Post on 08-May-2020
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 1/27
The Battle of Stalingrad
The Early Triumph of the Nazi Military and
the Hubris That Led to Its Fall
Zachary Duffy Individual Junior Paper
2473 words
1
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 2/27
Anyone familiar with World War II history can probably think of countless examples of
triumph and tragedy experienced by those who fought and died in the war. But the Battle of
Stalingrad is a particularly stunning example because it was German triumphs that made the
country’s leader, Adolf Hitler, brazen and overconfident. At the same time, it was the Russians’
tragic suffering that helped them find the strength to triumph over Germany in the Battle of
Stalingrad. The German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad was a remarkable turn of events and 1
can be directly tied to Adolf Hitler’s hubris, which led to the downfall of the German war
machine. It was this hubris, along with the doggedness of the Russian people, that gave Russia
the opportunity to triumph against all odds.
The year was 1933. A man named Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany after
leading the Nazi political party. This man’s deep-set hatred toward “lesser races” and extreme 2
pride in the German people led to the greatest war in history. His disdain for those he viewed as 3
inferior was the driving force that led him to direct the German Army to invade other countries
and begin the expansion of Germany.
One of Hitler’s main objectives was to expand Germany and unite the German people
who had spread over Europe since the days of the German empire. This expansion began with
demonstrations of force and the demand of small areas, such as the Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia, but Hitler’s main goal was the Polish Corridor. This strip of land, conceded after
1 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. 2 “Hitler's Rise to Power: 1918-1933.” Facing History and Ourselves, www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1918-1933. Accessed March 11, 2019. 3“How Did World War 2 Start?” The Week UK, 15 Jan. 2019, www.theweek.co.uk/60237/how-did-world-war-2-start.
2
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 3/27
WWI, divided Hitler’s great country in two. The corridor was a logistical burden to the Germans,
and they demanded it from the Allies.
The Allied Forces, a coalition of France, Great Britain, and Poland (later to include
Russia and the USA), sent a clear message to Germany that an invasion of Poland would mean
war. The Germans demanded the Polish Corridor from the Allies, but he Allies refused these
demands. Germany invaded Poland. War was declared. The Germans allied with Russia and
crushed Poland quickly. The Allies were surprised by this new alliance of Russia and Germany,
as they thought they would have time to support Poland if Germany invaded.
After this astonishing victory, the Nazi war machine turned its attention to France. The
French had been preparing for war with Germany. They had built a line of defenses along their
German border, called the Maginot line, to deter the Germans from invading. France didn’t,
however, extend the Maginot line to their border with Belgium, with whom they were friendly.
Belgium wouldn’t let France build defenses or place troops in their country. Belgium had very
few defenses and a minimal number of soldiers, while the Germans had committed 137
divisions, 2,000 tanks, and 3,800 Luftwaffe aircraft to the invasion. 4
The lack of defense in Belgium was the reason the Germans invaded. The French were
committed to supporting Belgium. Armed with the knowledge of Belgium's weak defenses, the
French rushed in, following a plan only put into place four days beforehand. This left much of 5
the Maginot line under-defended. They thought the large hills and forests would deter the
German troops. The knowledge of Belgium’s lack of defense is the reason the French
4“Belgium Besieged: From Blitzkrieg to Occupation.” Warfare History Network, warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/belgium-besieged-from-blitzkrieg-to-occupation/. 5 “Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally.
