June 22, 1941 – December 1941

• Hitler talks about invasion of USSR in 1924 in his book Mein Kempf

• Nazi-Soviet Pact- August 1939• German Army stockpiles weapons&troops

in front of Russia• Communist spy warns Stalin of attack

• Blitzkreg- Lightning warfare• Plan constructed in December 1940• Germany sends out 3 groups: North, South,

and Center• North- Led by Wilhem Ritter von Leeb• march through northern Baltics

into northern Russia and captureLenningrad. • Center- Led by Feodor Von Bock • take Moscow.

• South- Led by Gerd von Runstedt• take Kiev and continue to Volga River.

• Operation Barbarossa was the overall plan for invasion•Many battles were part of the operation

• Invasion started on June 22, 1941• By day 17 many thought Russian Army

would collapse• Hitler made mistakes• The winter set in and German Army was

not equipped

• Stops divisons to give them orders and redirect, loses vital time

• Poor planning•misjudges Russian winter • timing of war

• Advised against two-front war, did not listen

• Russia wins

• German army suffered which eventually led to a Soviet victory