Fracture in WWII A turning point in the Great Patriotic War. Battle of Stalingrad

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Lesson type: combined.

Target: show the course of hostilities on the Soviet-German front in the summer of 1942 - autumn 1943, the heroism and courage of Soviet soldiers.

Tasks:

educational: mastering by students of knowledge about the main events of a radical change during the Great Patriotic War and World War II, the place and role of the USSR in these events; the formation in students of a holistic view of the Great Patriotic War, the fate of the peoples of the USSR, the main stages, major events and major figures in Russian history.
Educational: education of students in the spirit of patriotism, respect for their Fatherland, in accordance with the ideas of mutual understanding, tolerance and peace between people and nations, in the spirit of the democratic values of modern society.
Educational: developing the ability of students to analyze the information contained in various sources about events and phenomena of the past and present, guided by the principle of historicism, in their dynamics, interconnection and interdependence.

Equipment:

Cards:
a) The Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
b) The counteroffensive of the Red Army near Stalingrad.
multimedia presentation
Handout
Dates important to remember

DURING THE CLASSES

I. Survey

1. The German attack on the Soviet Union, the reasons for the failures of the Red Army in the first months of the war.
2. Battle for Moscow, her historical meaning.

II. Assimilation of new material

Plan

1. Battle of Stalingrad and the battle for the Caucasus.

a) Plans of the German command for the summer-autumn of 1942. (slide 1).
b) Summer offensive German troops: Students are shown footage from a documentary
c) The battle for the Caucasus.
d) The defense of Stalingrad: shots from the film are shown (slide 2).
e) Preparation of the counter-offensive of the Soviet troops, encirclement and defeat of the Nazi troops near Stalingrad. The beginning of a radical change in the course of the war: shots from the film are shown (slide 3, 4).

2. Battle of Kursk.

a) The plans of the belligerents for the summer of 1943. The ratio of forces.
b) The beginning of the Battle of Kursk. Operation "Citadel" and its failure (slide 5, 6).
c) The counteroffensive of the Soviet army. Tank battle near Prokhorovka. The defeat of the German armies: shots from the film are shown (slide 7).
d) The general offensive of the Soviet troops, the completion of a radical change in the course of the war.

Thesis-main text

1. Battle of Stalingrad

By the beginning of the summer of 1942, Germany maintained a military-strategic advantage over the USSR. Nevertheless, Stalin insisted on a series of major offensive operations in order to achieve a turning point in the war. The Soviet command made a mistake in assessing the strategic plans of the Wehrmacht, assuming that its main forces would concentrate on the Moscow direction. Meanwhile, the Wehrmacht planned to strike in the southeast direction, then to the Caucasus, to the oil-bearing regions of Baku.
Obeying the directives of the Headquarters, Soviet troops in May 1942 the reptiles went on the offensive in the Crimea and near Kharkov. It ended in a heavy defeat. In July, Sevastopol fell, the Donbass and important agricultural regions of Ukraine and southern Russia were occupied. The enemy went to the North Caucasus, seeking to seize rich oil fields, and at the same time launched an attack on Stalingrad in order to cut one of the key transport arteries of the USSR. From the first days of September, fierce street battles unfolded in Stalingrad.
The transfer of German troops near Stalingrad limited the possibility of developing their offensive in the Caucasus direction. By the end of September 1942, their offensive was suspended, and all further attempts to enter the Transcaucasus ended in failure.
Near Stalingrad, where the 6th army of General Paulus and the tank army of General Goth were bogged down in bloody battles, the Soviet command was preparing a counteroffensive that began on November 19, 1942 and ended on February 2, 1943 with the surrender of the German group of Paulus troops. The offensive also developed successfully in the southern direction, where it was possible to expel the enemy from the North Caucasus and most of the Donbass.
Thus, the Battle of Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War and the entire Second World War. The strategic initiative passed to the Red Army.