3
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 4/27
overextended, leading to a shortage in troops elsewhere. The German forces bombarded Belgium
for 18 days, forcing the Belgian king to surrender unconditionally. 6
One under-defended point was the Ardennes, a very woody and hilly area on the
northern border of France. It was here that the Germans forced 50 divisions through and
penetrated the French line of defense. The French and British tried to retreat, but they were cut 7
off by the German forces as they moved across France. The best of the French and British forces
was encircled as the German armored divisions reached the Atlantic coast on May 20. Despite 8
vicious counter-attacks by the French, the Allies were unable to break free, though they did
sabotage many military supplies. The French and British were succeeding defensively, but a
large number of Belgian forces surrendered, leaving a gaping hole in the Allied army. Most of 9
France's best troops were subsequently wiped out, and the British only avoided capture because
of the desperate last-minute escape at Dunkirk. This rescue was executed with the help of many
brave British civilians, who miraculously crossed the extremely dangerous waters of the English
Channel to bring home 198,000 of their young men, along with 140,000 French and Belgians. 10
6 “Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally. 7 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 8 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 9 Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml 10 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Dunkirk Evacuation.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Feb. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation.
4
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 5/27
Germany’s occupation of France took only six weeks. The Germans, now without 11
enemies in the west, began pushing eastward towards the Volga River and Moscow, piling up
victory after victory, setting the stage for the Battle of Stalingrad. These great triumphs inspired
the German people and convinced their Chancellor that the Germans could not be defeated.
After the Nazi successes in Western Europe, the Germans turned on Russia on June 22,
1941. The Germans, now unhindered by the western Allies, blitzkrieged through Western 12
Russia, bringing them up to the gates of Moscow by the end of November. Blitzkrieg was a 13
form of warfare defined by quick strikes using motorized and armored vehicles or infantry,
followed by close air support in order to break the lines of the enemy and encircle them. The 14
poorly trained Russian troops were captured in huge numbers as Germans encircled retreating
armies and cities in which the Russians were encamped. 5.7 million Russian troops were
captured over the course of the war. 15
Most of the shocking atrocities of Hitler's reign occurred in the push eastward. Jewish
people across Europe were persecuted, enslaved, and killed. The Jewish people were dragged to
death camps, where they were starved, brutally beaten, put to work, and ultimately sentenced to
11 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016, nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-battle-moscow-how-russia-stopped-hitlers-nazi-germany-17641. 12 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016, 13 Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016. 14 Editors, History.com. “Blitzkrieg.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 14 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg. 15 Staff, HistoryNet. “Soviet Prisoners of War: Forgotten Nazi Victims of World War II.” HistoryNet, HistoryNet, 3 Aug. 2016, www.historynet.com/soviet-prisoners-of-war-forgotten-nazi-victims-of-world-war-ii.htm.
5
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 6/27
death. Anyone who would try to stand up to their occupiers would be dragged with the rest of 16
the Jews to death camps. The killing of Jews was considered by many Nazi leaders to be a source
of entertainment. Stories began circulating of terrible acts committed against Jewish people, such
as 90 Jewish children who were locked in a cellar without food or water. The many atrocities 17
committed fed Hitler’s ego and the Germans’ overconfidence and made them feel unstoppable.
At this point in the war, most of Europe was under the control of Hitler and the Nazis.
The quick fall of France and the lack of resistance from Russia gave the Germans a lot of
confidence in their push eastward. They felt as though they could not be beaten, their tactics
were impossible to counter, and there was no possibility they could lose. Hitler started to take
control of the day to day operations of his army, making strategic decisions on his own without
the help of his officers or strategists. This was a problem, as Hitler was usually acting on
outdated information, an obvious deficiency to any army. These strategists were the same people
that historians regard as the most brilliant military minds of the day, having invented and
successfully executed the blitzkrieg.
Hitler’s overconfidence turned out to be a grave mistake as the German army was
quickly running out of supplies. His men were spread thin across Eastern Front, and almost all 18
of Hitler’s junior officers were advising him to slow down and to wait for reinforcements and
supplies. The pleas for help were ignored. When one of his officers said, “there would be a
16 “Auschwitz-Birkenau: Living Conditions, Labor & Executions.” Living Conditions, Labor & Executions at Auschwitz-Birkenau, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/living-conditions-labor-and-executions-at-auschwitz-birkenau. 17 “Season 1, Episode 4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” Battlefield . Public Broadcasting System. 1994. Accessed Jan. 18, 2019. 18 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.
