Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was a pivotal battle fought in the winter of 1942-1943 that changed the course of WWII. The battle included a German attempt to take control of both banks of the Volga river in the Stalingrad region, and capture the city itself. It was followed by heated Soviet resistance inside the city, and Operation Uranus, a surprise Soviet counter-attack that led to the encirclement and eventual surrender of the German Sixth Army. Some estimates place the total casualties for both sides at nearly 2 million men. Axis powers in the region, which included Germany, Romania, Italy, Hungary, and Croatia, suffered heavy losses in manpower and equipment, from which they would never fully recover.

For the Red Army, which also suffered heavy losses, the victory of Stalingrad was the first step in their eventual march to Berlin which would lead to Germany's defeat in WWII.