D-Day vs. Stalingrad

Stalingrad was not an ultimate goal of the German Forces in 1942. Their goal was to push southward into the Caucasus Mountains to occupy the oil fields and fuel depots that was the lifeline of Soviet mobilization. If this objective were taken it would freeze the Soviet counter-attack exposing its flanks to Germany's freshly fueled troops, and it would render Soviet troops protecting Moscow incredibly vulnerable. Hitler also wanted to push into the Ura

All the time this fighting in the Soviet Union was going on, Stalin was urging Allied leaders, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt to open a second front to take some of the burden off of the Eastern Front. Finally, in June of 1944, after years of planning, the largest amphibious invasion known to man was launched on the coast of Normandy, France. During planning, it became a large controversy on where to land the troops. Some pushed for the landing to be at Calais, because that was the closest distance to England. However, that was where the Atlantic Wall was at it's strongest. Also, there was a large German troop buildup behind this location. The other possibility was in Normandy. A successful landing would provide the Allies with a strategic location from which to break out. Eventually, the decision to land in Normandy was made. Since the Germans expected the invasion to come at Calais, the Allies used this to their advantage. They launched Operation Fortitude.

Another major difference between the two is the type of battle that was fought. D-Day was fought in more of a stereotypical style. One side attacks ground held by the enemy and stays on the offensive. Whereas, Stalingrad proved to be a complex siege. The Germans began on the offensive against an inferior enemy, but then became inferior themselves and surrounded. Encircled, the Germans suddenly found themselves on the defensive, besieged, and running out of ammunition and food. Finally, the battle ended not with a retreat, but with a surrender.

This massive Soviet buildup of troops was unknown to the Germans. Unknown until the Soviets swept around the Germans and through the weak Italian and Romanian troops to cut off German troops, under General Paulus. The Soviet troops completely surrounded the now 250,000 troops that were fighting in the city. Paulus requested permission from Hitler to attack back to link up with German troops, but he denied him. Hitler had convinced himself that troops in Stalingrad could be supplied completely by air, but this was impossible. The Battle for Stalingrad had become a personal fight between Josef Stalin and Hitler. For Stalin because the city bore his own name, and for Hitler because the city bore Stalin's name.

Operation Fortitude was appropriately coupled with the largest invasion because it was the largest deception plan in history. The Allies called on General George S. Patton to command the non-existent 9th army. He made speeches and appeared at various social events basically trying to make it as obvious as possible to the Germans that he was in England and preparing an invasion. In and around Dover, the closest British city to France, Allied forces constructed an inflatable army to deceive Germa

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