6
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 7/27
disaster,” if reinforcements were not sent, Hitler accused him of not having “national socialist 19
ardour.” Hitler admonished him, “Clearly I cannot expect this of you (Halder).” Hitler had set 20
his sights upon Russia and was not to be stopped from advancing.
At this point, the German Army was very poorly supplied as they advanced into
Stalingrad in early fall. They expected to have another quick victory but were met by a surprising
amount of resistance. This resistance was put forward by the Russian people, who were desperate
to stop the march of the German Army into their territory.
The Battle of Stalingrad began, with both sides fighting ferociously. Russian troops
shipped cattle and grain out of the city, to prevent them from falling into German hands. No
civilians left, however, as the Russians did not want the world to think they could not defend
their own cities. Civilians helped in combat, which inspired the soldiers, reminding them who
they were defending. Despite all of this though, the Russians were getting pushed back further
and further into the heart of the city. The Luftwaffe, German air divisions, were starting to take
over the skies. The Volga River behind the Russians could no longer be used commercially due
to the bombing of the Luftwaffe and the onshore fighting, which crippled the Russian economy. 21
The Germans captured scores of civilians and Russian troops, most being shipped off to work in
concentration camps.
Stalin then issued Order 227, which told the Russian people that it was time to stop
retreating. The order sentenced cowards and “panic mongers” to death and explained to the
19 ”World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed Feb. 3, 2019. 20 ”World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library, www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad. 21 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.
7
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 8/27
Russian people that just because Russia is a huge country, that does not mean all its land should
be fought upon. Many Russians at the time had counted on Russia endlessly retreating into their
vast territory. Order 227 ends with the now famous phrase, “Not one step back!”, which became
Russia’s new slogan. 22
Stalingrad was now under renewed fighting, as the Russian people were inspired. The
general mood around the war was shifting from one of despair and constant retreat to one of
strength and moving as one to repel the Nazis and reclaim what was theirs. A restructure of the
of the Russian forces at Stalingrad occurred, offering the men renewed hope. 23
After months of fighting, Russian forces were down to fewer than 20,000 troops and 24
were trapped on the brink of the Volga. Yet morale among the soldiers was high. It looked like a
German victory was imminent, leaving them the gateway into the main Caucasus. The Caucasus
are a land rich in food and oil, which the Germans needed badly. But the Russians knew
reinforcements were coming and a sense of brotherhood propelled them forward. Anatoly
Mereshko described their spirit this way: “When only a few hundred of a division that once had
over 7,000 soldiers [remained], they would hold the ground for their dead friends.” The soldiers 25
were not ready to give up on this battle, despite the odds stacked against them.
These reinforcements arrived mid-winter, gathering in the surrounding mountains and
encircling the German Army in a move much resembling their own blitzkrieg. This shocked the
German forces. They were so close to winning the city of Stalingrad and had not expected Russia
22 By. “Stalin's Order No. 227: ‘Not a Step Back.’” The History Reader, 21 Feb. 2015, www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/stalins-order-227-step-back/. 23 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 18 24 Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed source Jan. 25, 2019 25 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 9
8
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 9/27
to have more strength. The German forces were now surrounded, trapped in the city of
Stalingrad. The Russians pelted them with artillery shells, pushed in from all sides, and fired on
the German troop movements in the rough terrain of the destroyed city. This type of warfare is
the one the Soviets preferred, as their extremely large population could sustain mass casualties,
something the Germans could not afford. The destroyed city created an abundance of hiding
places that only the Russian army knew about which gave them a huge advantage in the
close-quarters of city combat, contributing further to the shift in dominance over the city.
The Axis powers of Germany, Italy, Hungary and Romania were running out of supplies.
