July 1942: Massive German offensive in southern Russia The city of Stalingrad is besieged

• July 1942: Massive German offensive in southern Russia

• The city of Stalingrad is besieged

• The focal point of the entire war

• August 23: Massive German bombing destroys 80% of the city’s residential buildings

• Fighting in the city: average life expectancy of the Soviet soldier – 24 hours

• Stalingrad: the battle that decided the outcome of World War II:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BikV_37Lv0U

• The architects of victory at Stalingrad

• The Battle of Stalingrad claimed over two million casualties, more than any other battle in human history, and was also one of the longest: it raged for 199 days.

• Killed, wounded or captured at Stalingrad:

• Soviets: 1,290,000
• Germans and allies: 850,000

• July 1943: The Battle of Kursk:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awRhSozctvs

Major decisions of the Yalta Conference

• Major decisions of the Yalta Conference

• 1. Unconditional surrender of Germany

• 2. Division of Germany into 4 occupied zones

• 3. Demilitarization and denazification of Germany

• 4. Germany’s reparations, including by forced labour of its soldiers

• 5. A new government in Poland, including non-Communists

• 6. Changes of Poland’s borders

• 7. Return of citizens to USSR and Yugoslavia

• 8. Soviet Union will participate in the creation of the UNO

• 9. Stalin agreed to attack Japan within 90 days of Germany’s surrender.

• 10. Nazi war criminals were to be hunted down and brought to justice.

• 11. A "Committee on Dismemberment of Germany" was to be set up.

• US and British aid to the Soviet ally, 1941-45:

• Food - $1.5 bln. in contemporary prices
• Automobiles – 427,000
• Warplanes – 22,000
• Tanks – 13,000
• Warships – over 500
• Explosives – 350,000 tons
• Other supplies

• Total estimated cost of Allied aid to USSR in contemporary prices –

• $100 bln.

• The Battle of Berlin: April-May 1945

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IwmYAdgU18&feature=related

• Berlin in ruins

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLMAEhVq2ok&feature=related

• Victory Parade in Moscow’s Red Square, June 24, 1945:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDQ2gQttPBs&NR=1

Soviet losses in World War II

• Soviet losses in World War II

• Over 27 mln. killed (13.6% of the population)

• Of those who survived, 29 mln. took part in the fighting (including 0.8 mln. women)

• Battlefield losses – 9-11 mln. (Germany lost 3.25 mln.)

• 5.8 mln. POWs (of them 3 mln. died in concentration camps)

• 1710 cities and 70,000 villages completely or partially destroyed

• 40,000 hospitals, 84,000 schools, 43,000 libraries destroyed

• Historically unprecedented level of damage suffered by a country