Hitler's 1941 Invasion of Russia | Part 5: Christmas In The Cauldron

"Capitulation is impossible! The 6th Army will do its historic duty." - Adolf Hitler.

In the conclusion of our series, we unravel the final months of the Battle of Stalingrad, exploring the consequences of Adolf Hitler's decision to forbid the the Sixth Army to retreat.

We witness the long-awaited breakthrough for The Red Army, as Joseph Stalin and Georgy Zhukov launch Operation Uranus.

We delve into the emotional impact on German soldiers confronting their mortality. Through their personal letters, we glimpse into their thoughts and feelings about Nazi leadership and Adolf Hitler.

After the dust settles, we examine the aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad and its enduring legacy in Russian history.

Tune in for an exploration of this pivotal moment, where the human toll and historical significance intertwine in a tale of sacrifice, resilience, and grit.

NOTE: When discussing The Nuremberg trials, I make an error when I refer to Joseph Goebbels who was no longer alive. This should instead be Hermann Göring. Thanks to Albert, Antonik and others for pointing this out.

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CHAPTERS:

• 00:00-Introduction and Recap
• 01:58-Episode start
• 07:27-Fortress Stalingrad begins
• 16:49-Christmas in Stalingrad
• 21:05-Last chance at surrender with Winrich Behr
• 31:36-Paulus loses hope
• 40:56-Fate of the main characters
• 45:57-Red Army finds last letters from Stalingrad

📓SOURCES:

• Barbarossa Through Soviet Eyes: The First Twenty-Four Hours by Artem Drabkin, Alexei Isaev, Christopher Summerville 
• Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
• Russia at War, 1941–1945: A History by Alexander Werth 
• Blood red snow by by Günter K. Koschorrek
• Through the Maelstrom: A Red Army Soldier's War on the Eastern Front by Boris Gorbachevsky
• The forgotten soldiers by Guy Sajer 
• Until the Eyes Shut: Memories of a machine gunner on the Eastern Front by Andreas Hartinger
• Stalin: Triumph and Tragedy by Dmitri Volkogonov
• Marshall of Victory: Memoirs of Giorgy Zhukov
• Blitzed: Drugs In The Third Reich by Norman Ohler
• The Diary of Wehrmacht Soldier William Hoffman
• Various accounts: IREMEMBER.RU
• German Propaganda Archive: Joseph Goebbels: 1933-1945 (calvin.edu)  
• Barbarossa : the Russian-German conflict, 1941-45 by Alan Clarke 
• Kiev 1941: Hitler's Battle for Supremacy in the East by David Stahel
• Reminiscences and Reflections. Volume 1 by Georgii Konstantinovich Zhukov
• The Third Reich at War by Richard J. Evans
•  Moscow Strikes Back - 1942 USSR Propaganda Film
• Molotovs Radio Broadcast: 
• Transcript: https://www.marxists.org/history/ussr/great-patriotic-war/pdf/22-06-1941-molotov-radiospeech.pdf
• Audio: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn1000646

🎉PATRONS

• Tom G 👑
• Angus S👑
• Seth M👑
• Claudia K👑
• Phil B
• Lisa K
• Malcolm G
• Alex G
• Caleb I
• Alan R
• Jim G
• Luke G
• Tom

✍🏻ATTRIBUTIONS

• All images are public domain unless stated otherwise.
• Paid Artlist.io license for 'Anthology Of Heroes Podcast' utilised for numerous sounds/music

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