WAR IN THE EASTERN FRONTGermany invades the Soviet Union

German Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

• Signed in 1939• Beneficial to Germany as it meant no two-front war

• Beneficial to Soviet Union because it allowed more time to build up industry

• Both countries knew that it would eventually be broken

Operation Barbarossa

• Code name given to the German invasion of the Soviet Union

• Began 6/22/1941• Largest invasion in the

history of warfare• Roughly 4 million Axis

(Germany and their allies) troops took part

• Hitler had expressed a desire to take over the Soviet Union in Mein Kampf

Initial Success

• First day of combat the Russian Air Force loses an estimated 2,000 aircraft, Germany loses 35

• Air superiority was quickly achieved and maintained

• German Blitzkrieg tactics quickly outmaneuvered Russian counter-attacks

Lightning War

• Blitzkrieg employed the use of Tanks, Planes, and fast moving Infantry, all of which supported one another

• Defenses were bypassed or shattered

• Infantry would form the second wave of attack, hitting the enemy in the front while the Tanks and Aircraft attacked from the rear and the sides

Delay• Summer rains made roads

muddy and slowed the advance

• Germany command had underestimated the size of the Russian Army, and needed time to resupply

• Hitler went against the suggestions of his command, who wanted to take Moscow (the Russian capital)

• Hitler instead wanted to attack South and try and achieve victory through economic damage

Autumn Warfare

• Germany continued to advance with success into September

• They had killed/captured over 3 million Russian troops

• Heavy rains and fog continued to be a problem for Tanks and Aircraft, only got worse as the year went on

• Germany army is able to get within 5 miles of Moscow, but cannot sustain the attack

Battle of Stalingrad

• Fought 8/23/1942-2/2/1943• City was of importance as

it was Stalin’s namesake• Close quarters combat

prevented Germany from using blitzkrieg tactics

• Regarded as the bloodiest battle in the history of warfare

• Turning point in the war; Germany was always on the retreat after that point

Battle of Stalingrad cont.

• Germany can’t keep up with massive numbers of Soviet troops, dwindling supplies, and winter warfare

• Hitler forbids German surrender, but starving, freezing, and low on ammunition the German army cannot continue

• German army in Stalingrad surrenders on 2/2/1943

Russian T-34 Tank

• First saw battle in 1940• Credited as the most

effective, efficient, and influential tank design of World War II

• Fast, hard hitting, well protected, and rugged

• Most produced tank of the war

• Helped turn the tide against German Tanks