Battle+of+Stalingrad+and+Leningrad


 * The Battle of Leningrad:**

The Battle of Leningrad was also known as the Siege of Leningrad, or as the Leningrad Blockade. This siege began on September 8, 1941, this siege was a result of the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad. This was one of the most destructive sieges in history, over a million lives were lost during this siege. Hitler’s plan was to make the city struggle and fight for their lives, forcing them to submit to his wishes. Cold, dehydration, and starvation was the main struggle for this cities inhabitants. Pipes broke as the oil and coal slowly disappeared and the winter approached, pets became food as the food supply shrunk, and some people even though cannibalism became a means of food. On top of the lack of food, water and heat, the German army often attacked the city with air and artillery attacks.

The harsh winter brought hope, as the lake froze help was able to reach the people of the city. Food rations increased and it became a way for the elderly to escape. The American’s sent war supplies and food to the city as part of the lend-lease program. With less people in the city, some lost to death others escaped the strain lessened on the remaining inhabitants. By January of 1944 the Red Army finished pushing the Germans out and the city was able to celebrate. This event shows the life and hope were what was worth fighting for, at least for the people of the city. For the German’s it was only to gain more control, and they seemed to be willing to do anything to gain that control. Hitler was so confident that he would gain control of Leningrad that he already planned his celebration.


 * This picture shows a victim of the siege being pulled to the cemetery. This shows how the citizens suffered and had to pull through even when things seemed hopeless.**

For more information visit: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/leningrad.htm


 * Battle of Stalingrad:**

The Battle of Stalingrad to some is considered the turning point of World War II. This battle was fought between July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943. In this battle the German armies and its allies invaded the Soviet Union. The capture of Stalingrad was very important to Hitler for two main reasons, one it was a major industrial city, second it would help secure success in Hitler’s invasion of the Caucasus region. Some believe Hitler targeted Stalingrad because it had the name of his enemy, Joseph Stalin.

The battle began with heavy bombing, at least a 1,000 tons worth of bombs were dropped. The city became mostly rubble, although a few factories were left standing. Citizens were prevented from leaving, woman and children were put to work building trenches and protective fortifications. By preventing citizens to leave Stalin believed that it would encourage the cities defenders to be more protective. Three months of battle left each army worn, tired and stressed. The Germans slowly took over 90% of the destroyed city, pushing the citizens and defenders further and further back. The Soviet Union slowly pushed the Germans back over the cold winter, soon they had the upper hand and forced the German general to surrender. Hitler was furious with the general’s decision. Out of the 91,000 German Prisoners only 5,000 returned home. This battle showed once again that Hitler found control the only thing worth fighting for, while Stalin found that protection and gaining the upper hand was what was worth fighting for.


 * This picture shows each armies statistics and helps the reader understand where each army stood before the battle began.**

For more information visit: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/ww2/Stalingrad.html

Annotated Bibliography:

"The Siege of Leningrad, 1941 - 1944." EyeWitness to History - History through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It. Ibis Communications, Inc. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. .


 * I found this source to be the most helpful when looking for information for the Siege of Leningrad. This source allowed me to have a personal look at the siege and see what was happening from the inside. I used this source the most for my information, because I found it to be the most helpful.**

"The Battle of Stalingrad." History Learning Site. Historylearningsite.co.uk. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. .


 * I found this source to be one of the easiest to read and understand when looking for information for the Battle of Stalingrad. This source also had main questions, so I knew what I was going to be reading before I started the paragraph. This source also had charts which described who was leading the army’s, how many men they had, how many weapons they had, and how many tanks. Overall this source was very helpful to me.**

"The Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943)." Jewish Virtual Library - Homepage. The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Web. 9 Jan. 2012. .


 * This source was the most helpful when looking for information for the Battle of Stalingrad. This source had background information, plus more in depth information, as well as the aftermath of the battle. I found all of these components of this source to be very helpful. Overall this was my best source for the Battle of Stalingrad.**