1. Long Term origins Despite the wariness of Nazi Germany to building relations with Russia the Treaty of Berlin was renewed, but the Nazi regime remained anti- Communist The Treaty of Berlin stated that each country would remain neutral if either was attacked by a third power From 1933 onwards, Russia became concerned that Germany intended to expand into other countries This fear was made worse in 1934 when Poland and Germany signed a non aggression pact Poland’s proximity to Russia caused concern, with a fear that Germany and Poland would combine forces for invasion

2. The League of Nations Russia responded by ending all Polish and Baltic non-aggression treaties, showing it’s willingness to fight against Eastern European countries if provoked Russia and Japan’s admittance to the League of Nations in 1934 with Germany’s opting out added to the tensions In 1935, a German-Soviet trade agreement was formed, again in an attempt to improve relations, but this was countered by defence treaties with France and Czechoslovakia

3. The Spanish Civil War Stalin supported the Spanish government against their struggle with Franco, yet there were problems in deciding the level of support to send: NKVD provided military and technical advisers NKVD provided military and technical advisers Backing given to the establishment of anti-fascist brigades Backing given to the establishment of anti-fascist brigades This limited support did not upset Hitler and strengthened western fascism by preventing a quick victory for Franco Hitler still moved forward in his alliance with Italy and Japan

4. Anschluss with Austria, 1938 Stalin viewed the Anschluss as Germany’s increasing challenge to Russian security Tensions were further threatened by anti-Soviet feelings towards Stalin’s purges in Britain and France and Stalin’s anti-appeasement views. Russia’s exclusion from the Munich Peace Conference of 1938 (which allowed Germany to take over the Sudetenland) added to tensions Stalin then began to bargain with the Nazis, re- establishing trade links Stalin justified this by stating the Russia was strong enough to resist invasion

5. The Nazi Soviet pact The invasion of the Sudetenland caused France and Britain to promise Poland support if they were invaded Hitler now faced a war on two fronts and was pressurised into making a pact Both sides agreed that they would remain neutral if either was victim of ‘belligerent action by a third power’ Lithuania, west Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Bessarabia were placed under Soviet influence Lithuania, west Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Bessarabia were placed under Soviet influence The party was split by the pact, as it represented a deal with the fascists, but did allow Russia time to prepare for an invasion of Germany.

6. Short Term origins Following Germany’s invasion of Poland, France and Britain declared war on Germany The Nazi-Soviet pact meant the period 1939- 41 was one of neutrality between the two powers Russia did however move troops to the West to protect against potential invasion from Germany Finland refused to allow Soviet troops to be stationed on its land

7. The Winter War The resulting conflict between Russia and Finland highlighted Russia’s military weaknesses, with 50 000 dying Finland allowed troops, and Russia then took control of all other Baltic states by the summer of 1940 Dissidents were executed, as shown in the Katyn Forest massacre where 5000 Polish officers were executed by the red Guard.

8. The coming of war Germany’s victories in Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, as well as the signing of the Tripartite Pact (with Germany, Italy and Japan) and German defeat in the Battle of Britain caused fears of an invasion to grow

9. Operation Barbarossa Hitler approved plans for invasion in December 1940 The attack finally started on 22 June 1941

10. Operation Barbarossa

11. What is it and why it happened? e for Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War 2. Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War 2. It begun on the 22 June 1941. Operation Barbarossa was the largest military operation in human history in both manpower and casualties. Its failure was a turning point in the Third Reich's fortunes. Over 3.9 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a 1,800 mile front.

13. Regions covered by the operation became the site of some of the… largest battles deadliest atrocities highest casualties most horrific conditions for Soviets and Germans alike.

14. Initial Soviet defeats The Red Army and air force were so badly defeated in 1941 chiefly because they were ill prepared for the Axis surprise attack. By 1941 the Germans were the most experienced and best-trained troops in the world for the rapid, blitzkrieg-style warfare that encompassed the Eastern Front during the second half of 1941. The Soviet armed forces, by contrast, lacked leadership, training, and readiness. The officer corps of the Red Army had been decimated by Stalin's Great Purge of 1936–1938, and their replacements, appointed by Stalin for political reasons, often lacked military competence. Soviet tactical errors in the first few weeks of the offensive proved catastrophic. Initially, the Red Army was fooled by overestimation of its own capabilities. The German forces captured 3 million Soviet POWs, most of them never returned alive.

15. But the Germans went too far, got too cold and froze. Hitler's plans failed before the onset of severe winter weather. He was so confident of quick victory that he did not prepare for even the chance of winter warfare.

