Transcript The Great Patriotic War, Part I

The Great
Patriotic War,
Part I
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Russian communism cannot be explained solely through
the internal logic of Russian history
It was a specifically Russian product of a global crisis, the
hallmark of which was the start of the Era of World Wars
The Russian Revolution was an act of rejection of the
World War logic – and of its capitalist roots
In the 1920s, under NEP, USSR experienced a brief
respite from global conflict - the Soviet state was tested for
its ability to serve society’s peaceful needs
In the 1930s, the logic of global war re-imposed itself
Preparation for war, not prosperity or freedom – and
capability to win as the main criterion of the state’s vitality
and strength
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If the essence of War Communism was to win the Russian
Civil War, the essence of Stalinism was to win in World
War II
Belief in the inevitability of war – of one kind or another
A sense of insecurity in the face of “capitalist encirclement”
Forced modernization was seen by Stalinists as the only
way for the Soviet Union to survive
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January 30, 1933:
Adolf Hitler is appointed Germany’s
Prime Minister, after the Nazi Party wins
a plurality of seats in a parliamentary
election
Interconnections between civil wars and interstate conflicts
 Fierce Left-Right struggles in European countries since
WWI, the lure and fear of revolution
 Stalinism in Russia as a new stage in the Russian civil
war: forced modernization to strengthen the state and
make it fit for the next round of interstate wars
 Fascism as a new stage in European Left-Right conflict:
to defeat the Left internally and externally
 Projection of the internal conflicts on interstate relations
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1933-39
Germany is transformed into a racist totalitarian
dictatorship
 Abolition of democracy, political repressions
 State terror against Jews
 State capitalism
 Massive rearmament
 Preparation for a war for world domination
 First aggressive moves against neighbours
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1938: Appeasement of Hitler, betrayal of
Czechoslovakia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAAqfS8lUQ&feature=related
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Hitler publicly and repeatedly pledged to destroy the Soviet
Union, billing himself as saviour of the West from
communism
As a state committed to world revolution, Russia was
viewed as a threat by Western elites
The rise of fascism was partly a response to the threat –
and anticommunism was one of the motives of Western
appeasement of Hitler
Stalin saw the prospect of a new world war as an
opportunity for the spread of communism: the WWI
template
But ultimately, WWII was not about revolution: it was an
interstate conflict of a traditional kind, similar to WWII,
waged on a global scale
Germany besieged: a Nazi propaganda poster
The geopolitical triangle: Axis powers (Germany,
Italy, Japan), USSR, Western democracies
(WDs)
Axis
WDs
USSR
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WDs hoped to channel Hitler’s aggression to the East,
toward conflict with Russia – reluctant to fight Germany
Hitler was determined to prevent WDs and USSR from
joining forces: beat them one by one
Stalin was determined to avoid war with Germany as long
as possible – but convinced that such a war was
inevitable
1939: A divergence of interests between USSR and WDs
– and a convergence of interests between Germany and
USSR
The unexpected deal was logical – but only temporary
Moscow, August 23, 1939: German Foreign Minister Joachim
von Ribbentrop signs non-aggression pact with Russia
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Secret Additional Protocol to the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
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Article I. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement in the areas
belonging to the Baltic States (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the northern
boundary of Lithuania shall represent the boundary of the spheres of influence
of Germany and U.S.S.R. In this connection the interest of Lithuania in the Vilna
area is recognized by each party.
Article II. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement of the areas
belonging to the Polish state, the spheres of influence of Germany and the
U.S.S.R. shall be bounded approximately by the line of the rivers Narev, Vistula
and San.
The question of whether the interests of both parties make desirable the
maintenance of an independent Polish States and how such a state should be
bounded can only be definitely determined in the course of further political
developments.
In any event both Governments will resolve this question by means of a friendly
agreement.
Article III. With regard to Southeastern Europe attention is called by the Soviet
side to its interest in Bessarabia. The German side declares its complete
political disinterestedness in these areas.
Article IV. This protocol shall be treated by both parties as strictly secret.
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Moscow, August 23, 1939.
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Stalin’s and
Ribbentrop’s
signature on the
secret map
establishing
division of
Eastern Europe
between USSR
and Nazi
Germany
Stalin offers a toast to Hitler
September 1, 1939: Nazi Germany invades Poland
German and Soviet invasions of Poland
Soviet and Nazi officers in occupied Poland, 1939
May 1940, Dunkirk: British troops evacuated from the continent
Hitler and his High Command after occupation of France, summer 1940
1940: Hitler
in occupied
Paris
Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, June 1940
1939-1941: growing tensions between USSR and Germany
 At first: division of the spoils. But then:
 Germany’s unexpected triumph in the West emboldens
Hitler
 Hitler’s strategic goal of conquering the USSR was never
abandoned – for geopolitical and ideological reasons
 Stalin expected the new war to generate a new wave of
revolutions – and intended to get involved
 By 1941, his fear of German power became the
overwhelming factor
 He was appeasing Hitler – and preparing for war against
him at the same time
 Each of the two intended to strike first
 Hitler outfoxed Stalin and delivered a crushing blow
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War of the Century, BBC
documentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
SVo-2jfeoMM&feature=related
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Operation Barbarossa
June 22, 1941
Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded
the USSR along an 1,800 mile front
Goals:
Total destruction of the Soviet state
 Colonization of the Soviet territory, together with
allies – Japan especially
 Enslavement of the population, turning the territory
into a resource base for the Third Reich
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Hitler explaining the future war against Russia, March
1941:
“It is a struggle between two ideologies… Communism
presents an enormous danger for the future. A communist
has never been and never will be our comrade. It is a
struggle for annihilation. If we think otherwise, then, even if
we should crush the enemy, the communist threat will rise
again in 30 years…
This war will be vastly different from the onw in the West. In
the East, brutality is a benefit for the future. Commanders
must be ready for sacrifice and overcome their doubts.”
From the diary of General F. Halder, Chief of Staff, Land
Forces, Germany
Nazi
propaganda
poster: SS
forces kill the
Red beast of
communism
German poster
depicting
Soviets: “The
lower race”
Soviet POWs
The Wehrmacht rolling down Ukraine: 1941
Invaders
General von Richthoffen in Russia with his officers
Celebrating success in Lightning War
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In the first 10 days, German armies moved 550 km into
Soviet territory
In the first 20 days of the war, the Red Army lost 1/5 of its
manpower – 600,000 men
By July, 20 mln. Soviets found themselves under
occupation. Nazi terror began.
Resistance
Redeployment of industry to the East
Victims of German occupation
Stubborn resistance
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The Battle of Moscow: September
1941 – January 1942
Moscow, October 1941
Women digging anti-tank moats near Moscow
Antitank barriers in downtown Moscow
November 7th, 1941: military parade in Red Square
Marshal
Georgi
Zhukov,
commander
of Soviet
forces in the
Battle of
Moscow
Women in the war: medics
Women in the war: pilots
Children workers assembling weapons
Partisans
Partisans
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General Guderian wrote in his journal: “The offensive on
Moscow failed…. We underestimated the enemy's
strength, as well as his size and climate. Fortunately, I
stopped my troops on December 5, otherwise the
catastrophe would be unavoidable."
Furious that his army had been unable to take Moscow,
Hitler dismissed his commander-in-chief on December 19,
1941, and took personal charge of the Wehrmacht,
effectively taking control of all military decisions and
setting most experienced German officers against him.
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The Battle of Moscow was the first Soviet
victory over Nazi Germany.
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Casualties in the battle of Moscow:
250,000 – 400,000 German
600,000 – 1,300,000 Soviet
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