A-Z of the Second World War

S

Stalin. The Russian leader who took over from Lenin in 1924. He was a very a strong and ruthless leader. Stalin believed that Britain and the USA were not as true and honest allies as they could have been. He argued that the Normandy landing s of 1944 should have happened in 1943. During the Second World War the Russians lost over 27 million people. over 60 times the American and British losses.

Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad from September 1942-January 1943 was a bitter and bloody conflict. The Germans under the leadership of von Paulus surrounded the city and pounded it. Soviet resistance at a hand to hand level was constant. despite massive levels of starvation  and clear military disadvantage the lead of General Zhukov paid off and a Russian counter attack was successful. The Germans surrendered on 31January 1943.