When the German army attacked the Soviet city of Stalingrad during the Second World War, both sides saw the symbolic importance of a city named after the leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. Therefore, whichever side lost the battle would have their morale crushed. To elaborate, if the Soviet Union lost this battle they would lose control over an important region, the Caucasus, and would be crippled farther than they already were; the loss of Stalingrad would also symbolize the loss of “Stalin” in that the only city named after the leader of the Soviet Union would be lost to the Germans. For the Germans, it would give them not only the Caucasus, but the humiliation of the Soviets as well from losing the city named after Stalin.
