Final answer:
The Battle of Stalingrad was a pivotal moment in World War II, marking the first major defeat for Hitler's Germany and critically undermining the Nazi war effort. It led to the Soviet Red Army reversing German advances, shaping the path to the ultimate Allied victory in Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Battle of Stalingrad was a decisive turning point of World War II that contributed significantly to the Allies' victory. By November 1942, the Soviet Red Army launched a successful counterattack that surrounded the German forces in a strategic noose, eventually leading to the surrender of the German Sixth Army under field marshal Friedrich Paulus. This surrender was a major blow to Nazi Germany, capturing about 100,000 German troops and indicating the first clear defeat for Hitler's forces. The battle was characterized by intense urban warfare and resulted in nearly two million total casualties, including civilians, marking a stop to the German advance into the Soviet Union and reversing Hitler's momentum.
The victory at Stalingrad exhausted the German army's resources and put the Nazis on a defensive footing for the remainder of the war. It bolstered the Soviet Union's resolve and began the push back against German forces on the Eastern Front, leading eventually to the Red Army's march towards Berlin. This defeat of the German forces at Stalingrad severely weakened the German military capability and dented the morale of its army, contributing to the ultimate Allied victory in Europe.