[Preston Cole]

I don't seem to get why Stalingrad, aside from its symbolic significance, was so fucking important for the Reich.

Sure, it was a major dock through which oil from Baku and grain from Ukraine could be transported north, and it had a stockpile of iron. Since transportation of these materials to the Russian army was a major point of attraction for the Germans, why take the city itself? Why not simply cross the Volga from the north and south, cut off the transit, and encircle Stalingrad from the east?

I suppose there's no other explanation for this other than Hitler's megalomania in taking Stalin's Town, and his gross underestimation of Soviet forces.

Any thoughts?

[JohnRawls]

Because if Stalingrad had fallen, the reich had a clear way to baku and the said oil which was the Reichs greatest aim in the war with Russia. Deprived from the Baku oil and the Reich having the said oil the war could have turned the other way around. Just so you knew, Baku produced about 75% of all USSR oil in 1942.

[Smilin' Dave]

The way I see it
- As already noted, an important transport hub. If you want to cut off Soviet supply, in the south, Stalingrad is pretty important. If you want to draw your own resources from the south, Stalingrad is important again.
- As I understand it Stalingrad was also the site of a number of war-related industries (I'm pretty sure it had a tank factory for example), which continued to churn out arms right up until the city became the front line.
- It secured the flank of the army group advancing into the Caucasus. When the counter-attack occured at Stalingrad, they had to withdraw least they become completely trapped.
- It allowed a new front to be exploited without smashing into the by then well established central front around Moscow.
- Strategy/Doctine. The Wehrmacht/Nazi government had pursued the idea that if the Red Army were destroyed, everything else would fall into place. In this instance, the Red Army was in a city... so they ran right into it believing it would be a simple matter to dislodge them (after all a lot of other large cities etc. had fallen relatively easily in the past).

As to why it wasn't simply encircled, this was attempted but from memory crossing the Volga when opposed by Soviet troops proved too difficult. By then the fight in the city itself had intensified and troops were withdrawn from the flanks to reinforce the centre... leaving them poorly defended with the counter attack struck.

[Social_Critic]

I pulled up a map and I noticed Baku isn't even close to Stalingrad. Google maps says the best way to drive to Baku from Novorossisk is driving right by the Black Sea coast. So if I can google that, I'm sure Hitler could have had some maps done in his time. And if he had gone straight for Baku, then he would have had the oil fields. What's the big deal about Stalingrad? The last time I checked it out, it's a crappy city. Baku, on the other hand, is pretty nice. I used to visit there when the USSR was falling apart, and even then it had flavour. The only problem was the food, all the restaurants served the same greenish looking chicken.

[Otebo]

I'd say that becoming so focused on Stalingrad was definitely a blunder and demonstrated the failure of the Führerprinzip. The German High Command had a plentiful supply of gifted strategic thinkers and yet their talents meant nothing when all decisions depended upon the whim of one individual. Hitler's interference with Case Blue, splitting Army Group South, his diversion of 4th Panzer Army south, even the appointment of Paulus to command 6th Army - all these mistakes can be attributed to one man. It was his strategic mistakes and subsequent obsession with Stalingrad which brought about German defeat. I wouldn't consider the battle as it was fought necessary.

[JohnRawls]

I pulled up a map and I noticed Baku isn't even close to Stalingrad. Google maps says the best way to drive to Baku from Novorossisk is driving right by the Black Sea coast. So if I can google that, I'm sure Hitler could have had some maps done in his time. And if he had gone straight for Baku, then he would have had the oil fields. What's the big deal about Stalingrad? The last time I checked it out, it's a crappy city. Baku, on the other hand, is pretty nice. I used to visit there when the USSR was falling apart, and even then it had flavour. The only problem was the food, all the restaurants served the same greenish looking chicken.

The german wermacht overrelied on the blitzkrieg, their main principle against the soviets was to split the main armies into pieces and then finnish the pieces off. This was the plan for stalingrad, if they managed to win at stalingrad they could cut out the baku chunk away from the rest of the SU and army without any supplies any army is a dead army. You wont survive more than a weak without suplies and control and command. Thats how they destroyed the 3 or so million russian army near poland even though technologically the russian army had the advantage all of the war.

[Social_Critic]

but with the benefit of hindsight, Baku would have made a better target. The Germans could have won the war if they had marched South. It's a lot warmer.

[JohnRawls]

The winter was not the main reason germans lost the war. Its effects on Hitlers army is exagerated.

[Preston Cole]

but with the benefit of hindsight, Baku would have made a better target. The Germans could have won the war if they had marched South. It's a lot warmer.

That would have left the Germans' left flank severely exposed as Army Group A marched to the Caucasus.

Smilin' Dave pretty much summed it up. In retrospect, it was Hitler's decisions that compromised the Stalingrad campaign. The aims of Fall Blau were completely achievable if not for his raving ambitions which managed to destroy an entire army.

[Smilin' Dave]

In retrospect, it was Hitler's decisions that compromised the Stalingrad campaign.

Was it entirely Hitler's decision though? There's a tendency to assume (often based on the memoirs of German generals post war) that he made all the bad decisions, but a lot of them emanated from figures in high command positions to begin with.

I'm sure Hitler could have had some maps done in his time. And if he had gone straight for Baku, then he would have had the oil fields. What's the big deal about Stalingrad?

...go back and read my post. Now.

Honestly... Moscow and Leningrad are so far apart. Why bother attacking both am i rite guyz?

[JohnRawls]

Without securing your supply lines, blietzkrieg is impossible. And what would they do in Baku if they ignored Stalingard ? Surrendered to the soviets in 2 weeks ?. Blietzkrieg relies on tank pushes which without fast infantry redeployment to assist and supplies being delivered very fast turns into encircled armies and surrendering soldiers.