Operation Barbarrosa

The beginning of the end for Hitler

That is the name given to the invasion of Russia from the Germany army. This is the beginning of the end of the expansion of Germany. This campaign starts on June of 1941, without prior declaration of war. It was a fast tactic similar to one developed in Poland.  This had as objective the city of Moscow and to reach the southern oil field of the Caucasus.

Hitler did not though about the strength of the winter that was starting in Russia during this time.  In November of 1941 the snow, the ice made the movement of vehicles and tanks almost impossible, making the Russians take advantage of this because they were already used to that kind of winter. Also because the Germans did not had the appropriate cloth in comparison of the Russians.

This winter was one of the coldest winters that have ever been in Russia. Al though the winter in Russia this one is considers one of the coldest. These conditions are similar to the ones who were developed when Napoleon tried to invade Russia because he wanted to convince the Tsar Alexander to submit once again to the terms of a treaty that Napoleon had imposed him four years earlier. But he did not could achieve it due to the same conditions the really cold winter that did not let them get more inside Russia so they plan fail.

The only difference with this situation is that Hitler did not give up but he did not realized that this was helping  the Russians so they could prepare their troops, construct defenses y finally stop the German invasion. Another thing that supported the Russians was the fact that while they were fighting in Europe with Germany, there was another fight in Pearl Harbor that involved Japan and USA. So the Russians took advantage that the Germans were sending forces to Hawaii.

During this winter the soviets counterattacked in every front, having with this just some successful battles and advancing just a few kilometers.

Zukov that was the one who was in charge of the counterattack. At first they throw their firsts attacks near Moscow hoping that the Germans would go away. Specially near Tula y Kalinin. First they just started to repel the Germans and when they reach this goal, they went to the next step that was to throw strikes form a zone that were near Tula and to the north of Viazma by direction to Smolensk with the objective of surrounded the German army on the zone near Rzhev and Viazma after taking does cities.

This winter is one of the most important causes of the failure of the Operation Barbarossa, because Germans were not prepare or aware of the strength of that kind of winter.

Written By: Eileen Gallagher