operation barbossa
-Barbossa "Red Beard" code name German attack on Russia june 1941
-Complete surprise for Russia despite warnings
-Breaks non-aggression pact
-2000 mile long front
-Blitzkrieg tactics surprise Red Army
-Nazis briefly seen as liberators
-Russian peasants began scorched earth policy (burning all crops and shelters)
-Leningrad was besieged, captured Kiev, reached the Crimea on the outskirts of Moscow
-cold winter weather halts Germans
-Almost 2 million army troops taken prisoner
-Complete surprise for Russia despite warnings
-Breaks non-aggression pact
-2000 mile long front
-Blitzkrieg tactics surprise Red Army
-Nazis briefly seen as liberators
-Russian peasants began scorched earth policy (burning all crops and shelters)
-Leningrad was besieged, captured Kiev, reached the Crimea on the outskirts of Moscow
-cold winter weather halts Germans
-Almost 2 million army troops taken prisoner
summary
On 22 June 1941, Adolf Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union. What followed was a war of destuction, a horrific clash of dictatorship , and the most destructive war in history. Hitler’s intention was always to invade the Soviet Union. It was, along with the destruction of the Jews. He stated his intentions clearly enough in his semi-autobiographical Mein Kampf, published in 1925. This was meant to be a war of obliteration – and despite the vastness of Russian territory and manpower, Hitler anticipated a quick victory (his generals had predicted ten weeks). So confident the Nazi hierarchy, that they provided their troops with summer uniforms but made no provision for the fierce Russian winter that lay further ahead.