WWII EXPLAINED · QUICK ANSWER
Who Won the Battle of Stalingrad?
The short answer: The Soviet Union won the Battle of Stalingrad. The remaining encircled German forces surrendered by February 2, 1943.
What happened?
Stalingrad lay on the Volga River and became a focus of Germany’s 1942 summer offensive. The fighting devastated the city. In November 1942, Soviet troops attacked weaker Axis positions on the flanks and surrounded the German Sixth Army and associated forces.
Why was the battle a turning point?
The encircled German forces suffered severe shortages. An attempted relief operation failed, and air supply was inadequate. The defeat eliminated a major German field army and sharply reduced Germany’s ability to continue offensive operations in the south.
Key dates
| Summer 1942 | German advance toward Stalingrad |
| November 19, 1942 | Soviet counteroffensive begins |
| February 2, 1943 | Final Axis resistance in Stalingrad ends |
A turning point is an interpretation of a wider military campaign, not a claim that the war ended at Stalingrad.
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