The city was a 24 km ( 15 mi ) ribbon along the west bank of the Volga and the ruins of the city gave the defenders an advantage .
The Volga forced the Germans to conduct a frontal assault .
The city was a 24 km ( 15 mi ) ribbon along the west bank of the Volga , which forced the Germans to conduct a frontal assault , and the ruins of the city gave the defenders an advantage .