L4: War Breaks out in the Soviet Union World War Two Homework: “Causes of the War in the Pacific” Reading Due Friday! Paper Due Thursday 3/30 Agenda Objectives: To understand the significance of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). To evaluate and analyze the implications of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Schedule: Lecture/Discussion Video

Soviet-Nazi Relations: 1939 In 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed a Nonagression Pact. The two nations pledge not to invade one another

World War Two Breaks Out: 1939-1940 Recap… Nazis invade Poland, supported by the Soviet Union Nazis defeat France Nazis are held back by Britain in the Battle of Britain Nazis turn their attention to the Soviet Union in the summer of 1940

The Motives Behind the Nazi Invasion of the USSR What does this cartoon suggest about the motives behind the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union?

The Motives Behind the Nazi Invasion of the Soviet Union Hitler had strategic and ideological reasons for invading the Soviet Union Strategically he knew that part of the British willingness to fight was motivated by their belief that they could ally with the Soviet Union and the United States. If he could not the Soviets out, he might be able to get Britain to surrender. He also felt he needed the agricultural and raw material resources of Eastern Russia. Ideologically he viewed the Soviet Union as an amalgamation of two of his greatest enemies, the Jews and the Slavs.

Planning the Invasion of the Soviet Union The plan to invade the Soviet Union was called Operation Barbarossa. Invading the Soviet Union poses a set of challenges to any nation.

Operation Barbarossa What does this cartoon suggest might be some of the major obstacles facing the Nazis as they plan to invade the Soviet Union?

Planning Operation Barbarossa Hitler’s Plan: Destroy the Soviet Union within one year Catch and destroy the Soviet Army at the border areas, thereby avoiding a full-scale invasion of Russia If these plans did not play out this could pose major problems for the Nazis: A long, drawn out campaign fought in the interior of Russia would create huge logistical problems for the Nazis

Operation Barbarossa On June 22, 1941, Hitler invaded Russia in Operation Barbarossa The operation encompassed a total troop strength of about 4 million men, making it the biggest single land operation ever Benefiting from initial surprise, by the end of July Hitler had occupied a portion of Russia twice the size of France

Greatest Extent of Axis Control

Operation Barbarossa: Battle of Moscow With the Germans’ successes in the north and south, Hitler assumed that Stalin’s regime was on the verge of collapse He authorized an advance on Moscow before the onset of winter Already however the Germans were suffering from serious supply shortages By September the supply system was only meeting current tactical consumption needs No supply stores for the winter season were being built

Operation Barbarossa: Battle of Moscow The Germans caught the Russians unprepared and made great advances The Soviet Army seemed on the verge of collapse At this point the weather broke and autumn rains turned the roads to mud The German advance stalled, allowing the Russians to hurry reinforcements from the interior

Operation Barbarossa: Battle of Moscow Despite dropping temperatures and critical supply shortages, the German high command pressed on with the attack The German soldiers were still in summer uniforms and suffered terribly German soldier during the battle of Moscow

Operation Barbarossa: Battle of Moscow By Dec 4 the Germans had clawed their way to Moscow’s outskirts, but they could not continue That night temperatures were -25 degrees Fahrenheit One infantry regiment suffered 300 frostbite casualties On Dec 6 the Soviets counterattacked

Operation Barbarossa : Battle of Moscow As the Russians pushed forward, Hitler refused to allow a retreat and relieved or court-martialed generals who did so Hitler named himself commander-in-chief of the army Each military service began to operate increasingly independently and Germany suffered from a lack of an overall strategy

Operation Barbarossa : Battle of Moscow On the Eastern Front the Germans’ stiff resistance and control of crucial roads and supply centers slowly took the punch out of the Russian counterattack The German Army survived but it suffered losses from which it never recovered Both sides licked their wounds and prepared for renewed operations in the spring Operation Barbarossa was at a stalemate

Video Clip! Apocalypse: World War Two (Episode 3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc0RLsKMczk

Japan Creates a Potential Break in the Moscow Stalemate On Dec 7, 1941, Japan attacked the US at Pearl Harbor. What are some possible implications of this for Germany as it deals with the Soviet Union?

Japan Creates a Potential Break in the Moscow Stalemate What does this cartoon suggest are the possible implications of Pearl Harbor on Operation Barbarossa?

Japan Creates a Potential Break in the Moscow Stalemate Pearl Harbor, “awakens the sleeping giant” that is the United States. As a result: Hitler decided to support Japan and also declare war on the US. The U.S. joins with Britain to adopt a “Europe First” strategy that Hitler feared might bring about the collapse of his control over Europe.

Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 The first attack wave targeted airfields and battleships The second wave targeted other ships and shipyard facilities Eight battleships were damaged, with five sunk Three light cruisers, three destroyers, three smaller vessels, and 188 aircraft were destroyed 2,335 servicemen and 68 civilians killed 1,178 wounded

War in the Pacific Pacific Theater was a major theater of combat between the Allies and Japan America & Britain (and its commonwealth allies) vs. Japan Japanese Military Strategy The Japanese planned to establish a strongly fortified defensive perimeter extending from Burma, the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands The British and Americans would not be able to penetrate this perimeter and would surrender. American Military Strategy Island Hopping Strategy Mainland invasion of Japan When the Atomic Bomb is invented, the decision is used to drop the bomb rather than invade Japan

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