feb 2, 1943 - Germans Surrender at Stalingrad

Description:

As the situation in Stalingrad grew more and more hopeless for the German Army, the Soviets were closing in on German forces--both sides were facing severe starvation, disease, losses, and fatigue. On January 31, General Paulus disobeyed Hitler's orders and agreed to surrender. On February 2, the rest of the 91,000 men followed in surrender to the Soviets.

Casualties:
Axis (Germans, Romanians, Italians, and Hungarians): more than 800,000 dead, wounded, missing, or captured
91,000 men who surrendered: about 5,000–6,000 returned to their homelands; the rest died in Soviet prison and labour camps
Soviet side: 1,100,000 dead, wounded, missing, or captured
Civilians: 40,000 died

The Germans were expelled from the Caucasus, which completely reversed all their progress from the campaign in 1942. Stalingrad was the first time that the Nazi government publicly acknowledged a defeat during the war. Stalingrad was a huge turning point: German morale was devastatingly defeated, a year of German gains was meaningless, and Germany's 6th Army no longer existed. The Soviets became more optimistic and Stalin became the hero instead of Hitler, who, after the war, chose not to speak on the tenth anniversary of his coming to power. The whole world, too, believed in Hitler's ultimate defeat when it were skeptical before.