2. Battle of Kursk

Preparing for the summer campaign of 1943, Nazi strategists focused on the Kursk salient. This was the name of the protrusion of the front line facing the West. It was here that Hitler intended to take revenge for the defeat at Stalingrad. Two powerful tank wedges were supposed to break through the defenses of the Soviet troops at the base of the ledge, surround them and create a threat to Moscow.
The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, having received information from intelligence about the planned offensive in time, was well prepared for defense and response. When on July 5, 1943, the Wehrmacht attacked the Kursk Bulge, the Red Army managed to withstand it; on July 12, 1943, the Soviet troops launched a strategic offensive. It quickly deployed along a front of 2,000 kilometers. In August 1943, Orel, Belgorod, Kharkov were liberated, in September - Smolensk. At the same time, the forcing of the Dnieper began, in November, Soviet troops entered Kiev, and by the end of the year they advanced far to the west.
The battle near Kursk and the subsequent offensive of the Soviet troops completed a radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War.

Key dates to remember:

1. July-August 1942 - the defeat of the Red Army near Kharkov and in the Crimea, the exit of German troops to the Caucasus and the Volga.
2. September-November 1942, the defense of Stalingrad, fighting in the Caucasus direction.
3. November 19, 1942, the beginning of the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad.
4. On February 2, 1943, the liquidation of the German group of troops near Stalingrad, the beginning of a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War.
5. July-August 1943 Battle of Kursk, the strategic offensive of the Soviet troops, the completion of a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War.

III. Anchoring

To consolidate the new material, students are given cards with test tasks and ask the following questions:

What was the historical significance of the Battle of Stalingrad.
Show on the map the directions of the main attacks of the German troops on the Kursk salient and the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops.

Test tasks

1. The battle of Stalingrad began

a) in December 1941
b) in August 1942
c) in February 1943

2. Completion of a radical change in the Great Patriotic War is associated with

a) Battle of Kursk
b) the battle of Stalingrad
c) the battle of Moscow

3. Biggest tank battle in the Great Patriotic War happened during the battle

a) Kursk
b) Moscow
c) Stalingrad

4. The Battle of Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War, since

a) in the spring of 1943, the Second Front was opened
b) Nazi Germany suffered its first major defeat
c) the strategic initiative passed into the hands of the Red Army
At the end of the lesson, a general summary of the lesson is summed up, and marks are given. The slides are recorded on a CD and are included with this lesson.

It often happens that without repeating one topic and coming to the exam, you come across it. In order to prevent this, it is worth repeating the radical change during the Great Patriotic War. This is one of the leading topics on the exam and not repeating it can turn into a fatal mistake for you. Especially to prevent this situation, it is worth reading this material, which will briefly put the facts on the shelves.

concept

If this is the first time you hear about a radical fracture, or if you have forgotten a little about what it is, we will give it a definition.

The radical change is the transfer of initiative and forces from Germany to the USSR, which took place in the second half of 1942-1943. It concerns both the volume of ammunition and the size of the army.

For the most part, the battle of Stalingrad influenced the turning point, after which everything changed. The plan of the USSR called "Uranus" was a decisive step. It is worth knowing that it was led by G.K. Zhukov. We will return to this later.

Main events

To begin with, let's look at the whole course of events, which led to the decisive consequences in this war.

The Battle of Stalingrad began on July 17, 1942 and lasted until the following February. Several attempts Soviet army to defeat the German troops were unsuccessful. German troops received powerful reinforcements, and our Soviet army was losing everything large quantity of people. It is worth remembering that it was important for Germany to win this battle, since at that time there was only one road along which oil and grain products could be obtained. Blocking this road, no one would be able to get the necessary raw materials and products.

Stalingrad battle. Map

Stalin, seeing that they were advancing from the south side, issued the well-known and now order "Not a step back." the command of the USSR urgently organized the defense of the city, all the forces of the country were directed to the city. Despite the fact that the Soviet army had heavy losses, the Germans were unable to capture the city.

The second period of the battle for Stalingrad marked the beginning of a turning point. As mentioned above, this was possible thanks to Operation Uranus. the essence of the operation was that the army needed to unite the fronts, which should have led to the destruction of the enemies. And already on February 2, the plan was successfully worked out. Starting from that moment, the army received new ammunition and uniforms, this gave the technical superiority of the USSR.

