Transcript 2012 World War Two information

Long Term origins
Despite the wariness of Nazi Germany to building
relations with Russia the Treaty of Berlin was
renewed, but the Nazi regime remained antiCommunist
The Treaty of Berlin stated that each country would
remain neutral if either was attacked by a third power
From 1933 onwards, Russia became concerned that
Germany intended to expand into other countries
This fear was made worse in 1934 when Poland and
Germany signed a non aggression pact
Poland’s proximity to Russia caused concern, with a
fear that Germany and Poland would combine forces
for invasion
The League of Nations
Russia responded by ending all Polish and
Baltic non-aggression treaties, showing it’s
willingness to fight against Eastern European
countries if provoked
Russia and Japan’s admittance to the
League of Nations in 1934 with Germany’s
opting out added to the tensions
In 1935, a German-Soviet trade agreement
was formed, again in an attempt to improve
relations, but this was countered by defence
treaties with France and Czechoslovakia
The Spanish Civil War
Stalin supported the Spanish government
against their struggle with Franco, yet there
were problems in deciding the level of
support to send:


NKVD provided military and technical advisers
Backing given to the establishment of anti-fascist
brigades
This limited support did not upset Hitler and
strengthened western fascism by preventing
a quick victory for Franco
Hitler still moved forward in his alliance with
Italy and Japan
Anschluss with Austria, 1938
Stalin viewed the Anschluss as Germany’s
increasing challenge to Russian security
Tensions were further threatened by anti-Soviet
feelings towards Stalin’s purges in Britain and
France and Stalin’s anti-appeasement views.
Russia’s exclusion from the Munich Peace
Conference of 1938 (which allowed Germany to
take over the Sudetenland) added to tensions
Stalin then began to bargain with the Nazis, reestablishing trade links
Stalin justified this by stating the Russia was
strong enough to resist invasion
The Nazi Soviet pact
The invasion of the Sudetenland caused France
and Britain to promise Poland support if they were
invaded
Hitler now faced a war on two fronts and was
pressurised into making a pact
Both sides agreed that they would remain neutral
if either was victim of ‘belligerent action by a third
power’

Lithuania, west Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and
Bessarabia were placed under Soviet influence
The party was split by the pact, as it represented a
deal with the fascists, but did allow Russia time to
prepare for an invasion of Germany.
Short Term origins
Following Germany’s invasion of Poland,
France and Britain declared war on Germany
The Nazi-Soviet pact meant the period 193941 was one of neutrality between the two
powers
Russia did however move troops to the West
to protect against potential invasion from
Germany
Finland refused to allow Soviet troops to be
stationed on its land
The Winter War
The resulting conflict between Russia and
Finland highlighted Russia’s military
weaknesses, with 50 000 dying
Finland allowed troops, and Russia then
took control of all other Baltic states by the
summer of 1940
Dissidents were executed, as shown in the
Katyn Forest massacre where 5000 Polish
officers were executed by the red Guard.
The coming of war
Germany’s victories in Denmark, Norway,
the Netherlands, Belgium and France, as
well as the signing of the Tripartite Pact
(with Germany, Italy and Japan) and
German defeat in the Battle of Britain
caused fears of an invasion to grow
Operation Barbarossa
Hitler approved plans for invasion in
December 1940
The attack finally started on 22 June 1941
Operation Barbarossa
What is it and why it happened?
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for
Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during
World War 2.
It begun on the 22 June 1941.
Operation Barbarossa was the largest military
operation in human history in both manpower
and casualties.
Its failure was a turning point in the Third
Reich's fortunes.
Over 3.9 million troops of the Axis powers
invaded the USSR along a 1,800 mile front.
Regions covered by the operation became
the site of some of the…
largest battles
deadliest atrocities
highest casualties
most horrific conditions for Soviets and
Germans alike.
Initial Soviet defeats
The Red Army and air force were so badly defeated in 1941 chiefly
because they were ill prepared for the Axis surprise attack.
