The Battle of Stalingrad was a battle between Nazi Germany and its allies and the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in Southern Russia. The battle took place between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943, during World War II.
The results of these operations are often cited as a turning point of World War II. The Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle in modern history, with combined casualties estimated to be above 1.5 million. The battle was marked by brutality and disregard for military and civilian casualties by both sides. The German offensive to take Stalingrad, the battle inside the city, and the Soviet counter-offensive which eventually trapped and destroyed the 6th Army and other Axis forces around the city, was the first large-scale German defeat of World War II.[10][11] Soviet and Russian studies identify ten campaigns, strategic and operational level operations.