The last, and therefore the final stage of the turning point was the Battle of Kursk. It took place from July 5 to August 23 forty-three. One of the main dates in this battle can be considered July 12, when a huge battle took place, after which the troops of the USSR won.

Battle of Kursk Map

The German army suffered huge losses, and our country recaptured Orel, Belgorod and Kharkov. After winning in Battle of Kursk finally reached a radical change. It meant that Germany could no longer regain its superiority in the war, which allowed the Soviet Union to retake its territories, as well as make its way to Berlin.

This, perhaps, is all that is worth knowing about the events themselves that took place at the time of the turning point.

Results

It is also important to remember the results of the fracture.

The advantages for the USSR include the restoration of its territory, since we returned enough a large number of cities
Also, the result was a conference (Tehran). It brought together the heads of powers such as the USSR, the USA and Great Britain. The conference took place in 1943.
And finally, the main thing. It was thanks to the turning point that Germany was defeated.
This is one of the main results that turned into pluses, but do not forget about the numerous losses.
Knowing this little material, you can confidently go to the exam.

Let's repeat all the main dates in order to fully understand the topic and the events that occurred during the turning point.

Battle of Stalingrad-beginning in 1942 on July 17th.
Plan "Uranus" - implemented on February 2, 1943.
Battle of the Kursk Bulge July 5-August 23, 1943.
The main date for the turning point is July 12, the victory of the USSR troops.

Based on these dates, you will not only remember the period of the turning point, but also the key events of the war, which will only be a plus for you. However, it is important to remember not only the events, but also other nuances associated with them. Therefore, we invite you.

