Second, capturing it would secure the German army left flank as they advanced into the oil-rich Caucasus region — the goal was to cut off fuel to Stalin armies.
On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's code name for invading the Soviet Union. By mid­-1942, Hitler had his eyes set on Stalingrad for two reasons. First, Stalingrad was an industrial city on the Volga River that not only produced military supplies, but also served as a key strategic hold in the invasion of Russia. Second, capturing it would secure the German army left flank as they advanced into the oil-rich Caucasus region — the goal was to cut off fuel to Stalin armies.