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Germany's Invasion of the Soviet Union: Operation Barbarossa

This lesson explores the German decision process, operational implications, and the impact of total war during the invasion of the Soviet Union. It analyzes the initial success and the transformation into a total disaster.

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Germany's Invasion of the Soviet Union: Operation Barbarossa

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  1. Lesson 13 WW II – Germany Turns East

  2. Lesson Objectives •  Describe and analyze the German decision process to attack the Soviet Union in June 1941. •  Describe and analyze the operational and logistic implications of Operation Barbarossa. •  Understand and be able to discuss the impact of total war within the Soviet Union. •  Understand how the initial successes of the German invasion of the USSR turned into such a total disaster. •  Be able to describe the magnitude of the Soviet-German War and its impact on the outcome of World War II.

  3. Review Battle of Britain Operation Sealion Operation Sealion postponed indefinitely September 17, 1940 Unable to gain air superiority Approach of winter

  4. Hitler Turns East Background Germany, USSR signed nonaggression pact (August 23, 1939) After German defeat of Poland, Germany and USSR divided Poland USSR invaded Finland November 30, 1939 (“The Winter War”) • 250,000 Finnish troops vs. 1,000,000 Soviets • British, French considered support via Norway and Sweden • By March 1940: 26,000 Finnish dead vs. 126,000 Soviets • Soviet military weakness from 1930’s purges noted by Hitler In July 1940 Hitler told his generals to prepare for war with USSR within a year

  5. Hitler Turns East Hitler regarded the Soviet Union and Bolshevism as the greatest threat to Germany He felt that the weakness of the Red Army created the best possible opportunity to eliminate this threat • Rejected (or ignored) the possibility of two-front war

  6. Operation Barbarossa German Invasion of the Soviet Union The classic example of the cost of not learning the lessons of history

  7. The Impact of Logistics on War Go To

  8. Why Do We Study War? History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. Attributed to Samuel Clements (1835-1910)

  9. Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941

  10. Operation Barbarossa Note conquered nation participation

  11. Conquered Nation Support

  12. Operation Barbarossa

  13. Barbarossa Click for Video

  14. Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad September 1941 - January 1944 872 days Civilian: 1,000,000+ Soviet Dead: Red Army: 330,000+

  15. Battle of Moscow Siege of Leningrad October 1941 - January 1942 Soviets: Germans: 1,250,000 men, 1,000 tanks 1,000,000 men, 1,700 tanks

  16. Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Moscow August 1942 - February 1943

  17. Battle of Stalingrad August 1942 - February 1943

  18. Battle of Stalingrad German Grand Strategy-Russia, N Africa & Oil-12.05 Video (8:24)

  19. Battle of Stalingrad August 1942 - February 1943 Fatal Distraction?

  20. German Grand Strategy German Grand Strategy

  21. Battle of Kursk July - August 1943

  22. Eastern Front December 1944

  23. German-Soviet War Until June 1944 • Soviet Union bore main thrust of German army • Stalin pressed for Second Front

  24. Soviet Losses

  25. Soviet Losses Significance The Soviet war effort was so overwhelming that impartial historians of the future are unlikely to rate the British and American contribution to the European theatre as much more than a sound supporting role. Norman Davies Europe at War, 1939-1945 Quoted by Benjamin Schwarz “Stalin's Gift” The Atlantic, May 2007

  26. Lesson 14 WW II -- Unrestricted Submarine Warfareand the Second Battle of the Atlantic

  27. Lesson Objectives •  Understand the magnitude and significance of the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. •  Understand the degree of British dependence on maritime lines of communication. •  Describe U.S. participation in the Battle of the Atlantic prior to December 1941. •  Describe and analyze the tactics and technology used by both sides in the Battle of the Atlantic. •  Understand the importance of code breaking in the Atlantic war.

  28. End

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