Operation Barbarossa Germany
Germany’s Attack on the Soviet Union
Hitler authorised the invasion of the Soviet Union on the 18th of December, 1940 with an outlined start date of May the 15th, 1941. On the 22nd of June, 1941 Nazi, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest German military operation of World War II. It was the biggest land invasion in the history of the world. As over three million German soldiers and their allies drove forward in three sections into the Soviet Union. The attack was named ‘Operation Barbarossa’ .
Popular opinion has labelled Hitler as virtually insane for invading the Soviet Union, but at the time many people, including those influential in both Britain and America - although his choice was a sound one. Hitler came much closer to
pulling off his grand plan than the Soviet Union was ever willing to admit. In the two years leading up to the invasion, the two countries signed pacts; both political and economic, for strategic purposes.
Over the course of the operation, approximately four million soldiers from the Axis Powers invaded the Soviet Union on a 2,900 kilometre front from North cope to Black Sea. In addition to troops, Germany had over 600,000 motor vehicles and had between 600,000 and 700,000 horses, 3,000 tanks and 150 divisions. Germany had severely underestimated their opponent; their operational preparations were greatly inadequate for the campaign.
In the opening month of the battle, German armies had bitten deep into Soviet territory. Moscow was an open target to Germany at this point, but the cold Russian weather was biting and despite the troops having no winter clothes or supply dumps the generals urged Hitler to continue.
Hitler authorised the invasion of the Soviet Union on the 18th of December, 1940 with an outlined start date of May the 15th, 1941. On the 22nd of June, 1941 Nazi, Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the largest German military operation of World War II. It was the biggest land invasion in the history of the world. As over three million German soldiers and their allies drove forward in three sections into the Soviet Union. The attack was named ‘Operation Barbarossa’ .
Popular opinion has labelled Hitler as virtually insane for invading the Soviet Union, but at the time many people, including those influential in both Britain and America - although his choice was a sound one. Hitler came much closer to
pulling off his grand plan than the Soviet Union was ever willing to admit. In the two years leading up to the invasion, the two countries signed pacts; both political and economic, for strategic purposes.
Over the course of the operation, approximately four million soldiers from the Axis Powers invaded the Soviet Union on a 2,900 kilometre front from North cope to Black Sea. In addition to troops, Germany had over 600,000 motor vehicles and had between 600,000 and 700,000 horses, 3,000 tanks and 150 divisions. Germany had severely underestimated their opponent; their operational preparations were greatly inadequate for the campaign.
In the opening month of the battle, German armies had bitten deep into Soviet territory. Moscow was an open target to Germany at this point, but the cold Russian weather was biting and despite the troops having no winter clothes or supply dumps the generals urged Hitler to continue.