16. WW2-Russia, factors of victory Operation Barbarossa

17. Barbarossa 22 nd June 1941- Germany initiates Operation Barbarossa which began Germany’s war against Russia It saw the non-aggression pact between Russia and Germany broken only 6 months after it was signed A front which stretched to nearly 3000km the Germans invaded upon- with 600’000 vehicles and 4 million men

18. Plan of attack After Victory in Eastern Europe, Germany turned its military might towards Russia and its Bolshevik rulers (which Hitler and despised openly) He believed it would take 4 years for Russia to be fully mobilised for war The plan was seen as the largest invasion of a foreigner power in the history of warfare. With Germany’s resources starting to dwindle invading Russia would provide a work force and large amount of natural resources (oil fields and other materials) cut out a great threat meaning, Hitler could then deal with the British and American troops which lay in the west.

19. The attack On the 22 nd of June the artillery and air force began to bomb Russian towns, supply lines and Russian defences. Infantry regiments then pushed the weakened holes in the Russian defence. There were 3 main thrusts: One toward Leningrad (north), one to Moscow (centre) and one towards Kiev and Rostov (south)

20. The German Advance 1941

21. Initial Victory's By November Leningrad had been cut off and surrounded by German troops Kiev in German hands And Moscow in range of the German shells 2 million Russian soldiers captured

22. Russian Winter Wasn’t long into the Russian Winter when the Germans realised that the invasion had gone on for too long. German vehicles began to freeze in degrees dropping to minus 40 degrees The army had not been equipped with winter clothing and soon the army slowed and progressed to a halt When the realised the implications the Germans made a desperate but futile attempt to seize Moscow

23. Moscow Stalin had stayed in Moscow while his Government retreated on the Tran- Siberian line, while fresh troops were being transported in when it came obvious that Japan were going to attack America and not Russia By the end of December Russia pushed German troops away from the capital.

24. Battle of Stalingrad ‘Not one step back’

25. Background Despite the failure of Operation Barbarossa to wipe out the Soviet forces, the war was going well for the Nazis. The Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 - February 1943) The battle of Stalingrad was a decisive military encounter that stopped the German advance and changed the tides of the war.

26. Why? The main objective of the Nazi offensive in the summer of 1942 were to oil field in Baku. Who’s seizure would have deprived Russia and the rest of the soviet union of their principle fuel supply.

27. Failures The soviets lost control of nine-tenths of the city. 750,000 live lost Whole city destroyed

28. Successes See this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalin grad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalin grad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalin grad

29. http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943 stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943 stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943 stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943 stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/sta lingrad http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/sta lingrad

31. Stalingrad

32. The Location of Stalingrad.

33. The Battle of Stalingrad. The battle of Stalingrad was the largest and most brutal battles on the Eastern Front. It marked a turning point in the war, as the tide turned against the nazis. The battle lasted from 23 August 1942 to 2 February 1943. It was a decisive Soviet victory.

34. Hitler needed a swift, decisive victory, to beat Russia before the USA fully mobilised their troops. He also wanted the oil which was located in the Caucasus.

35. The Scorched Earth Policy Anna Macdonald

36. A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area. Although initially referring to the practice of burning crops to deny the enemy food sources, in its modern usage the term includes the destruction of infrastructure such as shelter, transportation, communications and industrial resources.

37. Russian Scorched Earth Policy The scorched earth policy happened on the 22nd June 1941, while the Soviet Union was in the grips of a vicious war with Nazi Germany. When the Germans invaded the soviet union, the Soviet troops had to retreat. To make sure that the land could not be used by the advancing Germans, the Soviets destroyed everything of possible use to the Germans. This included- bridges, railways, buildings,poisoned water supplies etc. It was not expected by the Germans and severely hindered their armies. When the Germans invaded the soviet union, the Soviet troops had to retreat. To make sure that the land could not be used by the advancing Germans, the Soviets destroyed everything of possible use to the Germans. This included- bridges, railways, buildings,poisoned water supplies etc. It was not expected by the Germans and severely hindered their armies.

38. Was this policy successful? YES Created serious problems for advancing German troops, who needed food, ammo, and shelter. Potentially stopped the invasion going further as a full invasion would take years and this would be impossible after the destruction of the areas that the Germans occupied NO Severely damaged some of the only fertile land in Russia, leading to food shortages. Severely damaged the standard of living in the areas affected, due to destroyed infrastructure

39. Stalin Speech “the red army, the red navy, and all citizens of the Soviet union must defend every inch of Soviet soil, must fight to the last drop of blood for our towns and villages…” – contradictory as they are running away and burning the areas? “the enemy must not be left a single engine, railway truck, pound of grain or gallon of fuel” - endorsing the destruction of Soviet infrastructure.

