The National Archives , The


www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2c/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of the talks on the Sudetenland in

Czechoslovakia gave me an idea of the the measure Chamberlain was willing to go to in

order to avoid war.

National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 3.” The National Archives , The National

Archives, 10 Apr. 2014,

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-3/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of a memo sent from General Ismay to the

British Cabinet explains why the British might have conceded so much land to the

Germans without any force.

National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler 1938.” The National Archives , The National

Archives, 11 Sept. 2018,

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/. Accessed

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source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the actions of the prime ministers of

the United Kingdom and why they made the decisions they did, as well as how it affects

the war.

Paterson, Tony. “Revealed: The Forgotten Secrets of Stalingrad.” The Independent ,

Independent Digital News and Media, 6 Nov. 2012,

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/revealed-the-forgotten-secrets-of-stalin

grad-8282751.html. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This primary source was a collection

of first-hand accounts.

Rothman, Lily. “Hitler and Nazi History: How He Came to Power in 1920.” Time , Time, 24

Feb. 2015, time.com/3712734/1920-nazi-party-history/. Accessed source Mar.10, 2019.

This source gave me an idea of how Hitler created an Anti-Semitic movement.

Sandford, Daniel. “Remembering the Horrors of Stalingrad.” BBC News , BBC, 31 Jan. 2013,

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-21266217. Accessed source Mar.18, 2019. This

primary source was a first hand account of someone in the battle of Stalingrad.

Stalin, Josef. “J. STALIN.” THE BATTLE FOR STALINGRAD ,

www.stalingrad.net/russian-hq/order-227/peoples-commissar-of-defence.htm. Accessed

source Mar.17, 2019. This was a primary photo of order number 227 and a translation of it.

The Sydney Morning Herald. “Four Battles Being Fought on the Stalingrad Front.” The

Sydney Morning Herald ,

www.newspapers.com/clip/22647729/four_ battles_being_fought_on_the/ . Accessed

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source Mar.11, 2019. This primary source showed me how the Red Army was swaying

peoples opinions to make it seem like the Soviets are nearing the end of a storm that was

lifting, and they would soon take back what the Nazis had taken, highlighting the

importance of morale.

The Tampa Tribune. “Nazis May Be Shifting Men From Stalingrad.” The Tampa Tribune ,

www.newspapers.com/clip/22647797/germans_focus_on_stalingrad_shifting/. Accessed

source Mar.12, 2019. This primary source helped me see again how the Russians were

flaunting intel, showing how they see morale being more important than secrecy.

Secondary Sources

“Auschwitz-Birkenau: Living Conditions, Labor & Executions.” Living Conditions, Labor &

Executions at Auschwitz-Birkenau,

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/living-conditions-labor-and-executions-at-auschwitz-birken

au. Accessed source Mar.18, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the horrid living

conditions at concentration camps, specifically Auschwitz-Birkenau.

“Battle of Belgium (May 10–28, 1940) Summary & Facts.” Totally History , 19 Dec. 2013,

totallyhistory.com/battle-of-belgium/. Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source helped

me understand the reasoning behind the early Belgian moves and the poor defense of

Belgium.

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“Battlefields of Belgium.” History TV , www.history.co.uk/battlefields-of-belgium. Accessed

source Mar.13, 2019. This source helped me understand the strategic value of Belgium.

“Battle of Stalingrad.” Battle of Stalingrad - New World Encyclopedia ,

www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Battle_of_Stalingrad. Accessed source Mar.15,

2019. This source gave me an idea of how the battle played out and some of the legacy of

the battle.

“Battle of Stalingrad Ends.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-stalingrad-ends. Accessed source Mar.14,

2019. This source gave me an idea of the downfall of the German command and the

suffering of the Germans.

“Belgium Besieged: From Blitzkrieg to Occupation.” Warfare History Network ,

warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/belgium-besieged-from-blitzkrieg-to-occupation/.

Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of what happened in the

Battle of Belgium.

“Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov.

