The Battle of Stalingrad

+ Imperial Forces capture Stalingrad and the Volga River Line begins to collapse

Combatants| * The Imperium
	+ The Italian Empire
	+ The Imperial African Territories

Commanders| * Field Marshall Walter Model
	+ Gen. Pierre De Pell
	+ Gen. Nnamadi Azikiwi
	+ Gen. Climente Primieri
	+ Gen Lavrentiy Beria

Forces| * 400,000 Imperian
* 50,000 African
* 100,000 Italian

### Civilian Casualties

Over 2 Million Soviet

The Battle of Stalingrad was a Major Engagement during the Invasion of The Soviet Union. It saw a combined 550,000 Imperial Force under Field Marshall Walter Model defeat a 1.5 Million Soviet Force under General Semyon Timoshenko and around 90% of The City of Stalingrad destroyed.

It was fought from the 5th July 1943 till the 21st September 1943, lasting 78 Days. It was split into 4 Phases, The First Offensive, The Second Offensive, Operation Burnt Sky and The Final Offensive. Around 2 Million Soviet Civilians would die in the Battle.

## Prelude

In May, The Union of East Asian Soviets entered the War. Prior to this, The USSR was only facing the Imperians in the West. The East would see some of the Bloodiest Fighting in the War. and around 1 Million UEAS Conscripts would die in Freezing Conditions against a Well Prepared Enemy. The Siege of Vladivostok ,from 15th of May till 3rd of July, was a tremendous defeat for Either Side as they both lost considerable amounts of Men. In the end, The UEAS would seize Vladivostok.

After the Fall of Poland in Late April, General De Pell and his 8th Army would be transferred to assist the Largely Italian and African Front in The South. Together with General Nnamadi Azikiwi of the IAA Contingent, General Climente Primeri of the Italian 4th Army and General Gunther Smend of the Imperial 7th Army, made an Advance to the Volga River and Stalingrad. On the Western Bank they encountered a Strong Soviet Resistance.

## The Battle

### First Offensive

On the 5th of July, De Pell and Azikiwi's Force assaulted the 750,000 Soviet Defenders protecting the Outskirts of Stalingrad from the Centre. The Imperial Armoured Force and the Determination of the African Contingent managed to breach several Positions in the Outer Defence which turned the City into a Fort. By the 8th, The Offensive had still failed to achieve a pivotal breakthrough and Eventually Gen. De Pell called for a withdrawal.

The Soviet Defenders responded by charging the Imperial and African Forces that were withdrawing from the Offensive. However, General Primieri's Forces opened fire on the Charging Soviets who nearly reached Imperial Lines in the Forests surrounding Stalingrad. Over 20,000 Soviets were killed in the Charge alone.

### Second Offensive

On the 19th of July, A Force of 50,000 Imperian, 50,000 African and 40,000 Italian Forces launched an Armoured Breakthrough attempt through a Weakened Point of the Defence Line. The Force smashed through the weak point and charged into the City. However, General Azikiwi failed to realise a mistake. The Soviets had retreated from the Weak Point too easily and on the 20th, Lavrentiy Beria's NKVD Force launched an assault to seal the Breach and destroy the Bulge into Stalingrad.

Azikiwi immediately launched an evacuation operation where he and his 50,000 African Force defended the Breach allowing Imperian and Italian Forces to escape. Beria launched a Brutal Spearhead and managed to split some 10,000 Mostly African Soldiers from the main Force. After the Separation, Azikiwi opted to retreat and left the 10,000 to fend for themselves. Over 5,000 Imperian and Italian Soldiers would be killed or surrender and 4,500 Africans would be killed with a further 200 going missing.

A young African Lieutenant called Asafa Soyinka managed to lead over 300 African Soldiers, 200 Imperians and 50 Italians out of Stalingrad. Most of these men were wounded and barely able to walk. Soyinka would be promoted to Lieutenant General by the Emperor of the Imperium for his actions. The Remaining Forces from the Stalingrad Salient would leave the City by the 30th of July.

### Operation Burnt Sky

From the 1st of August to the 31st, The Imperial Forces conducted Operation Burnt Sky. It involved an Artillery Barrage and Aerial Bombing of Key Soviet Defensive Targets including several key bridges. The Operation was conducted in tandem with The Imperial Air Force and was meant to break the Soviet Will to fight. Over 500 Imperial Bombers flew daily missions over Stalingrad and Artillery Strikes frequently targeted civilian population areas as well as Military Targets. Around 1.5 Million Soviet Civilians would die as a cause of Operation Burnt Sky.

### Third Offensive

On the First of September, The 3rd Attack began and Imperial Tanks swept through the Outer City, with Italian, Imperian and African Infantry left to deal with the few pockets of resistance remaining. Operation Burnt Sky left 3 Bridges Operational : Two in the North of the City and One in the South. The Imperial Armoured Divisions began to drive to the Volga to split the City in half. On the 7th, This was achieved and Imperial Forces closed in on the Northern Pocket. The Remaining 26,000 African Soldiers launched an attack and crushed the Southern Pocket on the 9th.

On the 11th, The Northern Pocket was assaulted on all sides and the fierce battle lasted 10 days. The Soviets conducted suicidal counter charges to keep the Imperial Forces away from the 2 remaining bridges where the wounded and civilians were being driven across. General Timoshenko was commanding the evacuation from Stalingrad from a Command Centre next to the most Northern Bridge. He had ordered Soviet Engineers to rig each bridge with explosives to detonate after the Soviet Forces had evacuated and to stop the Imperial Advance. On the 17th, Imperial Forces broke the Soviet Southern Defence and began to assault the Bridge. Armoured Forces steamrolled the retreating Soviets who were now fleeing across the Bridge. During the Chaos, Soviet Engineers blew the Bridge with Soviets still on the bridge, killing around 100,000 Soviet Soldiers, the rest either fled to the North or tried to swim the Volga River where an estimated 20,000 drowned.

Again, on the 19th, The Imperial Forces launched the Last Attack on the Last Bridge. In Desperation, the Soviet Soldiers tried swimming across the River and suffered the same fate as those to the south of them. In the Early Morning of the 20th, a Last Stand was called by General Timoshenko as he ordered the Last Convoy to cross the River and then blew the Bridge, leaving 200,000 Soviets behind and himself to hold the Imperials back.

Finally on the 21st, The Battle ended after the remaining 200,000 Soviets were either killed or captured. General Timoshenko was killed during the fighting.

## Aftermath

The Battle of Stalingrad was a resounding Imperial Victory. The Imperium itself suffered very little in the form of casualties and The USSR had suffered greatly. Stalingrad which was the city bearing Joseph Stalin's name was now in Imperial Hands. The Moral Hit was devastating for the Soviets. However, The Imperial African Force had lost half of their 50,000 Contingent and this was felt increasingly back home.

The Imperial Africans felt they sacrificed too much for a war thousands of miles from their home. The IAT also had a small military and couldn't afford the losses suffered, which would cost a lot of money to fix. The Scars of Stalingrad are still in the minds of the people to the current date.

Despite this, The Battle of Stalingrad was still a Victory for the Imperial Cause and would be a contributing factor to the collapse of the Soviet Army.