As the Russian army commits appalling atrocities in Ukraine, it might not feel like the best time to recall the heroism of the Red Army in the Second World War. But this year marks the 80th anniversary of the titanic Battle of Stalingrad, which lasted from late August 1942 to February 1943.
Stalingrad was without doubt the critical turning-point battle of the war, fought amid the rubble and ruins of one of the greatest Soviet cities of the day. Vladimir Putin’s current, cruel war should not prevent us from remembering this decisive battle, the role played by the Soviet defenders of the city that bore their leader’s name, and how it has been presented on film.
Tsaritsyn was a large settlement on the west bank of the Volga River that, in 1925, was renamed after Stalin. For 15 years, Stalingrad grew dramatically in size, and it became a centre of industry, helping to power the Soviet Union through its rapid industrialisation.