2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally. Accessed

source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me a idea of how the battle of Belgium occurred.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Dunkirk Evacuation.” Encyclopædia Britannica ,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Feb. 2019,

www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This

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source gave me a better idea of how the retreat at Dunkirk happened, along with a lot of

statistics about the retreat.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “German Chain of Command in Western Europe, June

1944.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Apr. 2005,

www.britannica.com/topic/German-Chain-of-Command-in-Western-Europe-June-1944-1673

116. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of why it was so bad

for Hitler to command the Wehrmacht.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Siege of Leningrad.” Encyclopædia Britannica ,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Leningrad.

Accessed source Mar.23, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the impotence of Leningrad.

Budnik, Ruslan. “The Minsk Offensive 1944 - Bagging German Army Group Center.” WAR

HISTORY ONLINE , 23 June 2018,

www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/the-minsk-offensive-wwii.html. Accessed source

Mar.16, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the importance of the minks offensive, as well

as how it affected the war.

“D-Day Overview:” National D-Day Memorial , 15 Mar. 2017, www.dday.org/overview/.

Accessed source Mar.21, 2019. This source helped me to understand D-day.

“The Defeat of Hitler.” The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline , 2010,

www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/defeat/catastrophe-stalingrad.htm. Accessed source

21



Feb. 1, 2019. This source helped me get a better idea of the political and moral effects of

the battle of Stalingrad.

“Digging into Hopelessness: The Battle of Stalingrad.” History Cooperative , Jegtheme, 2 Apr.

2017, historycooperative.org/digging-hopelessness-battle-stalingrad/. Accessed Feb.1,

2019. This secondary source informed me of the differences and flaws in both side's

command.

Editors, History.com. “Adolf Hitler.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009,

www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/adolf-hitler-1. Accessed source Mar.16, 2019. This

source gave me a better idea of Hitler's rise to power.

Editors, History.com. “Battle of El Alamein.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 27

Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-el-alamein. Accessed source

Mar. 21, 2019. This source showed me what happened at El Alamein and its significance.

Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov.

2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed source Jan.25,

2019. This secondary source showed me the battle of Stalingrad in chronological order

with references to outside events so I could reference what was going on in my paper.

Editors, History.com. “Blitzkrieg.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 14 Oct. 2009,

www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg. Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This

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source helped me better understand what the blitzkrieg was and how and why it was

effective.

Editors, History.com. “Siege of Leningrad.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec.

2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/siege-of-leningrad. Accessed source Mar.20,

2019. This source gave me a general idea of what happened at the siege of Leningrad.

Evans, Richard J. “Why Hitler's Grand Plan during the Second World War Collapsed.” The

Guardian , Guardian News and Media, 8 Sept. 2009,

www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/hitler-germany-campaign-collapsed. Accessed

Feb. 1, 2019. This secondary source informed me of the political effects of the battle of

stalingrad and how it affected the morale and public opinion of the war.

“Germans Invade Poland.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 4 Mar. 2010,

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland. Accessed source Mar.12,

2019. This source helped me better understand the invasion of Poland.

Hickman, Kennedy. “Death in the Snow: Battle of Moscow.” ThoughtCo , ThoughtCo, 19

Sept. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-moscow-2360444. Accessed source Mar.19,

2019. This source explained some of the German and Russian plans in greater depth.

History, Simple. “Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43).” YouTube , YouTube, 15 Feb. 2017,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHkELWFqGKQ. Accessed Jan. 22, 2019. This secondary

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source helped me understand what fighting was like inside the battle of Stalingrad and

what the objectives of the opposing armies were.

“Hitler Reoccupies the Rhineland, Violating the Treaty of Versailles.” History.com , A&E

Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,

www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-reoccupies-the-rhineland. Accessed source

Mar.14, 2019. This source helped me understand Hitler's reoccupation of the Rhineland.

“Hitler's Rise to Power: 1918-1933.” Facing History and Ourselves,

www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1918-1933. Accessed

source March 11, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of Adolf Hitler's rise to power as

well as how he got there.

“How Did World War 2 Start?” The Week UK , 15 Jan. 2019,

www.theweek.co.uk/60237/how-did-world-war-2-start. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019.

This source helped me understand why Hitler wanted to start WWII.

