1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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?

8. 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

10. 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

11. Greatest Extent of Axis Control

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. Video Clip! Apocalypse: World War Two (Episode 3)

19. 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?

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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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

24. 1941

25. 1942