What was the result of the Battle of Stalingrad?
A) The resolve of the German army led Stalin to agree to a nonaggression pact with Hitler.
B) The starvation of the Soviet troops resulted in their defeat and allowed German forces to capture important oil fields.
C) The German forces held out long enough to end the Soviet advance westward. D) The prolonged battle cost the German army profoundly in troops and equipment and enabled a Soviet advance.

The correct answer is D. The result of the Battle of Stalingrad was that the prolonged battle cost the German army profoundly in troops and equipment and enabled a Soviet advance.

Explanation:

The Battle of Stalingrad, fought between August 23, 1942 and February 2, 1943, was the main turning point of the European Front in World War II. The German 6th army was finally completely destroyed by the Red Army, which seemed to have been virtually conquered just a few months earlier. Stalingrad became the symbol for the resurrection of the Red Army and gave German morale a heavy blow; broad sections of the German population realized that the war might end badly for Germany.

The conflict revolved around the German siege of the Russian city of Stalingrad (today Volgograd), the fighting in the city, and the Soviet counter-offensive that captured and destroyed the forces in and around the city under German command. Total losses (dead, wounded and prisoners) for both sides are estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 million people.

The Axis forces lost large quantities of equipment and soldiers during the battle and did not later recover the initiative in the war. The Soviet losses were probably at least as great, but the Soviets had far greater resources to take off, and the victory at Stalingrad marked the beginning of the liberation of the Soviet Union and the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.