The Italians, Hungarians, and Romanians were defeated in rapid succession. Allied forces
captured 100,000 Germans and most of the Italian and Romanian armies, leaving the western 26
German flank exposed. The Russians attempted to exploit this temporary weakness, but the
Germans closed in tighter leaving all flanks equally vulnerable. This put the Axis powers on the
defensive, a position they had not been in the entire war. This pressure, combined with a lack of
food and having been weakened by a harsh winter they were not accustomed to, made the
Germans extremely weak and growing ever weaker. The Russians would soon win the Battle of
Stalingrad against a starved and weakened German force. 27
This change in power on the Eastern Front, the triumph of a Russian force that won
against one of Hitler's very own German armies, was the most important turning point in the war.
The Germans now had to pull troops from the Western Front, Africa, and the occupation of
France. The start of the Allied invasion of Italy meant that both the Russians and the western
26 Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad 27 Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019.
9
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 10/27
Allied forces could move more freely, and offensive action could be taken. The great acts of
D-day, the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Battle of the Bulge were all made possible by
the depleted German force and the success of the Russian army. This was exemplified by the
next moves of the Russian forces, the reclamation of oil fields and grain stocks, the freeing of the
Russian people in areas previously occupied by the German forces, and the advancement of the
Russian forces towards Berlin.
The Battle of Stalingrad, in my opinion, was beautifully summarized in this quote by
Col. Serebryakov, who served in the Russian Army during the Battle of Stalingrad. “It was a
struggle for survival - and both sides learnt from each other along the way. There was one vital
factor which coexisted alongside the terrible exhaustion caused by combat at close quarters: in
this extreme situation, extraordinary inner resources were released within people. I witnessed a
mother lifting up the entire side of a German truck to free her trapped child and saw small nurses
carrying wounded paratroopers twice their size back to the trenches. Such things seemed
physically impossible, but something was happening to people, both physiologically and
psychologically. Some sunk under the stress of the fighting; others found something greater to
draw upon. One such guiding principle was to always look out for others. We would put it like
this: help your comrade first, then worry about your own survival. It was an attitude that really
sustained our soldiers.” 28
Still, we must remember that even this would not have been enough to win the battle of
Stalingrad if it wasn’t for the hubris of Hitler. It was this that gave the Russians an opportunity to
fight a weakened German Army in the city named for its leader. The Russians drew upon the
28 Jones, Stalingrad: How The Red Army Triumphed, 11.
10
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 11/27
tragedy that had struck them, losing their cities and facing persecution, fighting in horrendous
conditions for feet of ground, and triumphing as a result of their spirit and determination. They
used the tragedy they experienced to galvanize their efforts to not only survive but triumph. This
triumphant message is etched not only in Russian history, but in world history as well. The
tragedy they endured, in the Battle of Stalingrad, would echo for generations to come.
11
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 12/27
Appendix 1
Starved and Weak German soldiers huddled up to stay warm under siege.
12
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 13/27
Appendix 2
Photo of Josef Stalin’s Order No.227.
13
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 14/27
Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources
“75th Anniversary Of Victory In The Battle Of Stalingrad.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty ,
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, www.rferl.org/a/stalingrad-photo-gallery/24691866.html.
Accessed source Feb.2, 2019. This primary source was a good source of photos.
By. “Stalin's Order No. 227: ‘Not a Step Back.’” The History Reader , 21 Feb. 2015,
www.thehistoryreader.com/modern-history/stalins-order-227-step-back/. Accessed source
Jan.27, 2019. This is a translation and breakdown of Josef Stalin's Order No.227
Delphinus Daily Herald. “News from inside Russia States the Germans Move Closer to
Stalingrad, Breaking down Soviet Defenses.” Delphinus Daily Herald , 26 Aug. 1942.
Accessed source Mar.10, 2019. This source showed me of the Soviet political views at the
time around the approaching battle.
Emerson Kent , www.google.com/search?q=map of stalingrad
1942&safe=strict&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5gs-k1aXhAhUp9IM
KHXL-Dj4Q_AUIkAIoAQ&biw=1920&bih=969#imgrc=eJuyFAf7AsrOvM: Accessed
source Mar.15, 2019. This source helped me understand the desperate situation of the
Russian troops in the middle phases of the Battle of Stalingrad.