MOU "Ochkurovsky secondary school" Nikolaev municipal district Volgograd region Lesson of Victory "The beginning of a radical change in the Great Patriotic War" Prepared by the teacher primary school Nikishina Olga Ivanovna 2017 To the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of our Motherland from Nazi invaders. Purpose: to promote the formation of a sense of patriotism, pride in the past of their country. Tasks:  Creation of conditions for a deeper acquaintance of students with the main stages and events of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, its defenders and their exploits;  Tell students about the heroic pages of the Great Patriotic War, the liberation of our country from the fascist invaders;  To form ideas about military duty and loyalty to the Fatherland, to form the experience of the moral behavior of the individual, to stimulate interest in the history of one's country;  To develop information culture of students;  Emotionally stimulate the patriotic feelings of pupils through familiarization with military traditions;  To instill in children love and respect for soldiers, partisans, underground workers, patriots who died defending the honor, freedom and independence of our Motherland, who saved the peoples of the world from enslavement;  To cultivate love for the native country, a sense of patriotism. Equipment: audio recordings with songs of the war years, children's drawings about the war, posters, an exhibition of books about the war, balloons, flowers, slides. Teacher: Dear Guys! We have gathered here today to reflect, to remember the terrible and at the same time full of courage and valor days of the Great Patriotic War! You and I are happy children, because we have a childhood, we have the opportunity to learn, communicate, make plans for the future. All this was not the case for children who lived more than 70 years ago. Their childhood was severely taken away from them, their life was determined by one war. They didn't have a choice. And the adults had no choice. Our entire Motherland had no other choice. Oral Journal (Slide No. 1) Today we will spend our journey in the form of an Oral Journal, that is, we will travel through the pages of history. Page 1: The beginning of the war (Slide number 2) War! There is no harsher word! War! There is no scarier word! And on the lips of everyone else, It can no longer be, and no! 1941 “A heavy roar hit the ground. The light went out instantly. The walls of the casemate shook. Stucco was falling from the ceiling. And through the deafening howl and roar, the rolling explosions of heavy shells broke through more and more clearly. Ran somewhere very close. - War! someone shouted. - This is war, comrades, war! …The outer door was blown away by the blast, and orange flashes of fires could be seen through it. The casemate trembled heavily. All around howled and groaned. And it was June 22, 1941 at 4:15 Moscow time. (song "Oh, roads" (music by A. Novikov, lyrics by L. Oshanin) For the first time during the war, our Army retreated. By July 10, the Germans had already captured the Baltic states, Belarus, Moldova, most of Ukraine. In three weeks, our troops lost 3,500 aircraft, 6,000 tanks, more than 20,000 guns and mortars. A lot of our soldiers died. Many soldiers were taken prisoner. But our people did not break. They survived. But how difficult were these 1418 days of the war (Slide No. 3) (student reading poetry) Student 1 It becomes very scary if You hear the terrible word war, Over the planet, over the whole world She stretches her black hands. Pupil 2: Forty-first! June. The year and month of the struggle of the people. Even the dust of time This date cannot be dragged out. Pupil 3: The country was rising And went to the front as a guard, Kumachovye stars On the canvases of the banners carrying away.Guys, what other words are associated with the word WAR? (Grief, pain, death, disappointment, scream, noise, siren, heroism, feat ...) And whose great-grandfathers were participants in those battles Page 2: "Battle for Moscow" (Slide No. 4) Autumn 1941. The enemy desperately rushed to the heart of our homeland - Moscow. Fascist officers have already ordered new uniforms for themselves for their parade on Red Square. State Committee Defense, the command of the Red Army gathered forces from all over the country for a decisive rebuff to the enemy. Aerostats hovered over Moscow, the approaches to the capital bristled with anti-tank ditches, hedgehogs and trenches. By the end of 1941, the enemy was stopped near Moscow. The battle near Moscow was marked by mass heroism and self-sacrifice of the Soviet people. Thunder and smoke. Fire and blood. Flame in the realm of darkness. At six in the morning - the attack again, At seven - again the attack! Ahead of the fire is a barrier - the Deadly Wall. But he gets up, saying: “It is necessary!” The very first foreman, If necessary, then necessary! "Need" - the platoon gets up. Echoing grenades are torn, The machine gun is aiming. It is necessary to support the brave - Major shouted: "Forward!" And, having given the command to the detachment, He stands in front of him. Page 3: "Battle of Stalingrad". (Slides 5 11) In the blockade days We never found out Between youth and childhood Where is the line? We were given medals in the forty-third And only in the forty-fifth passport (The melody of the song “In the forest near the front” sounds) Teacher: The formidable and difficult years of the Great Patriotic War are moving further and further, but the memory of those who did not spare their blood, who brought to the altar of freedom is the most precious life. Each of us shares the thought embodied in the words: "No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten." And today in the lesson we will try to recreate the pictures of the war years. After the victory near Moscow, there were other victories, there were losses and serious defeats. But the enemy was still strong and cunning. He captured the Crimea, Kharkov, Donbass, went to the bend of the Don, threatening Stalingrad, occupied Rostovna Don, rushed to the Caucasian oil. Alarmed by the heavy losses, I.V. Stalin on July 28, 1942 issues order No. 227, which went down in history under the title “Not a step back!” Stalingrad is subjected to continuous bombardment from the east, and in early September 