The Russian Front

1. The Russian Front “THE WAR AGAINST RUSSIA WILL BE SUCH THAT IT CANNOT BE A “KNIGHTLY” AFFAIR” A. HITLER 41’

4. Failures in the Balkans • On October 1940 Italy attacked Greece. • After a week of fighting the Greek Army re-gains the initiative and stalls the Italian Army advance • the British a green light to enter Greece. • The British involvement was of outmost concern to the German high command: this is why; The Royal Air Force would be in range of the Ploetsi oil fields in Rumania, a vital oil supply for the German war machine, its destruction would have proved disastrous to the war effort. The German high command was therefore forced to prepare invasion plans for Greece.

5. "Winter War" Fight the Good Fight German invasion and Finnish Loses Finland didn't surrender and wasn't occupied Alone they held out The War In Finland

6. Preparing for the Invasion of Russia • It is important to note that for the invasion of Russia all of the Panzer Divisions had to be released from the Balkan front to be assigned their new mission.

8. Barbarossa • The planned all out annihilation of the Soviet Union • The Soviets had at the time of the invasion 4,700,000 troops, that lacked good leadership, tactics and more importantly experienced officers

11. Operation Barbarossa was largely the brainchild of Hitler himself. • He expected victory in a few months and did not prepare for a war lasting into the winter • Troops lacked adequate clothing. He hoped a quick victory against the Red Army would encourage Britain to accept peace terms.

12. Surprise Russian defenses Air superiority Tactical advantage Germany invaded Russia to win and conquer, before the onset of winter in 1941 German formula for success

13. DIRECTIVE # 21 The German Armed Forces must be prepared, even before the conclusion    of the war against England, to crush Soviet Russia in a rapid campaign    ("Operation Barbarossa").

14. 4 million+ troops • 180 divisions • 3350 tanks • 7200 guns • 2000 aircraft

17. June 22, 1941 • Almost 4 million German troops crossed the borders of Poland and east Prussia • Used panzers, armored cars, motorcycles, horses, bicycles • Histories largest military assault • Complete surprise

18. Luftwaffe destroys 2,000 Red Air Force aircraft in 1 day The Numerically strongest air force in the world is totally wiped out in 48 hours

19. Pushing towardsMoscow • Moved at a break neck pace of 30 miles a day • Panzers even faster • Penetrated 50 miles into soviet union by the end of day 1

20. Forces lead by Heinz Guderian pushed ever forward • To far to fast forced to hold • By July 10- thousands of Russians were dead or prisoners • Bad road and Worse weather • Moving Industry

22. Cauldron fighting • An operation's final phase, the Kesselschlacht (cauldron battle), was a concentric attack on an encircled force. It was here that most losses were inflicted upon the enemy, primarily through the capture of prisoners and weapons.

23. Fear of a Napoleonic repeat?? • Target Moscow?? • WITHING 220 MILES • GENERAL WINTER • Divide and destroy • SS Einsatzgruppen • Extermination on the Russian Jews and others

25. Guerrillas Impotent red army inexperienced LEADERS OKW German tactics: 3 columns to Leningrad 1 to Moscow 1 to Stalingrad Spread to thin

26. “HE’S PLAYING WARLORD AGAIN AND BOTHERING US WITH SUCH ABSURB IDEAS THAT HE’S RISKING EVERYTHING WE HAVE WON SO FAR” • HALDER, 42’

27. Welcome??? • In the Ukraine the Germans were welcomed as liberators from Stalinist Russia • Ukraine was divided by 4 • Erich Koch • “a brutal dog” • Babi Yar Massacre • 35,000 executed

29. Army Group North (Heeresgruppe Nord ) • Commanded by Field Marshal Leeb • Take the Baltic's, march into northern Russia, and either take or destroy the city of Leningrad • German forces succeeded in besieging Leningrad until 1944

30. coded as Operation Nördlich (Operation The North Light)

31. The Siege of Leningrad • WHY NOT JUST TAKE IT?? • PUNISHMENT • RESOURCES • MISTAKE • FOTIFICATIONS • ANTI-TANK DITCHES -WIRE TANGLES-TIMBERBLOCKADES

33. FOOD AND STARVATION HEAT AND COLD “THE ROAD OF LIFE” January and February of 1942, 200,000 people died in Leningrad of cold and starvation SIEGE The siege lasted for a total of 900 days, from September 8 1941 until January 27 1944 BY THE END 600,000-800,000 DIED

36. BACK TO MOSCOW • GENERAL ZHUKOV • CITIZENS ARMY • DIGGING IN • CONCENTRATED RESERVES • ROKOSSOVSKY AND VATUTIN • GERMAN OSTHEER • HALDER AND HOTH • 19 DAY INTERREGNUM

40. KIEV • Army south takes Kiev • 650,000 Soviets surrender • Largest ever in any war

41. STALIN’S ORGANS"Katyushas"

43. DOUBLE CAULDRON AROUND MOSCOW Within 20 miles “FLIGHT TO THE FRONT” THE CRUEL RUSSIAN WINTER 100,000 OSTHEER DEAD OF FROSTBITE 2000 AMPUTATIONS -20 CELSIUS OPERATION TYPHOON

46. JODL REFUSES WINTER SUPPLIES FELT BOOTS (13 MILLION FROM THE US) ZHUKOV REINFORCED FROM SIBERIA 10 DIVISIONS, 1000 TANKS AND AIRCRAFT TYPHOON FAILS BY 41 DEC. Guderian dismissed GERMANY PLAYS SOME “D” WAIT FOR THE SPRING AND THEN CRUSH THE SOVIETS

47. Russian Loses • BY the Winter the Soviets have lost 3 million men, their entire fighting force at the start of the war • Half of her Economic base was held by Germans • But this is Russia and Winter ALWAYS is in her favor

49. STALINGRAD