The Soviet Union And The Eastern Front

Summary

This article from the United States Holocaust Museum makes the following points:

• Hitler invaded the Soviet Union to pursue Lebensraum (living space) land Germany needed to become a great power.
• In 1939 Nazi Germany began cooperating with the Soviet Union and divided up Poland between them.
• Germany would exchange manufactured goods for Soviet raw materials.
• Germany attacked Poland on September 1, 1939, leading to the beginning of WW2 in Europe.
• The Soviet Union gained eastern Poland and then attacked Finland.
• In 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union in what Germany called (Operation Barbarossa).
• Three million German troops were involved.
• Soviet leaders had ignored Allied warnings of a German attack.
• Initially, millions of Soviet soldiers surrendered.
• Germany expected a quick Soviet collapse, and therefore, its troops lacked winter equipment.
• The Soviets held Moscow and then forced the German army back, leading to the  Battle of Kursk and Germany's unconditional surrender.

References

Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:

• Kursk The greatest tank battle in history might have ended differently had it not been for the action in the air. | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
• Panzers, Beans, and Bullets | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
• Battle of Kursk (Military History) | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)

References from the Web:

• The Eastern Front- The National WW2 Museum
• JAN 2019 Living History: How -40° temperatures stopped Nazi Germany - Newscentre
• SEP 2019 Why the Eastern Front of World War II Was Hell- the National Interest
• FEB 2022 The eastern front in WW2: how it all went wrong for the Germans – History Extra

Source Information:  the United States Holocaust Museum

• Article Source:  the United States Holocaust Museum
• Media Check:  About the United States Holocaust Museum
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