Operation Barbarossa, the most extensive military campaign in World War II, began on 22 June 1941, catching Russia off guard.
Due to the ongoing battles in Africa and Eastern Europe, Hitler’s main objective of invading Russia was derailed.
Despite Britain’s undefeated status on the western front, Hitler maintained a strong determination to launch an offensive in the east. In 1940, plans were devised for the invasion of Russia; nevertheless, the Russians wisely utilized their time by mobilizing resources and strengthening their defense forces.
Stalin, the Russian dictator, was caught off guard when the Germans invaded. Despite receiving warnings from British intelligence reports and observing evidence of growing German troop concentrations on the border, Stalin chose to ignore them.
Hitler employed the Blitzkrieg strategy once more, utilizing German tanks and air power to lead the assault. Three formidable German armies, totaling over 3 million troops, advanced into Russia. While one army group aimed for Leningrad in the north, another group moved towards Moscow, and a southern group targeted the Ukraine to seize its food production. The Germans were elated by their rapid progress and initial triumphs, with over 400,000 Russian soldiers taken captive.
In late July, the advance on Leningrad and Moscow decelerated as forces redirected southward to seize Kiev and the Ukraine. Although German generals favored prioritizing Moscow as the main target to eradicate the red Army, Hitler valued territorial acquisition more. Deftly, the German army achieved triumph, capturing the Ukraine and imprisoning 600,000 Russian soldiers. Subsequently, renewed efforts to conquer Leningrad and Moscow commenced; however, the situation started to shift due to autumn rains impeding progress and winter approaching.
German troops invaded Leningrad in the Russian winter and initiated a 3-year siege, yet the city effectively resisted. Simultaneously, another army group progressed towards Moscow. Nonetheless, during December, temperatures dropped to below -50 degrees at night, resulting in German soldiers encountering scarcities of clothing and frozen fuel in tanks as well as malfunctioning weapons. Both armies confronted challenges in acquiring provisions amid these severe circumstances. In retaliation, the Russian army, aided by troops on the Eastern front, launched a significant counterattack and forced back the Germans by 150 kilometers before establishing their defensive line.
Despite suffering significant losses in their armies, with over 5 million soldiers for the Russians and 1 million soldiers for the Germans, the German invasion ultimately failed. This failure can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the Germans underestimated the Russians, who had a large number of troops and were motivated by Stalin’s call to defend their homeland. Furthermore, Germany’s military strategy was flawed as it lacked a specific main target and had excessive objectives, resulting in a wide front that was difficult to protect. Additionally, the Germans neglected to consider the consequences of engaging in a winter campaign while pursuing their goal of domination.
Hitler’s order to attack Russia in April 1942 included capturing the oil fields of the Caucasus while maintaining control of the rest of the Eastern Front. Despite being re-supplied and reinforced, the Germans were able to successfully progress and seize the Crimean peninsula, resulting in the capture of 300,000 prisoners.
Brimming with confidence, Hitler made the mistake of dividing his army. One group was sent to the Caucas, while another was assigned to take Stalingrad.
By late August, the majority of Stalingrad had been captured by the German army. Nonetheless, Stalin swiftly issued a command to defend the city at any cost and assembled two formidable armies to its north and south. In November 1942, as another Russian winter loomed, the Russian forces breached the weakest section of the German defenses and encircled Stalingrad, ensnaring over 330,000 German soldiers. Hitler ordered his army to withdraw from the Caucasus but denied permission for the other army to retreat from Stalingrad. As a result, the German troops had to endure winter conditions, starvation, and Russian assaults until January 1993 when they surrendered.
This triumph in Stalingrad marked a significant turning point in the war as Germany suffered irreplaceable losses. Conversely, it allowed for an improvement in equipment and supplies for the Red Army as they expanded their forces’ size.
The Germans launched a decisive attack on the Russian line at Kursk in an effort to address the worsening situation on the eastern front. This intense Battle of Kursk lasted for eighteen days and resulted in over 500,000 German casualties. As a result, the Germans’ aspirations of conquering Russia were crushed as they were steadily pushed back towards Poland and the Reich by the Russian army.
By 1943, the German army had lost initiative on all fronts and failed to regain it as a result of this crucial battle. Their advancements in Africa were halted, leading to conflict with the Allies and diverting essential troops for defense. Hitler’s final attempt at invading Russia at Kursk ultimately sealed Germany’s defeat, severely weakening their once-powerful Army and Reich. This defeat crushed Hitler’s aspirations and ensured that his malevolent schemes would never come to fruition.