By 1941 the Germans were the most experienced and best-trained
troops in the world for the rapid, blitzkrieg-style warfare that
encompassed the Eastern Front during the second half of 1941.
The Soviet armed forces, by contrast, lacked leadership, training,
and readiness.
The officer corps of the Red Army had been decimated by Stalin's
Great Purge of 1936–1938, and their replacements, appointed by
Stalin for political reasons, often lacked military competence.
Soviet tactical errors in the first few weeks of the offensive proved
catastrophic. Initially, the Red Army was fooled by overestimation of
its own capabilities.
The German forces captured 3 million Soviet POWs, most of them
never returned alive.
But the Germans went too far, got too cold
and froze.
Hitler's plans failed before the onset of
severe winter weather. He was so confident
of quick victory that he did not prepare for
even the chance of winter warfare.
WW2-Russia, factors of
victory
Operation Barbarossa
Barbarossa
22nd June 1941- Germany initiates
Operation Barbarossa which began
Germany’s war against Russia
It saw the non-aggression pact between
Russia and Germany broken only 6
months after it was signed
A front which stretched to nearly 3000km
the Germans invaded upon- with 600’000
vehicles and 4 million men
Plan of attack
After Victory in Eastern Europe, Germany turned its
military might towards Russia and its Bolshevik rulers
(which Hitler and despised openly)
He believed it would take 4 years for Russia to be fully
mobilised for war
The plan was seen as the largest invasion of a
foreigner power in the history of warfare.
With Germany’s resources starting to dwindle invading
Russia would provide a work force and large amount
of natural resources (oil fields and other materials) cut
out a great threat meaning, Hitler could then deal with
the British and American troops which lay in the west.
The attack
On the 22nd of June the artillery and air
force began to bomb Russian towns,
supply lines and Russian defences.
Infantry regiments then pushed the
weakened holes in the Russian defence.
There were 3 main thrusts: One toward
Leningrad (north), one to Moscow (centre)
and one towards Kiev and Rostov (south)
The German Advance 1941
Initial Victory's
By November Leningrad had been cut off
and surrounded by German troops
Kiev in German hands
And Moscow in range of the German
shells
2 million Russian soldiers captured
Russian Winter
Wasn’t long into the Russian Winter when the
Germans realised that the invasion had gone
on for too long.
German vehicles began to freeze in degrees
dropping to minus 40 degrees
The army had not been equipped with winter
clothing and soon the army slowed and
progressed to a halt
When the realised the implications the
Germans made a desperate but futile attempt
to seize Moscow
Moscow
Stalin had stayed in Moscow while his
Government retreated on the TranSiberian line, while fresh troops were
being transported in when it came obvious
that Japan were going to attack America
and not Russia
By the end of December Russia pushed
German troops away from the capital.
Battle of Stalingrad
‘Not one step back’
Background
Despite the failure of Operation Barbarossa
to wipe out the Soviet forces, the war was
going well for the Nazis.
The Battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 February 1943)
The battle of Stalingrad was a decisive
military encounter that stopped the German
advance and changed the tides of the war.
Why?
The main objective of the Nazi offensive in
the summer of 1942 were to oil field in
Baku.
Who’s seizure would have deprived
Russia and the rest of the soviet union of
their principle fuel supply.
Failures
The soviets lost control of nine-tenths of
the city.
750,000 live lost
Whole city destroyed
Successes
See this page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalin
grad
http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa
ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943
stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear
http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?pa
ge=subject&show=video&SubjectID=1943
stalingrad&Year=1943&navi=byYear
http://www.freeonlinegames.com/game/sta
lingrad
Stalingrad
The Location of Stalingrad.
The Battle of Stalingrad.
The battle of
Stalingrad was the
largest and most
brutal battles on the
Eastern Front.
It marked a turning
point in the war, as
the tide turned
against the nazis.
The battle lasted from
23 August 1942 to 2
February 1943.
It was a decisive
Soviet victory.