The Des Moines Register. “A Desperate Soviet Stand at Stalingrad.” The Des Moines
Register , 26 Aug. 1942, pp. 1–2. Newspapers.com. Accessed source Mar 11, 2019. This
14
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 15/27
primary source helped me understand the political effects of the battle of Stalingrad in
America.
Flitton, Dave. “Battlefield S1/E4 - The Battle of Stalingrad.” YouTube , 10 Oct. 2012,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsXB73TXSc. Accessed source Jan. 18, 2019. This Source
had both primary and secondary sources and helped me understand the tragedies
associated with the battle of Stalingrad such as what the captured soldiers had to endure as
well as the hopeless positions both armies were in during different stages of the battle.
This source also gave good primary sources such as conversations with Hitler and his
generals.
“Germans Gain Streets in Stalingrad.” The Sydney Morning Herald ,
www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22648262&fcfToken=697457446f4d4b6e325031763
1733446646e6d6d61327231796a336a6c4c3636654e713737335a4e332f76395667682f466
f34772f616c444f54624a78495743. Newspapers.com. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This
article showed me what the Red Army was putting out for propaganda.
“In Stalingrad Now.” The Guardian . Accessed source Jan. 25, 2019. This primary source gave
me an inside view into the horrors and some of the perspective of the civilians.
National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1a.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 1 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1a/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source was a transcript of Nevile Henderson's
15
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 16/27
recommendations to Chamberlain for a meeting with Hitler about what was happening at
Nuremberg.
National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1b.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 1 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1b/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This is a transcript of a note from Nevile Henderson to
Chamberlain about Hitler and what war might mean.
National Archives. “Chamberlain And Hitler - Source 1c.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 1 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-1c/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of a note from Nevile Henderson to
Chamberlain showed me of how the climate of the British government was acting around
Hitler.
National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2a.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 10 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2a/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This was a transcript of the talks about the Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia. It helped me understand Hitler's strategy for taking territory and and his
motivations.
16
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 17/27
National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2b.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 10 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2b/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of the talks about the Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia gave me an idea of the extreme measures Hitler was willing to go to in
order to get what he wanted.
National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 2c.” The National Archives , The
National Archives, 10 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-2c/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of the talks on the Sudetenland in
Czechoslovakia gave me an idea of the the measure Chamberlain was willing to go to in
order to avoid war.
National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler - Source 3.” The National Archives , The National
Archives, 10 Apr. 2014,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/source-3/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This transcript of a memo sent from General Ismay to the
British Cabinet explains why the British might have conceded so much land to the
Germans without any force.
National Archives. “Chamberlain and Hitler 1938.” The National Archives , The National
Archives, 11 Sept. 2018,
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/chamberlain-and-hitler/. Accessed
17
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 18/27
source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the actions of the prime ministers of
the United Kingdom and why they made the decisions they did, as well as how it affects
the war.
Paterson, Tony. “Revealed: The Forgotten Secrets of Stalingrad.” The Independent ,
Independent Digital News and Media, 6 Nov. 2012,
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/revealed-the-forgotten-secrets-of-stalin
grad-8282751.html. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This primary source was a collection
of first-hand accounts.
Rothman, Lily. “Hitler and Nazi History: How He Came to Power in 1920.” Time , Time, 24
Feb. 2015, time.com/3712734/1920-nazi-party-history/. Accessed source Mar.10, 2019.
This source gave me an idea of how Hitler created an Anti-Semitic movement.
Sandford, Daniel. “Remembering the Horrors of Stalingrad.” BBC News , BBC, 31 Jan. 2013,
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-21266217. Accessed source Mar.18, 2019. This
primary source was a first hand account of someone in the battle of Stalingrad.
Stalin, Josef. “J. STALIN.” THE BATTLE FOR STALINGRAD ,
www.stalingrad.net/russian-hq/order-227/peoples-commissar-of-defence.htm. Accessed
source Mar.17, 2019. This was a primary photo of order number 227 and a translation of it.