40. The Battle of Leningrad

42. The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army Group North to capture Leningrad, (Saint Petersburg) in the Eastern Front of World War II. The siege started on 8 September 1941, when the last land connection to the city was severed. Although the Soviets managed to open a narrow land corridor to the city on 18 January 1943, lifting of the siege took place on 27 January 1944, 872 days after it began. It was one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history and overwhelmingly the most costly in terms of casualties. The capture of Leningrad was one of three strategic goals in the German Operation Barbarossa and the main target of Army Group North. The strategy was motivated by Leningrad's political status as the former capital of Russia and the symbolic capital of the Russian Revolution, its military importance as a main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and its industrial strength, housing numerous arms factories( By 1939 the city was responsible for 11% of all Soviet industrial output).

43. During the first year of the siege, the city survived five food reductions: two reductions in September 1941, one in October 1941, and two reductions in November 1941. Workers received 500 grams of bread; employees and children, 300 grams; and dependants, 250 grams. Rations of meat and goats were also reduced, but the issue of sugar, confectionery and fats was increased instead. Reports of cannibalism began to appear in the winter of 1941–1942, birds, rats and pets were also eaten. Starvation-level food rationing was eased by new vegetable gardens that covered most open ground in the city by 1942.

44. The Nazis cut almost all supplies to Leningrad, almost all food and catering disappeared, garment industries and retail closed. Most schools as well as most public services became obsolete, causing massive migration of women and children. During all three winters of the siege of Leningrad, 1941–1942, 1942– 1943, and 1943–1944, water pipelines were constantly destroyed by the aerial bombing and artillery bombardments. Women were searching for water under the icy ground at the time when they were struggling to survive in besieged Leningrad. During the siege, three cold winters were the time of the highest mortality rates among the civilian population. Tens of thousands of civilians froze to death in Leningrad. Due to a lack of power supplies, many factories were closed down and, in November, all public transportation services became unavailable. The construction of pre-war designed metro system was stopped, and some unfinished tunnels were used as public shelters during aerial bombing and artillery bombardments. In the spring of 1942, some tramway lines were reactivated, but trolleybuses and buses were inoperable until the end of the war. Use of power was forbidden everywhere, except at the General Staff headquarters, Smolny, district committees, air defence bases, and in some other institutions.

45. Resistance of surviving civilian population of Leningrad provided crucial support for military operations during the battle of Leningrad. The total number of civilian volunteers helping the military is estimated equal to the number of civilians left in the city - about 500,000 people, all of them were taking shifts at "day watch" and "night watch" to prevent fires and destruction from air-bombings and artillery bombardment. The Nazis had a special intelligence unit that operated in secrecy, focused on causing more death and destruction in Leningrad through sabotage to destroy the morale and spirit of its citizens. Water and food supplies were often found poisoned and infected by the Nazi spies infiltrating into the city. Volunteer militia brigades were involved in assisting civilians, mainly women and children at the time when they were struggling to survive. 15,000 children were decorated for their courage in military operations during the siege of Leningrad.

46. The two-and-a-half year siege caused the greatest destruction and the largest loss of life ever known in a modern city. On Hitler's express orders, most of the palaces of the Tsars and other historic landmarks located outside the city's defensive perimeter were looted and then destroyed. A number of factories, schools, hospitals and other civil infrastructure were destroyed by air raids and long range artillery bombardment. The 872 days of the siege caused unparalleled famine in the Leningrad region through disruption of utilities, water, energy and food supplies. This resulted in the deaths of up to 1,500,000 soldiers and civilians and the evacuation of 1,400,000 women and children - many of whom died during evacuation due to starvation and bombardment. The Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery alone in Leningrad holds half a million civilian victims of the siege. Economic destruction and human losses in Leningrad on both sides exceeded those of the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Moscow, or the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The siege of Leningrad is the most lethal siege in world history, and some historians speak of the siege operations in terms of genocide, as a "racially motivated starvation policy" that became an integral part of the unprecedented German war of extermination against populations of the Soviet Union. In January–February 1942, about 700–1,000 citizens died every day, most of them from hunger. People often died on the streets, and citizens soon became accustomed to the sight of death.

47. Leningrad

48. Some basic facts 3 million people lived in Leningrad before the siege, around 1 million of these people died. German and Finnish troops surrounded the city in September 1941 and the siege lasted, unsuccessfully for them, for two and a half years with the city being isolated from the rest of Russia.

49. Causes The capturing of Leningrad was one of the three goals of Operation Barbarossa. was responsible, by 1939, for 11% of all Soviet industrial output. It was important in terms of the military because it was the main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and was responsible, by 1939, for 11% of all Soviet industrial output.

50. Defence of the City On 27 June 1941, the Council of Deputies of the Leningrad administration organised "First response groups" of civilians. In the next days the entire civilian population of Leningrad was informed of the danger and over a million citizens were mobilised for the construction of fortifications. Lines of defence were built around the city to defend it including timber barricades, wire entanglements, anti-tank ditches, earth-and-timber emplacements, reinforced concrete weapon emplacements and open trenches.

