Soldiers and Dioramas: WWII Stalingrad, 1942–1943

In the summer of 1942, German forces launched a campaign to siege the city of Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. A major turning point in the European Theater of World War II, this massive battle saw a monumental retreat of German and Axis powers after they could not hold the city through the harsh winter and Soviet military resistance. Campers enjoy using miniature soldiers, wargames, and documentaries to learn about World War II’s Eastern Front, with particular focus on Germany’s extended siege of Stalingrad. They investigate miniatures and terrain boards to learn about this important battle and stimulate ideas for building their own dioramas. Campers receive 1/72 scale plastic soldiers that they can trade with one another and paint, then make terrain boards for display or wargaming with their figures.