Balkan Studies | Info

Operation Barbarossa began on June 22, 1941. Three million German soldiers were poised to invade Soviet Russia, breaking the August 1939 Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. The “lightning war” was to achieve its goals swiftly, before the onset of winter. Initially a stunning success, the German advance was broken as Josef Stalin rallied the Russian people in what he called the “Great Fatherland War.” German forces were finally put on the defensive in early 1942 at Stalingrad on the Volga River. Operation Barbarossa was a tremendous blunder for Hitler and helped alienate many top officers.

Why Hitler Ordered the Invasion of Russia

After defeating France, Hitler ordered detailed plans for the invasion of England. The German navy, however, was not up to the task and the plans were postponed. But Hitler never gave up the idea and it was one factor in his decision to attack Russia.

German control of European Russia served several goals. The conquered territory would provide lebensraum, lands on which to resettle Germans. Additionally, Hitler wanted Russian oil, wheat, and other natural resources to extend the overall war effort. This included the postponed invasion of England as well as securing North Africa and Cyprus.

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