1942, street fighting begins. The enemy rushes to the Volga, but the city desperately resists him. Over 700 thousand killed and wounded were lost by the enemy in the battles for the city, more than a thousand tanks and aircraft. But by mid-November, he was forced to go on the defensive. On November 19, 1942, the operation code-named "Uranus" developed by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky to defeat the Nazi troops near Stalingrad began with powerful volleys of artillery. In the area of the city of Kalach, a 330,000-strong enemy group under the command of Field Marshal Paulus was surrounded and capitulated on February 2, 1943. The beginning of a radical change during the Great Patriotic War. In long fierce battles and battles, the Soviet troops, overcoming incredible difficulties and hardships, inflicted a crushing defeat on the largest strategic grouping of German fascist troops. "The victory at Stalingrad was not just a victory, it was a historical feat." In this feat, the invincible power of the state, the great friendship of the peoples of our country, the courage and heroism of Soviet soldiers, and the superiority of Soviet military art over the military art of Nazi Germany were manifested with particular force. Presenter 1: And in rare moments of calm, people remembered their home, relatives and people close to them. They imagined how happily they would live after the war... The war didn't teach you how to love, It was impossible to cool your heart Warmed in the dugout the cute face - Wives, mothers, fathers, friends. (The song “In the dugout” sounds) Presenter 2: The unparalleled courage of the Stalingraders shocked even experienced Nazi warriors: “It is impossible to describe what is happening here. Everyone who has a head and hands fights in Stalingrad - men and women. The Nazis died by the hundreds. Chief in letters German soldiers the motif of a premonition of death becomes: "We will never leave Russia"; “each of us here will perish”; “If, because of this letter, I am brought to a military tribunal and shot, it will be good for me.” By mid-November, the offensive capabilities of the German troops finally dried up. Having lost in the battles for Stalingrad about 700 thousand killed and wounded, more than 1 thousand tanks and over 1.4 thousand aircraft, the German troops were forced to go on the defensive by mid-November. Presenter 1. The news about the defeat of the fascist troops in the Stalingrad region swept the whole world like a joyful wave and inspired the resistance forces of Europe to further fight against fascism. The world was amazed and delighted with the legendary victory of the Soviet troops, which marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the course of the entire Second World War. Student 1. Do you hear? At Stalingrad, in the frosty air, the cannonade sounds like a victorious thunder, and the whole of Germany trembles, It is useless for the enemies to rush about: they are brought down by a gun tornado, Death, which has long sought them for a long time, has crushed them with an iron noose. Pupil 2. There was a deadly battle near Stalingrad, Everyone defended our native city, The fire is burning, like a memory of terrible years, We will remember everyone who is not here today. Disciple 3. The war has passed, the suffering has passed, But the pain appeals to people. Let's never forget this people! May the eternal memory of her Keep, of this torment, And the children of today's children, And our grandchildren, grandchildren. Page 6: Victory (Slide No. 13) Presenter. On May 8, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany was signed in Karlshorst near Berlin. On the German side, it was signed by Field Marshal Keitel, on the side Soviet Union Marshal G.K. Zhukov. And on June 24, the Parade of Victories took place on Red Square in Moscow, the song of M. Yasenya “May Waltz”. For everything that we have now For each of our happy hours, For the fact that the sun shines on us, Thanks to the valiant soldiers, Who once defended the world. Thanks to the native Army, Our fathers and grandfathers! Thank you, soldiers, for life, for childhood, for spring. Student 1: Orders shine in the sun, Medals solemnly ring, The whole country is proud of them, They defended their freedom. Disciple 2: There are fewer and fewer of them, Gray-haired defenders of the people, That brought a moment of happiness closer, Four years went to victory. Student 3: They are adorned with gray hair, New medals shine, The whole country is indebted to them, They did not feel the warmth. Student 4: I'm going to the parade in uniform, Reverence reigns in my soul, Fanfare rumbles once a year, And oblivion continues. Student 5: We went to battle for freedom, Bearless soldiers of the war, To protect the country with ourselves. They lead thoughts to the forty-fifth ... Student 6: On the ninth day of jubilant May, When silence fell on the earth, The news rushed from edge to edge: The world won! The war is over! Teacher: Today we again remember that war. In order to always remember those who have done everything so that we, who live now, can laugh and cry, rejoice and grieve, study, work and just live. We turn on the "eternal flame". Let us bow our heads before the greatness of their feat. We will honor the memory of those who did not return from the war with a minute of silence. I ask everyone to stand up! A MINUTE OF SILENCE Against the background of the photographs, the melody of D. Tukhmanov's song "Victory Day" sounds. Against the background of the song, at the very end, the words appear: “The war has passed, the suffering has passed, but pain calls out to people: let people never forget about it!” Teacher: Bowing our heads blessed memory fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sisters, relatives, free our hearts from anger and cruelty, remember that we are the sons and daughters of a great people, and we will be worthy of it. Having crossed the threshold of the third millennium, I would like to live without wars in the future. We pride ourselves on having many heroes, but may there be no more fallen on the battlefield in the coming ages. Resources used: 1. Utkin A. "Second World War» M. 2003. 2.Soviet historical encyclopedia. – M.: Izdvo “Owls. encyclopedia”, 1987. 3. Chuyanov A.S. Stalingrad diary (1941-1943). - NVolga edition, 1979.

