Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943

Communism is a left-wing ideology and system of organization that is centered around the communality of production and distribution based on need. It was first coined by Karl Marx in the 19th century and was adopted in Russia as the basis for governance after the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Soviet Union was subsequently created in 1922 as a communist state under Vladimir Lenin. Leninist Russia was a dictatorship, ostensibly established as a precursor to the enactment of communism. Joseph Stalin’s rule from 1924 cemented and tightened this dictatorship until his death in 1953.

Fascism is a right-wing ideology characterized by autocracy, militarization, ultranationalism, hierarchy, and the suppression of individuality within a rigid social structure. Fascism rose across Europe in the early 20th century, taking hold of the governments of Germany, Italy, and Spain. The fascist Nationalist Socialist (Nazi) Party was the vehicle for Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. Fascism is ideologically opposed to communism, although in practice, they share many characteristics. This ideological conflict forms part of the wider conflict described in Stalingrad.

In German military terminology, a Kessel (literally “kettle”) is used to describe a situation in which a force is encircled and trapped by an enemy. While there were many Kessels during the Second World War, in Stalingrad, it refers to that formed after the Battle of Stalingrad. The Sixth Army Kessel and its reduction was the final act in the campaign.

Operation Barbarossa was the code name for the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union beginning on June 22, 1941. It was the largest invasion in history in terms of manpower and casualties, but it failed in its goal of quickly defeating the Soviet Union.

Operation Uranus was the Soviet counteroffensive launched on November 19, 1942, against the Axis forces in the Stalingrad area. Using two pincers spearheaded by massed armor formations and supported by the Soviet air force and artillery, Soviet forces cut off the German Sixth Army. The success of Operation Uranus realtered the balance of forces on the Eastern Front and gave the Russians the edge in the war.