The Sydney Morning Herald. “Four Battles Being Fought on the Stalingrad Front.” The
Sydney Morning Herald ,
www.newspapers.com/clip/22647729/four_ battles_being_fought_on_the/ . Accessed
18
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 19/27
source Mar.11, 2019. This primary source showed me how the Red Army was swaying
peoples opinions to make it seem like the Soviets are nearing the end of a storm that was
lifting, and they would soon take back what the Nazis had taken, highlighting the
importance of morale.
The Tampa Tribune. “Nazis May Be Shifting Men From Stalingrad.” The Tampa Tribune ,
www.newspapers.com/clip/22647797/germans_focus_on_stalingrad_shifting/. Accessed
source Mar.12, 2019. This primary source helped me see again how the Russians were
flaunting intel, showing how they see morale being more important than secrecy.
Secondary Sources
“Auschwitz-Birkenau: Living Conditions, Labor & Executions.” Living Conditions, Labor &
Executions at Auschwitz-Birkenau,
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/living-conditions-labor-and-executions-at-auschwitz-birken
au. Accessed source Mar.18, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the horrid living
conditions at concentration camps, specifically Auschwitz-Birkenau.
“Battle of Belgium (May 10–28, 1940) Summary & Facts.” Totally History , 19 Dec. 2013,
totallyhistory.com/battle-of-belgium/. Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source helped
me understand the reasoning behind the early Belgian moves and the poor defense of
Belgium.
19
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 20/27
“Battlefields of Belgium.” History TV , www.history.co.uk/battlefields-of-belgium. Accessed
source Mar.13, 2019. This source helped me understand the strategic value of Belgium.
“Battle of Stalingrad.” Battle of Stalingrad - New World Encyclopedia ,
www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Battle_of_Stalingrad. Accessed source Mar.15,
2019. This source gave me an idea of how the battle played out and some of the legacy of
the battle.
“Battle of Stalingrad Ends.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-stalingrad-ends. Accessed source Mar.14,
2019. This source gave me an idea of the downfall of the German command and the
suffering of the Germans.
“Belgium Besieged: From Blitzkrieg to Occupation.” Warfare History Network ,
warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/wwii/belgium-besieged-from-blitzkrieg-to-occupation/.
Accessed source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of what happened in the
Battle of Belgium.
“Belgium Surrenders Unconditionally.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 5 Nov.
2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/belgium-surrenders-unconditionally. Accessed
source Mar.13, 2019. This source gave me a idea of how the battle of Belgium occurred.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Dunkirk Evacuation.” Encyclopædia Britannica ,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 15 Feb. 2019,
www.britannica.com/event/Dunkirk-evacuation. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This
20
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 21/27
source gave me a better idea of how the retreat at Dunkirk happened, along with a lot of
statistics about the retreat.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “German Chain of Command in Western Europe, June
1944.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Apr. 2005,
www.britannica.com/topic/German-Chain-of-Command-in-Western-Europe-June-1944-1673
116. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of why it was so bad
for Hitler to command the Wehrmacht.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Siege of Leningrad.” Encyclopædia Britannica ,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Leningrad.
Accessed source Mar.23, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the impotence of Leningrad.
Budnik, Ruslan. “The Minsk Offensive 1944 - Bagging German Army Group Center.” WAR
HISTORY ONLINE , 23 June 2018,
www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/the-minsk-offensive-wwii.html. Accessed source
Mar.16, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the importance of the minks offensive, as well
as how it affected the war.
“D-Day Overview:” National D-Day Memorial , 15 Mar. 2017, www.dday.org/overview/.
Accessed source Mar.21, 2019. This source helped me to understand D-day.
“The Defeat of Hitler.” The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline , 2010,
www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/defeat/catastrophe-stalingrad.htm. Accessed source
21
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 22/27
Feb. 1, 2019. This source helped me get a better idea of the political and moral effects of
the battle of Stalingrad.