On January 30, 1943, the 6th German Army under the command of Field Marshal Paulus capitulated in Stalingrad. Four days later, on February 2, the battle, later called Stalingrad, was over. After the victory in Stalingrad, the course of the Great Patriotic War changed. A rather long period, which lasted almost a whole year, from January 1943 to January 1944, and ended with the lifting of the blockade of Leningrad, became a radical turning point. Stalingrad was his "first sign", a conditional turning point. Today "RG" tells why the victory in Stalingrad became possible.

10 reasons for a radical change in the Great Patriotic War

1. By the summer of 1942, it became clear to the Soviet command that the Allies were in no hurry to open a second front. Countries anti-Hitler coalition took a wait-and-see attitude. In addition, lend-lease deliveries were not carried out in full. The Soviet Union had to rely only on itself. But this also meant that it was possible to "not disperse" and concentrate all forces to prepare a decisive blow on the eastern front.

2. The creation of a reserve of troops and equipment required the transfer of the economy to a military footing. The evacuation of industry from the frontline areas was unprecedented in history. The Evacuation Council was established in June 1941. But it was in the summer and autumn of 1942 that the second stage of the evacuation was completed, which became a separate page in the history of the Great Patriotic War. For example, to transport the Zaporizhstal plant from Zaporozhye to Magnitogorsk, eight thousand wagons were required. Leningrad plant them. Kirov and the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant were merged into a single one for the production of tanks. Hundreds of businesses and 11 million people were relocated to the east. A full-fledged military industry was created beyond the Urals. But in general, the economic power of the Soviet Union exceeded the potential of Germany. Despite the sharp decline in civilian production, the gross product of the USSR in 1942 compared with 1940 increased from 39 billion rubles to 48 billion. In 1942, the tank industry of the USSR produced almost 25,000 tanks. Hitler simply did not believe these figures.

3. All this made it possible to reorganize and re-equip the troops in the summer and autumn of 1942, to create a reserve military equipment and human resources. However, in order to complete this process and collect all the forces, the Soviet troops were forced to remain in a temporary strategic defense. From the spring to the summer of 1942, neither the German army nor the Soviet did not conduct active operations and did not start important military operations.

4. Strategic mistakes and successes. Mistakes were made like Soviet military leaders as well as German ones. The main miscalculation Soviet command was the concentration of most of the troops in the Moscow direction. Stalin did not expect a German offensive in the southwestern direction. At the same time, Hitler's mistake was the division of the group of troops "South" into groups "A" and "B". The idea was - to go to the Volga, to block the artery, through which in central regions countries delivered oil and food, and at the same time seize the oil-bearing regions in the Caucasus. The battle of Stalingrad is strategically inextricably linked with the battle for the Caucasus. But in the end, one group of German troops was unable to conquer the Caucasus, and the other - Stalingrad.

5. Plan offensive operation near Stalingrad at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was already discussed in September. "At this time," wrote Marshal Vasilevsky, "the formation and training of strategic reserves, which largely consisted of tank and mechanized units and formations, armed mostly with medium and heavy tanks, were being completed; stocks of other military equipment and ammunition were created." By the fall of 1942, the Soviet command had developed a plan for Operation Uranus, a counteroffensive near Stalingrad. By November, huge forces of troops and equipment were drawn to the city, the superiority of the Red Army units in the direction of the main attacks was two to three times. By the start of the counteroffensive, 160,000 soldiers, 10,000 horses, 430 tanks, 6,000 guns and 14,000 other combat vehicles had been transported. In total, more than a million soldiers, 1.5 thousand tanks, 11.5 thousand mortars, 1400 Katyushas and other equipment participated in the offensive operation.

6. The entire transfer of goods and equipment was carried out in secrecy, only at night. As a result, the massive deployment of Soviet troops went unnoticed by the enemy. German intelligence did not know about the impending operation. The Wehrmacht command did not expect a counteroffensive, and these reassuring forecasts were confirmed by incorrect intelligence data.