Hitler needed a swift,
decisive victory, to
beat Russia before
the USA fully
mobilised their troops.
He also wanted the oil
which was located in
the Caucasus.
The Scorched Earth
Policy
Anna Macdonald
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or
operational method which involves destroying
anything that might be useful to the enemy while
advancing through or withdrawing from an area.
Although initially referring to the practice of burning
crops to deny the enemy food sources, in its modern
usage the term includes the destruction of
infrastructure such as shelter, transportation,
communications and industrial resources.
Russian Scorched Earth Policy
The scorched earth policy happened on the 22nd June
1941, while the Soviet Union was in the grips of a vicious
war with Nazi Germany.
When the Germans invaded the soviet union, the Soviet
troops had to retreat. To make sure that the land could not
be used by the advancing Germans, the Soviets destroyed
everything of possible use to the Germans. This includedbridges, railways, buildings,poisoned water supplies etc. It
was not expected by the Germans and severely hindered
their armies.
Was this policy successful?
YES
Created serious problems for advancing German troops,
who needed food, ammo, and shelter.
Potentially stopped the invasion going further as a full
invasion would take years and this would be impossible
after the destruction of the areas that the Germans
occupied
NO
Severely damaged some of the only fertile land in
Russia, leading to food shortages.
Severely damaged the standard of living in the
areas affected, due to destroyed infrastructure
Stalin Speech
“the red army, the red navy, and all citizens of
the Soviet union must defend every inch of
Soviet soil, must fight to the last drop of blood
for our towns and villages…” – contradictory as
they are running away and burning the areas?
“the enemy must not be left a single engine,
railway truck, pound of grain or gallon of fuel” endorsing the destruction of Soviet
infrastructure.
The Battle of Leningrad
•
The Siege of Leningrad, also known as the Leningrad Blockade was a
prolonged military operation resulting from the failure of the German Army
Group North to capture Leningrad, (Saint Petersburg) in the Eastern Front
of World War II.
•
The siege started on 8 September 1941, when the last land connection to
the city was severed.
•
Although the Soviets managed to open a narrow land corridor to the city
on 18 January 1943, lifting of the siege took place on 27 January 1944,
872 days after it began.
•
It was one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history and
overwhelmingly the most costly in terms of casualties.
•
The capture of Leningrad was one of three strategic goals in the German
Operation Barbarossa and the main target of Army Group North. The
strategy was motivated by Leningrad's political status as the former capital
of Russia and the symbolic capital of the Russian Revolution, its military
importance as a main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and its industrial
strength, housing numerous arms factories( By 1939 the city was
responsible for 11% of all Soviet industrial output).
• During the first year of the siege, the city
survived five food reductions: two
reductions in September 1941, one in
October 1941, and two reductions in
November 1941.
• Workers received 500 grams of bread;
employees and children, 300 grams;
and dependants, 250 grams. Rations of
meat and goats were also reduced, but
the issue of sugar, confectionery and
fats was increased instead.
• Reports of cannibalism began to appear
in the winter of 1941–1942, birds, rats
and pets were also eaten.
• Starvation-level food rationing was
eased by new vegetable gardens that
covered most open ground in the city by
1942.
•
The Nazis cut almost all supplies to Leningrad, almost all food and
catering disappeared, garment industries and retail closed.
•
Most schools as well as most public services became obsolete,
causing massive migration of women and children.
•
During all three winters of the siege of Leningrad, 1941–1942, 1942–
1943, and 1943–1944, water pipelines were constantly destroyed by
the aerial bombing and artillery bombardments. Women were
searching for water under the icy ground at the time when they were
struggling to survive in besieged Leningrad. During the siege, three
cold winters were the time of the highest mortality rates among the
civilian population. Tens of thousands of civilians froze to death in
Leningrad.
•
Due to a lack of power supplies, many factories were closed down
and, in November, all public transportation services became
unavailable. The construction of pre-war designed metro system was
stopped, and some unfinished tunnels were used as public shelters
during aerial bombing and artillery bombardments.
