Stalingrad Film Comparison

Many similarities can be observed between the tactics used historically in the battle of Stalingrad and the strategies described in each of the works chosen. The most prevalent battle strategies was hand-to-hand combat in order to siege control over buildings. In the movie, Stalingrad (2013), hand to hand combat is used many times – primarily when the German forces are attempting to invade a house belonging to an innocent Russian girl named Katya’s. This is also the building in which a small Russian platoon is residing. The Russian and German troops battle using bayonet charges (a form of hand-to- hand combat) as well as by using small knives – methods commonly used during this historic battle. In addition to the form of attack, these building
In the movie Stalingrad (2013), the scenery of the battle field and the buildings consisted of ashen ground from the mortars and shells constantly being fired, buildings that were bombed and broken, as well as the front lines in the building across from each troop. This setting is very authentic as shell fire was a constant threat during the battle of Stalingrad and resulted in damaged buildings. The front lines were definitely as close as displayed in the movie because the Russians wished to remain within the range of firing a hand grenade between them and the Germans. In the novel The War of the Rats, the battle field is lined with many broken buildings, ditches, and trenches, with the front lines very close – just the room next door. According to the resources used to research on the battle of Stalingrad, there were many trenches built for the Russians and Germans to hide in and the buildings were always under attack, resulting in a lot of debris and broken infrastructure, similar to the novel. It was also common for enemy troops to reside within the same building but in different rooms- thus, the setting is very realistically portrayed by this
In Stalingrad (2013), the soviet victory is played out by incorporating the strategic plan used by the Russians in the battle of Stalingrad. The movie picturizes the Russian army encircling the Germans and trapping them while shooting them down. Those who survive are allowed to starve at the end– this is precisely what the Russians did. The 5th tank regiment, 21st, 65th, and 24th armies surrounded the Germans from the West and the 6th army trapped them in from the North and South and many Germans were shot. Those who were not, died from starvation and lack of resources as they were trapped in. In The War of the Rats historical accuracy is demonstrated by the portrayal of Zaitsev who is based on Vasily Zaytsev, the top Russian sniper in the Second World War. Based on historical research on the Russian sniper, Vasily Zaytsev, he was the best sniper that the Russians had – a point which is definitely covered by the novel and he was a farm boy from the Ural Mountains who hunted deer and developed his sniper skills through that experience. The latter is also another point that the novel emphasizes when in Zaitsev’s point of view, he speaks about hunting deer with his grandfather in the mountains. Clearly, the novel and book both succeed in effectively exhibiting the bloodiest