“Digging into Hopelessness: The Battle of Stalingrad.” History Cooperative , Jegtheme, 2 Apr.
2017, historycooperative.org/digging-hopelessness-battle-stalingrad/. Accessed Feb.1,
2019. This secondary source informed me of the differences and flaws in both side's
command.
Editors, History.com. “Adolf Hitler.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009,
www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/adolf-hitler-1. Accessed source Mar.16, 2019. This
source gave me a better idea of Hitler's rise to power.
Editors, History.com. “Battle of El Alamein.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 27
Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-el-alamein. Accessed source
Mar. 21, 2019. This source showed me what happened at El Alamein and its significance.
Editors, History.com. “Battle of Stalingrad.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov.
2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-stalingrad. Accessed source Jan.25,
2019. This secondary source showed me the battle of Stalingrad in chronological order
with references to outside events so I could reference what was going on in my paper.
Editors, History.com. “Blitzkrieg.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 14 Oct. 2009,
www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/blitzkrieg. Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This
22
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 23/27
source helped me better understand what the blitzkrieg was and how and why it was
effective.
Editors, History.com. “Siege of Leningrad.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec.
2009, www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/siege-of-leningrad. Accessed source Mar.20,
2019. This source gave me a general idea of what happened at the siege of Leningrad.
Evans, Richard J. “Why Hitler's Grand Plan during the Second World War Collapsed.” The
Guardian , Guardian News and Media, 8 Sept. 2009,
www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/08/hitler-germany-campaign-collapsed. Accessed
Feb. 1, 2019. This secondary source informed me of the political effects of the battle of
stalingrad and how it affected the morale and public opinion of the war.
“Germans Invade Poland.” History.com , A&E Television Networks, 4 Mar. 2010,
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-invade-poland. Accessed source Mar.12,
2019. This source helped me better understand the invasion of Poland.
Hickman, Kennedy. “Death in the Snow: Battle of Moscow.” ThoughtCo , ThoughtCo, 19
Sept. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-moscow-2360444. Accessed source Mar.19,
2019. This source explained some of the German and Russian plans in greater depth.
History, Simple. “Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43).” YouTube , YouTube, 15 Feb. 2017,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHkELWFqGKQ. Accessed Jan. 22, 2019. This secondary
23
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 24/27
source helped me understand what fighting was like inside the battle of Stalingrad and
what the objectives of the opposing armies were.
“Hitler Reoccupies the Rhineland, Violating the Treaty of Versailles.” History.com , A&E
Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010,
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hitler-reoccupies-the-rhineland. Accessed source
Mar.14, 2019. This source helped me understand Hitler's reoccupation of the Rhineland.
“Hitler's Rise to Power: 1918-1933.” Facing History and Ourselves,
www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/video/hitlers-rise-power-1918-1933. Accessed
source March 11, 2019. This source gave me a better idea of Adolf Hitler's rise to power as
well as how he got there.
“How Did World War 2 Start?” The Week UK , 15 Jan. 2019,
www.theweek.co.uk/60237/how-did-world-war-2-start. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019.
This source helped me understand why Hitler wanted to start WWII.
“INVASION OF POLAND, FALL 1939.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ,
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum,
encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/invasion-of-poland-fall-1939. Accessed source
Mar.12, 2019. This source helped me to understand the Appeasement strategy used by the
Allies.
Jhonson, Ian. “The Motherland Calls: The Battle of Stalingrad, 75 Years Later.” War on the
Rocks , 29 Aug. 2017,
24
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 25/27
warontherocks.com/2017/08/the-motherland-calls-the-battle-of-stalingrad-75-years-later/.
Accessed Feb. 1, 2019. This secondary source shows the victory in the battle of Stalingrad
from a Russian perspective. This helped me understand how this victory shaped the rest of
the war morally and physically.
Michal. “How Did Hitler Happen?” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans , The
National World War II Museum, 22 June 2017,
www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/how-did-hitler-happen. Accessed source
Mar.14, 2019. This source helped me understand Hitler's rise to power.
