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BARBAROSSA, the Nazi Crusade Why Russia? • Integral part of Nazi ideology – Mein Kampf: “war of annihilation” – ‘lebensraum’ – Communism-v-Fascism – a ’holy war’ against the ‘Bolshevik Hordes’ – seen as an inevitable clash – ripe for the picking: “We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down…” • Practical reasons not as important – resources – labour – Red Army still re-organising after purges of the early/mid 30s The Plan • Russia - since Jan 1941, Stalin had received warnings about a German invasion but chose to ignore them. - still believed in the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939. • Germany - invasion plans delayed by about 5 weeks by the Balkan invasion. - triple axis of advance - aim was to use Blitzkrieg tactics again. - had built up armed forces on the border with Russia steadily since March 1941. - had covertly supported the Finns after the Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40. - new allies: Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria & Finland. Initial Success • Once again, Blitzkreig worked… - Russians were completely surprised although orders were given to increase readiness. - Russian command & control systems thrown into chaos. - initial German objectives achieved. - Churchill: “Any state which fights Nazism will have our aid.” • Directive No 33 (July 19)… - Hitler had become more involved in the running of the campaign, leading to some confusion as to the Wehrmacht’s goals. - Army Group Centre had easily (relatively) advanced 2/3 of the distance to Moscow but was ordered to destroy Soviet ‘pocket’ (trapped units) around Smolensk and transfer its panzer divisions to Army Groups North & South. - Russian resistance in the north & south was stronger and Axis troops were tired (they had fewer panzers in proportion). • By Sept 4… - Leningrad was under siege (AG North). - much of the Ukraine & Crimea was threatened (AG South). - Axis had taken 1 million + POWs, thousands of artillery pieces & AFVs. Initial Success • On Sept 5… - Hitler makes Moscow the primary target again. • On Sept 19… - Kiev falls to the Germans (600,000 POWs, 2500 tanks, 1000 guns captured). • On Sept 27… - the ‘rasputitza’ begins: autumn rain turns the roads to mud. - within a month the advance has stalled. • On Nov 7… - the ground begins to freeze & the advance can speed up again.. The Survival of Moscow: Dec 1941 • Operation Typhoon – the attack on Moscow • Success of blitzkrieg – staggering Soviet losses – ‘unstoppable’ Wehrmacht • Sept: Kiev & the Ukraine – impressive victory, but… • Dec: Moscow, so close, but… – climate – logistics & communication – Stalin & Soviet morale – Zhukov’s tactics – effect on German morale Significance of the Survival of Moscow (1) • Russell Stolfi’s argument: – Hitler so close in 1941 – Britain no real threat – result: German control of Europe • Rodric Braithwaite’s argument: – chaos of Moscow – impact of Moscow’s fall/survival • Significance of Moscow: – communications hub – industrial centre – issue of morale – military & political collapse Significance of the Survival of Moscow (2) • Moscow’s survival meant the Soviet Union’s survival – economically, politically & psychologically • Strategic significance – meaningful two-front war – economics an issue – the USA • Why not Stalingrad? – symptom not cause of Nazi failure Why not Stalingrad? • July 1942… – AG South attacks in two directions: Caucasian oilfields & Stalingrad. • Aug - Nov 1942… – von Paulus 6th Army attacks Stalingrad – fierce street fighting – Nov 19: Russian counter-offensive shatters Axis Minor Ally troops, traps 330,000 Axis troops in Stalingrad Pocket. • Feb 1943… – final German surrender: 250,000 POWs. • Hitler could have saved the situation by allowing a withdrawal. • Germans still able to attack - eg. Kursk. • Significant defeat yes, anything more is debatable. The Battle of Kursk: July 1943 • Operation Citadel – Hitler’s view of Kursk – Stalin’s view of Kursk • The battle: – greatest tank battle in history – Hitler ‘tantalisingly close’? – had to partially disengage to reinforce Sicily • By Nov ‘43… – Germans had lost Kharkov, Smolensk, Kiev, etc Significance of the outcome of the Battle of Kursk (1) • Paul Carrell’s argument: – in ’43, Nazi victory still a possibility – victory by the Germans would allow them to regain the strategic initiative • General view of Kursk: – decisive defeat for Germany – strategic initiative passed to Red Army – inexorable process of weakening of the Wehrmacht Significance of the outcome of the Battle of Kursk (2) • Richard Overy’s argument: – impact of German losses – balance of armoured vehicles now completely in favour of the Red Army – initiative passed to Red Army • Teheran Conference in Nov ‘43: – dominated by the ‘Big Three’ – discussed setting up post-war Europe – gave Stalin leverage After Kursk • Aug 1943 - Jan 1944… – Russian autumn & winter offensives relieve Leningrad, liberate the Ukraine & isolate the Crimea. • March - May 1944… – Spring Offensive drives Germans back into Baltic States & Poland. • June - Aug 1944… – Summer Offensive advances to Warsaw & captures Rumanian oilfields (Germany’s only major supply!). • Sept - Dec 1944… – Autumn Offensive concentrates on Germany’s Balkan allies. • Jan - April 1945… – as the Western Allies advance, so to do the Russians. – Eastern Germany, Baltic States, Czech., etc Trivia Time! CASUALTIES… Soviet: 10,651,000 military + 14,500,000 civilians + 5,000,000 Jews in Holocaust (?) Axis: 5,178,000 military + unknown civilians Pz III – 5774 T34/76 & T34/85 – 28952 Pz IV – 8870 Pz V – 6000 Pz VI - 1355 KV1 - 6500 Axis defeat: isn’t it obvious? Axis Defeat Allies had: more men, more weapons, more everything Superior Allied economic strength Germany had ‘bitten off more than it could chew’ Axis defeat has an air of inevitability about it Soviet Union’s superhuman efforts • Fight for survival • Single-mindedness of the Soviet state & people • Economic relocation • Rationalisation • Soviet morale • Some amazing production stats • Lend-lease + sheer size of Russia! Reasons for Allied Victory Situation inside Nazi Germany Allied air supremacy Allied victory in the ‘war of morale’ USA’s ‘economic miracle’ Soviet Union’s superhuman efforts Reasons for Allied Victory Allied control of the seas Allied leadership