
Minutes 1-19 of Operation Barbarossa
World at War film (sets up the fighting)
We have only to kick in
the door and the whole
rotten structure will
come tumbling down.
Operation
Barbarossa
 Hitler’s
Invasion of the Soviet Union
 The largest military action in the
history of the world, ever. (yes,
still…)
 4.5
million troops invaded
simultaneously along a 1800 mile
front
Background

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
Hitler was frustrated in Battle of Britain
Continues Battle of the Atlantic…
Has Taken over most of Europe
Turns east to pursue lebensraum and the natural
resources of the Soviet Union


‘with these resources, the 3rd Reich will last for 1000 yrs’
Necessary to combat British blockades
Hitler acknowledged that Blitzkrieg
might not work in the Soviet Union.
Why wouldn’t it?
Immense Distances!
Why Would Hitler Attack East?

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Ukraine like Britain’s India (lebensraum)
 Grain in the Ukraine
Oil in the Caucasus
Mortal enemies
 Incompatible Political systems  fascism and
communism
Needs constant victory to maintain his authority
Arguments Against Doing It?
•Two Front War
•Russian Winter
•Immense Russian reserves of manpower
Grain Supplies in 16c Europe

Good Quote from a Churchill speech after
he found out about the invasion of Russia
on pages 469-471 of his history of the
war. I have scanned this!
Why wasn’t Stalin ready?
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Hoped for Peace with Nazis… division of spoils of
the British Empire in the Middle East
Soviets had good equipment but they’d suffered
purges
Stalin believed he’d have to fight Hitler, but hoped
to have until 1942 to get himself ready…
Stalin refused to believe Churchill’s warning that
the Soviet Union was about to be attacked…

Thought that Western warnings were desperate lies to
take the strain off of the British
Interesting Anectodes


#1- ‘train going to Hitler with weapons’
anecdote
#2 - British delegates go to Moscow to discuss
why Stalin’s demanded invasion of France was
impossible…

“ This is the Eden Hotel, formerly Ribbentrop Hotel.
Here is Churchill Street, formerly Hitler street. Here
is the Beaverbrook Station, formerly Goering
Station.
The marine being shown around said, “Thank you
comrade, formerly bastard.”

Commissar Order…
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Hitler's Commissar Order to his Generals
"The war against Russia cannot be fought in
knightly fashion. The struggle is one of ideologies
and racial differences and will have to be waged
with unprecedented, unmerciful, and unrelenting
hardness. All officers will have to get rid of any old
fashioned ideas they may have. I realize that the
necessity for conducting such warfare is beyond
the comprehension of you generals, but I must
insist that my orders be followed without
complaint. The commissars hold views directly
opposite to those of National Socialism. Hence
these commissars must be eliminated. Any German
soldier who breaks international law will be
pardoned. Russia did not take part in the Hague
Convention and, therefore, has no rights under it."
The Nazi execution of Soviet civilians kneeling by the side of a mass grave at Kraigonev, USSR,
following the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Anyone suspected of being a Communist official,
along with Red Army officers and male Jews were chosen for execution.
Critical Five-Week Delay in the Balkans
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Mussolini invaded Greece, but was
stopped and reversed there
Hitler rode to his rescue
Unexpected resistance to the Nazis in
Yugoslavia ate up more time
5 weeks closer to Napoleonic Winter
(invasion launched to the day!)
The Attack
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The Red Air Force took an incredible beating in the
first few days of the fighting…
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Three main German thrusts… North, Center, and
South…
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Basically ceased to function
North surrounds Leningrad… (siege- but city doesn’t fall)
Center pushes for Moscow…
South pushes into the Ukraine towards the Caucasus oil…
Stalin shoots generals who lose… great motivator
Scorched Earth Policy… similar to Napoleon…
Nazis make it to the gates of Moscow 
Counterattack  Nazis stalled
Why stop the story of Barbarossa
here (for the time being)?

Moscow counterattack occurred 2 days
after Pearl Harbor…

(why is this important and why is this nearing
the end of this unit?
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Stalin begins to ask Britain for war
materials… interesting decision for the
British…
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Arguments in favor of giving aid?
Arguments against?
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“The German army is
like an elephant
attacking a host of
ants. He will crush
and kill thousands,
perhaps millions; but
in the end, their
numbers will
overcome him, and he
will be eaten in the
end. “
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- German Soldier

Operation Barbarossa WWII film – World
at War 19 minutes – 30 min.
Hansen
World War II
Name ____________________
Period _________
Unit III Barbarossa
We have only to
______________ and
the _________________
will come tumbling down.
Note-Taking Guide
► _____________________ of the Soviet Union
•
The largest military action _____________________
____________________, ever. (yes, still…)
–
_________________ troops invaded simultaneously along an
__________________________
► Background
•
Hitler was frustrated in _______________________________
•
Continues __________________________________________
•
Hitler has ______________________________________________
•
Turns east to pursue __________________ and the
_________________________________of the Soviet Union
–
‘with these resources, the 3rd Reich will ________________
_______________________________
–
Necessary to combat British _____________________
•
Hitler acknowledged that Blitzkrieg might not work in the Soviet Union.
Why not?
–
_____________________________________
► Why would the Germans attack east?
•
Ukraine like Britain’s _________ (lebensraum)
•
•
Oil in the ______________________
Mortal enemies
–
–
•
_____________ in the Ukraine
Incompatible ______________________________
_________________________________________
Needs constant victory to maintain his authority
► Arguments Against Doing It?
•
•
•
_____________ War
Russian ______________
Immense Reserves of ____________________
► Why wasn’t Stalin ready?
•
Hoped for Peace with Nazis… division of spoils of _______
________________________________________________
•
Soviets had good ___________ but they’d suffered _______
•
Stalin believed he’d have to fight Hitler, but hoped to have
until _________________________________________…
•
Stalin __________________________ Churchill’s warning
that the Soviet Union was about to be attacked…
– Thought that Western warnings were _____________
___________________________________________
► The Commissar Order
•
What was it? _____________________________________
________________________________________________
►Critical Five Week Delay in the Balkans
•
Mussolini invaded Greece, but ________________________
•
Hitler ____________________________________________
•
Unexpected resistance to the Nazis in ___________ ate up
_________________
•
5 weeks closer to Napoleonic _______________ (invasion
launched _______________________________________!)
►The Attack
•
The Red ________________ took an incredible beating in
the first few days of the fighting…
– Basically ______________________
•
Three main German thrusts
–
North, Center, and South…
– North _________________________________…
– Center ________________________________…
– South _________________________________...
•
Stalin shoots ____________________… great
________________
•
___________________________________… similar to
Napoleon…
•
Nazis make it to the _________________________ 
Counterattack  ________________________________
•
Moscow counterattack happened two days after
_____________________…
–
(why is this important and why is this the end of this unit?
_____________________________________________
______________________________________________
•
•
Stalin begins to ask Britain for _______________… interesting
decision for the British…
Arguments in favor of giving aid?
–
–
•
____________________________________
____________________________________
Arguments against?
–
–
____________________________________
___________________________________