•
In the spring of 1942, some tramway lines were reactivated, but
trolleybuses and buses were inoperable until the end of the war.
•
Use of power was forbidden everywhere, except at the General Staff
headquarters, Smolny, district committees, air defence bases, and in
some other institutions.
•
Resistance of surviving civilian population of Leningrad provided
crucial support for military operations during the battle of Leningrad.
The total number of civilian volunteers helping the military is estimated
equal to the number of civilians left in the city - about 500,000 people,
all of them were taking shifts at "day watch" and "night watch" to
prevent fires and destruction from air-bombings and artillery
bombardment.
•
The Nazis had a special intelligence unit that operated in secrecy,
focused on causing more death and destruction in Leningrad through
sabotage to destroy the morale and spirit of its citizens. Water and
food supplies were often found poisoned and infected by the Nazi
spies infiltrating into the city.
•
Volunteer militia brigades were involved in assisting civilians, mainly
women and children at the time when they were struggling to survive.
15,000 children were decorated for their courage in military operations
during the siege of Leningrad.
•
The two-and-a-half year siege caused the greatest destruction and the
largest loss of life ever known in a modern city. On Hitler's express
orders, most of the palaces of the Tsars and other historic landmarks
located outside the city's defensive perimeter were looted and then
destroyed. A number of factories, schools, hospitals and other civil
infrastructure were destroyed by air raids and long range artillery
bombardment.
•
The 872 days of the siege caused unparalleled famine in the Leningrad
region through disruption of utilities, water, energy and food supplies.
This resulted in the deaths of up to 1,500,000 soldiers and civilians and
the evacuation of 1,400,000 women and children - many of whom died
during evacuation due to starvation and bombardment. The
Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery alone in Leningrad holds half a
million civilian victims of the siege.
•
Economic destruction and human losses in Leningrad on both sides
exceeded those of the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Moscow, or the
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The siege of Leningrad is
the most lethal siege in world history, and some historians speak of the
siege operations in terms of genocide, as a "racially motivated starvation
policy" that became an integral part of the unprecedented German war of
extermination against populations of the Soviet Union.
•
In January–February 1942, about 700–1,000 citizens died every day, most
of them from hunger. People often died on the streets, and citizens soon
became accustomed to the sight of death.
Leningrad
Some basic facts
3 million people lived in Leningrad before
the siege, around 1 million of these people
died.
German and Finnish troops surrounded
the city in September 1941 and the siege
lasted, unsuccessfully for them, for two
and a half years with the city being
isolated from the rest of Russia.
Causes
The capturing of Leningrad was one of the three goals of
Operation Barbarossa.
It was important in terms of the military because it was
the main base of the Soviet Baltic Fleet and was
responsible , by 1939, for 11% of all Soviet industrial
output.
Defence of the City
On 27 June 1941, the Council of Deputies of the
Leningrad administration organised "First response
groups" of civilians. In the next days the entire civilian
population of Leningrad was informed of the danger and
over a million citizens were mobilised for the construction
of fortifications. Lines of defence were built around the
city to defend it including timber barricades, wire
entanglements, anti-tank ditches, earth-and-timber
emplacements, reinforced concrete weapon
emplacements and open trenches.
Course
The Germans were constantly trying to get into the city and
managed to isolate it from the rest of Russia, with the only point of
entry being across Lake Ladgoda.
The Germans could still not break through and so came up with a
new strategy – starving the city into surrender.
This starvation meant that not only was there rationing but it was
reduced 5 times during the course of the siege and substitutes were
constantly being used.
Constantly the danger of enemy bombs but still life went on fairly
normally in Leningrad.
To sustain the defence of the city, it was vitally important for the Red
Army to establish a route for bringing a constant flow of supplies into
Leningrad. This route was effected over the southern part of Lake
Ladoga, by means of watercraft during the warmer months and land
vehicles driven over thick ice in winter.
By November the lake froze over, meaning that trucks
could drive over and deliver small quantities of food.
