Operation Barbarosa

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Operation Barbarosa German invasion of Russia
THE ROAD TO MOSCOW The Nazi-Soviet pact was
signed on August 23, 1939. In the pact an
anti-communist Germany came to terms with the
USSR to open an opportunity for the invasion of
Poland. The Soviets, who could not negotiate an
agreement with the British and/or French decided
to protect themselves by dealing with the Nazis
directly. World War II began within weeks with
the German invasion of Poland. The pact was
broken when the Germans invaded the USSR in June,
1941.
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HEINZ GUDERIAN (1888-1954) Heinz Guderian was a
German military strategist who developed the
Blitzkrieg, and was a primary proponent of tank
warfare. He was made chief of German mobile
troops in 1938. Guderian's tactics were
extremely successful during the invasion of
Poland (September 1938). The strategy was also
pivotal during the German invasion of France in
1940. Guderian was put in charge of the German
invasion of Russia, known as "Operation
Barbarosa". He is Known for having many
disagreements with Adolph Hitler with
regards to strategy.
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June 22, 1941. Operation BARBAROSSA begins. Over
3 million German soldiers and 3300 tanks cross
the Russian border. The Wehrmarcht (German Army)
is organized into three Army Groups . Facing them
is the world's largest army comprised of 230
divisions of 14,000 men each, with 20,000 tanks
(many obsolete.) The Russian Army is organized
into four Military Districts. The greatest land
war in recorded history began at 3.30 a.m. on 22
June 1941, the day after the 129th anniversary of
Napoleans attack on Russia in 1842. June 23.
The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) destroys over
2,000 Red Air Force aircraft. Many are caught on
the ground in the first hours of the assault. The
numerically strongest air force in the world is
wiped out in 48 hours. The Commander of Russian
Aviation, General Rychagov, is given the death
sentence for "treasonable activity" (i.e.
defeat.)
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June 28. The Wehrmarcht captures Minsk, having
advanced over 200 miles in a week. 15 Russian
divisions are surrounded, and later surrender.
July 3. Stalin calls for scorched earth policy
in radio broadcast. (Destroy everything to deny
the enemy use of it.) July 10. Germans cross
Dnieper River. Guderian, the most aggressive
German general, wishes to push on. Kluge, his
superior, orders him to wait for the infantry
to catch up. Guderian convinces him to allow
further penetration, but Kluge worries, "your
operations always hang by a thread."
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"Winter brought with her the rains, oceans of mud
filled the roads ..." Guderian noted that it
started to snow on October 6, and reported that
it was STILL snowing on October 12. By November
he was reporting severe cases of frostbite, and
no sign of winter clothing from headquarters.
"In the footsteps of Napoleon the shadow figures
stagger through the winter ..." General
Blumentritt wrote "With amazement and
disappointment we discovered in late October and
early November that the beaten Russians seemed
quite unaware that as a military force they had
almost ceased to exist." On December 4 Guderian
noted that the Second Panzer Army's drive to
Moscow had been halted. The temperature had
fallen to 31 below zero, and this was causing the
ill-prepared German troops hardships. On December
5 the temperature had fallen another 5 degrees.
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On December 6 General Georgi Zhukov unleashed 100
divisions of troops equipped and trained for the
harsh conditions on the German invaders. For
weeks afterwards the Germany army retreated,
their front lines constantly pierced by Soviet
troops. German military leaders could not help
but compare their situation to that of Napoleon's
defeated Grand Army, 130 years earlier.
"Falling back before the gates of Moscow
..." On December 5 the Germans had been stopped
everywhere along a 200 mile semi-circular front
around Moscow. By evening Guderian was notifying
Bock that he had to pull back.
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BATTLE OF STALINGRAD The Battle of Stalingrad
was a pivotal Soviet victory. It stopped
Germany's advance to the east. The German battle
plan for 1942 moved away from Moscow towards the
oil fields of the Caucasus and the warm water
ports on the Caspian sea. In early July 90
divisions of German troops set out towards
Stalingrad. The Germans crossed the Don on August
22-23, but were delayed in their advance by the
Soviet 1st and 62nd Armies. By the end of
September, however, the Germans had a foothold in
Stalingrad. On November 23 a two-pronged Soviet
counterattack surrounded the German 6th Army.
Hitler forbade a German retreat, and declared
that Stalingrad would become a "fortress", and
would be supplied by air. Neither idea was
feasible.
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An assembled panzer corps attempted to relieve
the 6th Army in Stalingrad. The corps drove
north, but by November 19 was halted by the
Soviet 2nd and 51st Armies 20 miles from
Stalingrad. By this time the German 6th Army
was in no condition to retreat in any case. The
troops were frozen and starved, and their
vehicles only had fuel for 20 miles. Germany
held Stalingrad for another 6 weeks, until Field
Marshall Friedreich von Paulus surrendered with
his whole army on February 2, 1943. During the
battle the 6th Army lost approximately 150,000
troops. Of the 91,000 Germans who became
prisoners of war only a few returned to Germany
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Stalingrad 1942
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As the Russians push the Germans back, General
Guderain shows his genius by making the Russians
pay dearly and in blood for every mile they
re-took. He had a knack for figuring out exactly
when the Russians would attack and could
anticipate the start of the ever present
artillery barrage preceding the attack. Just
hours before the artillery began, he moved his
forces back about 2 kilometers and waited. As
soon as the artillery barrage lifted to allow the
Russian troops to advance, Guderians forces
rushed back into their prepared defenses and
exacted a heavy toll on the Russians. This
maneuver was done again and again and was
technically a violation of Hitlers decree not to
retreat, but it worked, allowing the Russians to
hit an empty pocket, then walk into an ambush.