OverSimplified. “WW2 - OverSimplified (Part 1).” YouTube , Oversimplified, 15 Mar. 2018,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uk_6vfqwTA. Accessed source Mar.10, 2019. This
secondary source gave me a great overall idea of the events leading up to and after the
Battle of Stalingrad.
Patrick. “75 Years Ago, the Battle of Stalingrad.” InvestigAction Ghassan Kanafani
Revolutionary Writer and Journalist Comments , 14 Feb. 2018,
www.investigaction.net/en/75-years-ago-the-battle-of-stalingrad/. Accessed source Feb. 2,
2019. This secondary source showed how the soviet victory on the eastern front affected
the resistance. It also showed the political effects of the victory in Stalingrad, like how the
landings in Normandy and Italy were influenced by this.
Peck, Michael. “The Battle for Moscow: How Russia Stopped Hitler's Military During World
War II.” The National Interest , The Center for the National Interest, 10 Sept. 2016,
25
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 26/27
nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-battle-moscow-how-russia-stopped-hitlers-nazi-ger
many-17641. Accessed source Mar.19, 2019. This source helped me to understand why the
Germans chose to attack Stalingrad and taught me about their defeats in Moscow.
Photographs, and Text Sergey Ponomarev. “For Russians, 75 Years Later, Stalingrad Is a
Battle to Remember.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 15 Nov. 2017,
www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/world/europe/russia-stalingrad-anniversary.html. Accessed
source Mar.16, 2019. This source showed me the current day Russian view of the city and
the battle fought there.
“Research Starters: D-Day.” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans ,
www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-resources/research-starters/resea
rch-starters-d-day. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019. This source helped me to understand
the reason D-Day was so important to the Allied success in WWII.
“Second Battle of El Alamein.” National Army Museum ,
www.nam.ac.uk/explore/battle-alamein. Accessed source Mar.12, 2019. This source
helped me understand the Battle of El Alamein and how it impacted the war.
Sheffield, Dr Gary. “History - World Wars: The Fall of France.” BBC , BBC, 30 Mar. 2011,
www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/fall_france_01.shtml. Accessed source Mar.11,
2019. This source gave me an idea of how Germany invaded France in World War Two.
Staff, HistoryNet. “Soviet Prisoners of War: Forgotten Nazi Victims of World War II.”
HistoryNet , HistoryNet, 3 Aug. 2016,
26
3/29/2019 State Submissions NHD Paper: The Downfall of the Nazi War Machine in Stalingrad - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a2c9DFlu3-XVj6DZ0TgPRtbAaTu_uU9fheY0cDi70Og/edit 27/27
www.historynet.com/soviet-prisoners-of-war-forgotten-nazi-victims-of-world-war-ii.htm
Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the amount Russian
prisoners and what their life was like.
Taylor, Alan. “World War II: Operation Barbarossa.” The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company,
24 July 2011,
www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/0 7/world-war-ii-operation-barbarossa/100112/ . Accessed
source Mar.19, 2019. This source explained Operation Barbarossa.
“The World's Biggest Economies the Decade You Were Born.” Live Life Richer with
Lovemoney , Lovemoney, 28 Nov. 2018,
www.lovemoney.com/gallerylist/79693/the-worlds-biggest-economies-the-decade-you-we
re-born. Accessed source Mar.14, 2019. This source gave me an idea of the GDPs of the
country involved in World War Two.
“What Started WW2? A Look At The Causes.” History , 6 July 2018,
www.historyonthenet.com/what-started-ww2. Accessed source Mar.11, 2019. This source
gave me an idea of how Hitler got the support of all of Germany before the attack on
Poland.
“World War II.” Jewish Virtual Library , www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-battle-of-stalingrad.
Accessed source Jan. 23, 2019. This source helped me with understand some of the greater
details of the battle and had some quotes from Hitler that helped me understand some of
his decisions.
27