In the midst of darkness of the early Sunday morning on June 22, 1941, three million German soldiers marched into Russian territory launching the largest attack in the history of warfare and the last of the German blitzkriegs. Russia's initial shock allowed the German tanks to move more than fifty miles inside the Soviet Union by sundown. Stalin had received prior warning by both President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill of Hitler's plan to attack Russia, entitled "Operation Barbarossa", but refused to accept this fact because of an earlier agreement known as the Non-aggression Pact between Russia and Germany. It was not long after the attack that Stain reacted to eventually overthrow the German armies. Hitler's ideological crusade and its failure may ultimately be regarded as one of the most significant factors in Germany's eventual defeat. Hitler denied all factors going against his plan such as the delay of the Balkan campaign and he ignored his generals who advised him to not invade Russia. While the initial thrust was fast and rewarding, it still spread the German formations thin allowing the Russians to strike at the flanks of these columns. His st

Horne, Alistair. "The 5 worst military decisions of the 20th century." Forbes 156.10

If Hitler's plan for an invasion of the Soviet Union was to succeed he could not afford to have hostile forces operating on the southern flank in the Balkans. He initiated a campaign in the Balkans which became a success in itself but lasted longer than planned. Operation Barbarossa was originally set for May 15, 1941 but was delayed because of the extension of the Balkan campaign. The effects of this delay will appear later on when the Germans are faced with a Russian winter.

Weingartner, James. "War against subhumans: Comparison between the German War against the Soviet Union and the American War against Japan, 1941- 1945." Historian Spr. 1996: 557-581.

Bartov, O. "The Myths of the Wehrmacht." History Today Apr. 1992: 30-36.

Leckie, Robert. The Story of World War II. New York: Random, 1964.

for it. Hitler's over-confidence in the campaign taking only eight to ten weeks convinced him that most of the Army would be back home long before the arrival of winter. Therefore, winter clothing was ordered for only one-fifth of the invasion force. (Bethell, 24) The German soldiers were equipped with light clothing and accustomed to nothing like the bitter Russian winter. Weapons, food, and flesh froze. Still, Hitler said there would be no retreats. The Russians, however, were equipped for winter. The front-line troops held Germans at arm's length. Prevented by the Fuhrer's order from withdrawing and regrouping, German generals found it difficult to meet stiffening Russian resistance. The Nazis became sitting ducks as the Russians began their counterattack. A huge reserve of troops were being built up in the rear. On December 6, 1941, Marshal Georgi Ahukov sent the Soviet force surging forward against Germany. This sent the Germans back about 200 miles. (Leckie, 64-6)

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1403
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)