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On April 16, Zhukov launched a final
attack on Berlin. By the end of the month they
had reached the center of the city. German
civilians and troops, expecting revenge from the
Soviets, rushed to surrender to American and
British troops in the city.
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Russian Campaign Time Line Oct 2, 1941 -
Operation Typhoon begins (German advance on
Moscow). Oct 16, 1941 - Germans take Odessa.
Dec 5, 1941 - German attack on Moscow is
abandoned. Dec 6, 1941 - Soviet Army launches a
major counter-offensive around Moscow. July 9,
1942 - Germans begin a drive toward Stalingrad in
the USSR. Sept 13, 1942 - Battle of Stalingrad
begins. Nov 19, 1942 - Soviet counter-offensive
at Stalingrad begins. Jan 10, 1943 - Soviets
begin an offensive against the Germans in
Stalingrad. Feb 2, 1943 - Germans surrender at
Stalingrad in the first big defeat of Hitler's
armies.
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Russian Campaign Time Line Feb 8, 1943 - Soviet
troops take Kursk. Dec 24-26 - Soviets launch
offensives on the Ukrainian front. Jan 6, 1944 -
Soviet troops advance into Poland. March 4, 1944
- Soviet troops begin an offensive on the
Belorussian front First major daylight bombing
raid on Berlin by the Allies. Jan 17, 1945 -
Soviet troops capture Warsaw. Jan 26, 1945 -
Soviet troops liberate Auschwitz. April 16, 1945
- Soviet troops begin their final attack on
Berlin Americans enter Nuremberg. April 21,
1945 - Soviets reach Berlin.
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Important Points of Operation Barbarosa 1.
Hitler under estimates the time needed to deal
with the Russians, armies get caught in the
Russian winter. 2. The addition of the Eastern
Front put Germany in the position that made a 2
front war possible. (British and American in the
West, Soviets in the East), something they had
been trying to avoid in previous wars. 3. The
Eastern front (Russia) tied up valuable resources
(men, equipment etc) that could have been used in
North Africa, Italy or to defend the Western
Front (France). 4. The Russians did the same
thing to Hitlers armies as they did 130 years
before to Napoleons. Fall back, and suck the
invaders in, then let the winter become their
ally.
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Allied Invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch)
Landings begin with U.S. Army landing in Morocco
on 8 November 1942, Followed by landing of the
British First Army in Algeria from 10 to 17
November. The plan was to trap the German Army
Afrika Korps led by General Rommel between the
two forces. At the battle of Kasserine Pass, the
Germans out maneuvered nad out fought the
Americans, who suffered 7000 casualtie4s and lost
over 2200 tanks. (Not a good day)
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U.S. Operation Torch Invasion Fleet
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(Operation Torch)
General Eisenhower, the U.S. commander, fired the
general responsible for the Kasserine Pass
failure and replaced him with General
Patton. General Patton was a much more
aggressive and dynamic leader who dared to take
risks and usually won. Under his leadership, the
Americans and the British under field Marshal
Bernard Law Montgomery, push the Germans
back. The Germans surrender on 13 May 1943.
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Gen. George S. Patton
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Here is his mission statement for the Third Army
I don't want to get any messages saying that "we
are holding our position." We're not holding
anything! Let the Hun do that. We are advancing
constantly and we're not interested in holding on
to anything except the enemy. We're going to hold
on to him by the nose and we're going to kick him
in the ass.
A good plan violently executed now is better
than a perfect plan executed next week. George
S. Patton The object of war is not to die for
your country but to make the other bastard die
for his. George S. Patton
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German Commander of Afrika Korps General Erwin
Rommel
Known as the Desert Fox
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British general Bernard Law Montgomery Hero of El
Alamein
The Battle of El Alamein turned the tide in
North Africa, and the Germans were pushed all the
way back to Tunisa.
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Allied Invasions of Sicily and Italy
Led by the same players (Patton and Montgomery)
British and American troops land on Sicily on 10
July 1943. By 18 August, the Germans evacuated
the island. The attack on Sicily caused a crisis
in the Italian government. The King on Italy
places Mussolini (El Duce) under arrest and
secretly negotiates for with the Allies for
Surrender. 8 September, the Italian government
surrenders, but the Germans keep fighting. 9
September, Allied troops land at Salerno. German
troops seize control of Northern Italy and place
Mussolini back in power.
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Allied Invasions of Sicily and Italy
It took the Allies 5 months to break through at
Anzio and Cassino In May 1944, the Germans begin
retreating. The Allies liberate Rome. Fighting
continued until 2 May 1945.
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Bombing the Monastery at Monte Cassino
Founded in 529 by St. Benedict of Nursia, it was
home to the Benedictine Order. Three times it had
been destroyed, by the Lombards in 590, the
Saracens in 884, and by an earthquake in 1349.
Each time it had been rebuilt from the ashes of
its ruin. Now the American commanders believed it
was being used by the Germans as a fortress to
turn back the 5th Army's advance.
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Entering Rome