سه شنبه ۲۰ شهریور ۰۳ | ۲۱:۲۳ ۶ بازديد
Attack on the Soviet Union Although he had no
desire for a two-front war, Hitler became convinced
that Britain was remaining in the war only because it
expected Soviet support. If the Soviet Union was
smashed, Britain’s last hope would be eliminated.
Moreover, Hitler had convinced himself that the
Soviet Union had a pitiful army and could be
defeated quickly.
Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union was sched-
uled for the spring of 1941, but the attack was
delayed because of problems in the Balkans. Hitler
had already gained the political cooperation of Hun-
gary, Bulgaria, and Romania. However, the failure of
Mussolini’s invasion of Greece in 1940 had exposed
Hitler’s southern flank to British air bases in Greece.
To secure his Balkan flank, Hitler therefore seized
both Greece and Yugoslavia in April.
Reassured, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union on
June 22, 1941. He believed that the Russians could
still be decisively defeated before the brutal winter
weather set in.
The massive attack stretched out along a front
some 1,800 miles (about 2,900 km) long. German
troops advanced rapidly, capturing two million Rus-
sian soldiers. By November, one German army group
had swept through Ukraine. A second army was
besieging the city of Leningrad, while a third
approached within 25 miles (about 40 km) of Moscow,
the Soviet capital.
An early winter and fierce Soviet resistance, how-
ever, halted the German advance. Because of the
planned spring date for the invasion, the Germans
had no winter uniforms. For the first time in the war,
German armies had been stopped. A counterattack i
desire for a two-front war, Hitler became convinced
that Britain was remaining in the war only because it
expected Soviet support. If the Soviet Union was
smashed, Britain’s last hope would be eliminated.
Moreover, Hitler had convinced himself that the
Soviet Union had a pitiful army and could be
defeated quickly.
Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union was sched-
uled for the spring of 1941, but the attack was
delayed because of problems in the Balkans. Hitler
had already gained the political cooperation of Hun-
gary, Bulgaria, and Romania. However, the failure of
Mussolini’s invasion of Greece in 1940 had exposed
Hitler’s southern flank to British air bases in Greece.
To secure his Balkan flank, Hitler therefore seized
both Greece and Yugoslavia in April.
Reassured, Hitler invaded the Soviet Union on
June 22, 1941. He believed that the Russians could
still be decisively defeated before the brutal winter
weather set in.
The massive attack stretched out along a front
some 1,800 miles (about 2,900 km) long. German
troops advanced rapidly, capturing two million Rus-
sian soldiers. By November, one German army group
had swept through Ukraine. A second army was
besieging the city of Leningrad, while a third
approached within 25 miles (about 40 km) of Moscow,
the Soviet capital.
An early winter and fierce Soviet resistance, how-
ever, halted the German advance. Because of the
planned spring date for the invasion, the Germans
had no winter uniforms. For the first time in the war,
German armies had been stopped. A counterattack i
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