Dom 31

Since October 24 Ivan llyich Svidrov, a 19 year old Sergeant in 650th Rifle Regiment, and his squad of determined soldiers had beaten back repeated morning attacks against the concrete and iron house they were sworn to defend with their …

1942-10-27

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Since October 24 Ivan llyich Svidrov, a 19 year old Sergeant in 650th Rifle Regiment, and his squad of determined soldiers had beaten back repeated morning attacks against the concrete and iron house they were sworn to defend with their lives; a house with the address ”Dom 31". Dom 31 held a highly strategic location: it guarded the rear entrance of the Barrikady factory and anchored the left flank of Colonel Lyudnikov's 138th Rifle Division. The importance of this location was further impressed upon Sgt. Svidrov when Col. Lyudnikov himself paid the squad a visit on the evening of the 26th. On the 27th the first attack didn't commence until noon, but was repeated throughout the day with growing ferocity.

Stalingrad, Russia

In the Battle of Stalingrad, Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in Southern Russia. Marked by fierce close-quarters combat and direct assaults on civilians in air raids, it is one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, with an estimated 2 million total casualties. After their defeat at Stalingrad, the German High Command had to withdraw considerable military forces from the Western Front to replace their losses. The German offensive to capture Stalingrad, a major industrial and transport hub on the Volga River that ensured Soviet access to the Caucasus oil wells, began in August 1942, using the 6th Army and elements of the 4th Panzer Army. The attack was supported by intense Luftwaffe bombing that reduced much of the city to rubble. The battle degenerated into house-to-house fighting, as both sides poured reinforcements into the city. By mid-November, the Germans had pushed the Soviet defenders back at great cost into narrow zones along the west bank of the river.

Wikipedia: Battle of Stalingrad

German

Russians