Though this lead to some casualties the amount of food
in the city slowly started to grow.
Lifting the Siege
The siege continued until 27 January 1944, when the
Soviet Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive expelled
German forces from the southern outskirts of the city.
This was a combined effort by the Leningrad and
Volkhov Fronts, along with the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts.
The Baltic Fleet provided 30% of aviation power for the
final strike against the Wehrmacht. In the summer of
1944, the Finnish Defence Forces were pushed back to
the other side of the Bay of Vyborg and the Vuoksi River.
Russian Victory and the
Liberation of Berlin
Background
Between June and September 1944, the Wehrmacht had lost
more than a million men, and lacked the fuel and armaments
needed to operate effectively.
The Russians had been able to push the Germans back and
were looking to fulfil two objectives: push further west to
obtain more territorial control and to take Berlin – where not
only Hitler, but also German nuclear research could be taken.
Stalin was aware that the Allies wouldn’t give Russia any
additional land upon the end of the war, and so wanted to
take as much territory as possible
Berlin was always the main objective though, as western
Germany could only be effectively taken after its fall.
The Seelow Heights
The sector in which most of the fighting took place was the
Seelow Heights, the last major defensive line outside Berlin.
The Battle of the Seelow Heights was fought from 16 April until
19 April. Almost one million Red Army troops and more than
20,000 tanks and artillery pieces were deployed to break
through the Berlin “gates” which were defended by about
100,000 German soldiers and 1,200 tanks and guns. The
Soviet forces (led by Zhukov) broke through the defensive
positions, having suffered about 30,000 casualties. The
Germans lost 12,000 personnel.
Encirclement of Berlin
On 20 April, Hitler's birthday, Soviet artillery of the 1st Belorussian Front
began to shell Berlin and did not stop until the city surrendered: the
weight of ordnance delivered by Soviet artillery during the battle was
greater than the tonnage dropped by Western Allied bombers on the
city.
Meanwhile, ground troops encircled Berlin, ready to envelop the
German Army.
The German IX Army was surrounded in south-east Berlin. German
troops returning to Berlin from the Western Front were cut off, and the
consolidation of Berlin was complete.
Battle of Berlin
The forces available to General Weidling for
the city's defence included roughly 45,000
soldiers - in several severely depleted
German Army and Armed SS divisions.
These divisions were supplemented by the
police force, boys in (the compulsory) Hitler
Youth, and the Volkssturm. Many of the
40,000 elderly men of the Volkssturm had
been in the army as young men and some
were veterans of World War I.
Battle for the Reichstag
Russian Victory and
the Liberation of
Berlin
What was it?
The Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation was
the final major offensive of the Second World
War in Europe.
The Soviet Union blazed through Nazi
occupied Europe, finally arriving at
Germany’s Eastern Front.
In short, the Russians captured Berlin and
won the war.
The objective was to capture Berlin but also
to meet the Allies as far west as possible in
order to capture as much German land as
possible.
What happened?
There were many, many battles in and
around Berlin.
Eventually, the Russians took control.
Luckily for the Russians, US General
Dwight D. Eisenhower decided not to
bother trying to take Berlin. He feared that
excessive friendly fire would take place if
he did.
Deaths
At the time, the Soviets said 458,080
Germans were killed and 479,298
captured. These figures were based on
‘kill claims’.
German research since then has shown
the actual number to be closer to 92,000
or 100,000, with 125,000 civilian
casualties.
"The Soviets battled the German soldiers and
drafted civilians street by street until we could
hear explosions and rifle fire right in our
immediate vicinity. As the noise got closer,
we could even hear the horrible guttural
screaming of the Soviet soldiers which
sounded to us like enraged animals.”
“[After the surrender] there was no radio or
newspaper, so vans with loudspeakers drove
through the streets ordering us to cease all
resistance.
Victory
Russians celebrated ‘Victory Day’ on 9
May 1945, and have celebrated it ever
since.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9fqc
FijUA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBwzjc
DUy6Q