“INVASION OF POLAND, FALL 1939.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ,

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,

encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939. Accessed source

Mar.12, 2019. This source helped me to understand the Appeasement strategy used by the

Allies.

Jhonson, Ian. “The Motherland Calls: The Battle of Stalingrad, 75 Years Later.” War on the

Rocks , 29 Aug. 2017,

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warontherocks.com/2017/08/the-motherland-calls-the-battle-of-stalingrad-75-years-later/.

Accessed Feb. 1, 2019. This secondary source shows the victory in the battle of Stalingrad

from a Russian perspective. This helped me understand how this victory shaped the rest of

the war morally and physically.

Michal. “How Did Hitler Happen?” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans , The

National World War II Museum, 22 June 2017,

www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/how-did-hitler-happen. Accessed source

Mar.14, 2019. This source helped me understand Hitler's rise to power.

OverSimplified. “WW2 - OverSimplified (Part 1).” YouTube , Oversimplified, 15 Mar. 2018,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uk_6vfqwTA. Accessed source Mar.10, 2019. This

secondary source gave me a great overall idea of the events leading up to and after the

Battle of Stalingrad.

Patrick. “75 Years Ago, the Battle of Stalingrad.” InvestigAction Ghassan Kanafani

Revolutionary Writer and Journalist Comments , 14 Feb. 2018,

www.investigaction.net/en/75-years-ago-the-battle-of-stalingrad/. Accessed source Feb. 2,

2019. This secondary source showed how the soviet victory on the eastern front affected

the resistance. It also showed the political effects of the victory in Stalingrad, like how the

landings in Normandy and Italy were influenced by this.

Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World

War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016,

25



nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-battle-moscow-how-russia-stopped-hitlers-nazi-ger

many-17641. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This source helped me to understand why the

Germans chose to attack Stalingrad and taught me about their defeats in Moscow.

Photographs, and Text Sergey Ponomarev. “For Russians, 75 Years Later, Stalingrad Is a

Battle to Remember.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 15 Nov. 2017,

www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/world/europe/russia-stalingrad-anniversary.html. Accessed

source Mar.16, 2019. This source showed me the current day Russian view of the city and

the battle fought there.

“Research Starters: D-Day.” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans ,

www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/resea

rch-starters-d-day. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019. This source helped me to understand

the reason D-Day was so important to the Allied success in WWII.

“Second Battle of El Alamein.” National Army Museum ,

www.nam.ac.uk/explore/battle-alamein. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019. This source

helped me understand the Battle of El Alamein and how it impacted the war.

Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011,

www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml. Accessed source Mar.11,

2019. This source gave me an idea of how Germany invaded France in World War Two.

Staff, HistoryNet. “Soviet Prisoners of War: Forgotten Nazi Victims of World War II.”

HistoryNet , HistoryNet, 3 Aug. 2016,

26



www.historynet.com/soviet-prisoners-of-war-forgotten-nazi-victims-of-world-war-ii.htm

Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the amount Russian

prisoners and what their life was like.

Taylor, Alan. “World War II: Operation Barbarossa.” The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company,

24 July 2011,

www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/0 7/world-war-ii-operation-barbarossa/100112/ . Accessed

source Mar.19, 2019. This source explained Operation Barbarossa.

“The World's Biggest Economies the Decade You Were Born.” Live Life Richer with

Lovemoney , Lovemoney, 28 Nov. 2018,

www.lovemoney.com/gallerylist/79693/the-worlds-biggest-economies-the-decade-you-we

re-born. Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the GDPs of the

country involved in World War Two.

“What Started WW2? A Look At The Causes.” History , 6 July 2018,

www.historyonthenet.com/what-started-ww2. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This source

gave me an idea of how Hitler got the support of all of Germany before the attack on

Poland.

“World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library , www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad.

Accessed source Jan. 23, 2019. This source helped me with understand some of the greater

details of the battle and had some quotes from Hitler that helped me understand some of

his decisions.

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Documents

The Battle of Stalingrad · Stalingrad.1 The German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad was a remarkable turn of events and can be directly tied to Adolf Hitler’s hubris, which led