7. In contrast to the Soviet troops, who pulled up reserves to Stalingrad, the German army by November was experiencing very big supply problems. It was planned that the main supply channel would be air. However, in order to ensure the combat capability of the 300,000-strong army, 350 tons of cargo had to be delivered to Stalingrad daily. This was impossible for many reasons: German airfields were bombed by Soviet aircraft. The weather was unfavorable. The resistance of the local population played its role. In addition, the transport group included unsuitable for these purposes aircraft - training "Junkers".

8. The main blow of the Soviet troops was directed against the third and fourth Romanian armies and the eighth Italian. These armies were armed worse than the German units. There was a shortage of weapons and equipment. The units were commanded by Luftwaffe officers who were poorly versed in ground combat tactics. In addition, each had to defend a huge (about 200 kilometers) and poorly fortified section of the front. But most importantly, the morale was broken: the Romanian and Italian soldiers did not understand why they were fighting and why they were dying in a foreign steppe. Their retreat was more like a flight.

9. Fierce winter. As during the Patriotic War of 1812 frosts completed the defeat of Napoleon's army, so in Battle of Stalingrad they helped defeat the Germans.

10. The courage of the defenders and residents of the city. Despite the fact that the Germans captured the city center, Stalingrad was never completely subdued. Fights were going on in the streets of the city. All this time, life continued in the ruins - civilians remained in the city. Now among the "children of Stalingrad" and "the blockade of Leningrad" disputes sometimes arise - which of them had a harder time in the war. Some say that the Battle of Stalingrad was shorter. Others that the city was razed to the ground. There was no evacuation or supply of the civilian population in Stalingrad. Both the Battle of Stalingrad and the blockade of Leningrad are two pages of the Great Patriotic War, in which ordinary residents of both cities played a huge, heroic and tragic role.

By mid-autumn 1942, the situation on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War began to change dramatically: after an attempt to capture the Transcaucasian region, fascist army suffered huge material and human losses.

Battle of Stalingrad

For the Soviet command was given the opportunity, taking advantage of the moment, to achieve a turning point in the course of the war in a positive direction for themselves. It was planned to deliver the main blow to the German army on the Stalingrad front. G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky were engaged in the development of a plan for the defeat of the Nazis near Stalingrad.

The first blow was delivered by Soviet artillery on November 19, 1942, then it was the turn of a tank attack. Fierce fighting lasted for five days. The Soviet troops managed to encircle 350 thousand enemy army. german army lost 900k. people, about 2 thousand tanks, 4 thousand aircraft.

The German General Field Marshal F. Pauls was taken prisoner. The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad marked a radical change in the Great Patriotic War and marked the beginning of the end of the power of the fascist invaders.

The beginning of the release

After the success of the Soviet army in the Battle of Stalingrad, the German armed forces began to gradually retreat. First of all, troops were withdrawn from the Caucasus, since fascist invaders feared a repetition of the Stalingrad scenario. In early January 1943, the siege of Leningrad was partially broken through by the fighters of the Leningrad Front.

There was still no connection with the city, but thanks to the newly formed "corridor", it was possible to transport food and medicine to the townspeople. From the beginning of February, Soviet troops began to make attempts to liberate Donbass.

For the strategically important region for both sides, the struggle continued until the summer. it was here that the famous Kursk Bulge was formed, which significantly undermined the fascist positions. During the winter period, the Red Army was able to destroy more than 100 enemy divisions, which was a real success compared to the previous two years of the war.

Conference in Tehran

In mid-July 1943, the Soviet armed forces received significant support as a result of the Anglo-American troops joining them. In November-December 1943, a meeting of the leaders of the USSR, the USA and England ("Big Three") took place in Tehran.

Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed on the opening of a second front in Europe in May-June 1944, on the creation of the United Nations after the war, on the basic principles of the post-war world order, on the fate of Germany after its final defeat, etc.

The Soviet Union undertook to oppose Japan after the end of hostilities in Europe. After a radical change in hostilities in 1942-1943. the political fate of the fascists was largely a foregone conclusion, although a very long bloody struggle lay ahead for the warring parties.