51. Course The Germans were constantly trying to get into the city and managed to isolate it from the rest of Russia, with the only point of entry being across Lake Ladgoda. The Germans could still not break through and so came up with a new strategy – starving the city into surrender. This starvation meant that not only was there rationing but it was reduced 5 times during the course of the siege and substitutes were constantly being used. Constantly the danger of enemy bombs but still life went on fairly normally in Leningrad. To sustain the defence of the city, it was vitally important for the Red Army to establish a route for bringing a constant flow of supplies into Leningrad. This route was effected over the southern part of Lake Ladoga, by means of watercraft during the warmer months and land vehicles driven over thick ice in winter.

52. By November the lake froze over, meaning that trucks could drive over and deliver small quantities of food. Though this lead to some casualties the amount of food in the city slowly started to grow.

53. Lifting the Siege The siege continued until 27 January 1944, when the Soviet Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive expelled German forces from the southern outskirts of the city. This was a combined effort by the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts, along with the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts. The Baltic Fleet provided 30% of aviation power for the final strike against the Wehrmacht. In the summer of 1944, the Finnish Defence Forces were pushed back to the other side of the Bay of Vyborg and the Vuoksi River.

54. Russian Victory and the Liberation of Berlin

55. Background Between June and September 1944, the Wehrmacht had lost more than a million men, and lacked the fuel and armaments needed to operate effectively. The Russians had been able to push the Germans back and were looking to fulfil two objectives: push further west to obtain more territorial control and to take Berlin – where not only Hitler, but also German nuclear research could be taken. Stalin was aware that the Allies wouldn’t give Russia any additional land upon the end of the war, and so wanted to take as much territory as possible Berlin was always the main objective though, as western Germany could only be effectively taken after its fall.

56. The Seelow Heights A The sector in which most of the fighting took place was the Seelow Heights, the last major defensive line outside Berlin. The Battle of the Seelow Heights was fought from 16 April until 19 April. Almost one million Red Army troops and more than 20,000 tanks and artillery pieces were deployed to break through the Berlin “gates” which were defended by about 100,000 German soldiers and 1,200 tanks and guns. The Soviet forces (led by Zhukov) broke through the defensive positions, having suffered about 30,000 casualties. The Germans lost 12,000 personnel.

57. Encirclement of Berlin On 20 April, Hitler's birthday, Soviet artillery of the 1st Belorussian Front began to shell Berlin and did not stop until the city surrendered: the weight of ordnance delivered by Soviet artillery during the battle was greater than the tonnage dropped by Western Allied bombers on the city. Meanwhile, ground troops encircled Berlin, ready to envelop the German Army. The German IX Army was surrounded in south-east Berlin. German troops returning to Berlin from the Western Front were cut off, and the consolidation of Berlin was complete.

58. Battle of Berlin The forces available to General Weidling for the city's defence included roughly 45,000 soldiers - in several severely depleted German Army and Armed SS divisions. These divisions were supplemented by the police force, boys in (the compulsory) Hitler Youth, and the Volkssturm. Many of the 40,000 elderly men of the Volkssturm had been in the army as young men and some were veterans of World War I.

59. Battle for the Reichstag

60. Russian Victory and the Liberation of Berlin

61. What was it? The Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation was the final major offensive of the Second World War in Europe. The Soviet Union blazed through Nazi occupied Europe, finally arriving at Germany’s Eastern Front. In short, the Russians captured Berlin and won the war. The objective was to capture Berlin but also to meet the Allies as far west as possible in order to capture as much German land as possible.

62. What happened? There were many, many battles in and around Berlin. Eventually, the Russians took control. Luckily for the Russians, US General Dwight D. Eisenhower decided not to bother trying to take Berlin. He feared that excessive friendly fire would take place if he did.

63. Deaths At the time, the Soviets said 458,080 Germans were killed and 479,298 captured. These figures were based on ‘kill claims’. German research since then has shown the actual number to be closer to 92,000 or 100,000, with 125,000 civilian casualties.

64. "The Soviets battled the German soldiers and drafted civilians street by street until we could hear explosions and rifle fire right in our immediate vicinity. As the noise got closer, we could even hear the horrible guttural screaming of the Soviet soldiers which sounded to us like enraged animals.” “[After the surrender] there was no radio or newspaper, so vans with loudspeakers drove through the streets ordering us to cease all resistance.

65. Victory Russians celebrated ‘Victory Day’ on 9 May 1945, and have celebrated it ever since. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9fqc FijUA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9fqc FijUA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBwzjc DUy6Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBwzjc DUy6Q