THE EASTERN FRONT 1941–1945 By: Emily Donovan

INTRODUCTION  The Eastern front was a “war within a war” during World War II. Basically, Germany tried to take over Russia during a series of offensives.

THE EASTERN FRONT  Also known as the Soviet-German war  Russians called it the "Great Patriotic War"  June 22, May 9, 1945  Biggest front of World War 2, 1000 miles  German army suffered 80% of all casualties during  Torture and executions were used by both sides  Stalin orders “not a step back” which required a Russian rearguard to shoot any Soviet soldier that tried to leave battle  27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians and 4 million German troops lost their lives

WHY?  Germany- wanted “living space”  Fought to gain new territory for Germans in Eastern Europe  Germans would live there, as the “Master Race“  Previous inhabitants would be deported to Siberia or killed, a few would become slaves

MAJOR BATTLES  Operation Barbarossa  Battle For Moscow  Stalingrad  Battle of Kursk  Battle for Berlin

OPERATION BARBAROSSA  Nazi Germany’s invasion of Russia on June 22nd 1941  Barbarossa the largest military attack of World War Two  117 German divisions, excluding Romanian and Hungarian units  Russia -132 army divisions, including 34 armoured divisions  Day ,000 Russians had been captured

Operation Barbarossa

BATTLE FOR MOSCOW  Winter  Soviet- counter offensive  Started Dec 6, 1941  German army stopped for the first time- Moscow

Soviet counter-offensive: Winter 1941 Battle of Moscow, Second Battle of Kharkov, and Winter Campaign of 1941–1942

STALINGRAD  In mid-November of 1942 after a long period of successful takeovers, Hitler decided it was time to make a move to take over Russia  The German army started in the battle of Stalingrad with soldiers and in February of 1943 with only soldiers left German Forces surrendered  The bloodiest battle of World War 2, major defeat of German army

Stalingrad: Winter 1942

BATTLE OF KURSK  July 5 - August 23, 1943  German tanks prepare for a new attack on the Soviets-July 28, 1943  Germany didn’t succeed. The Soviets had built defences  Red Army now has the upper hand for the rest of the war  Last German offensive battle in the East

Battle of Kursk July 5 - August 23, 1943

THE BATTLE OF BERLIN  April- May  Soviet forces launched final offensive move toward Berlin  April 25. –Germany surrounded Soviet forces link up with Americans attacking from the west  In Berlin itself, heavy fighting occurred  April 30, 1945, Adolf Hitler commits suicide  Within days, Berlin falls to the Soviets  The German armed forces surrender in the west on May 7 and in the east on May 9, 1945  May 8, 1945, was proclaimed Victory Day in Europe

Soviet -Red Army Shooting at German airplanes Soviet white camouflage uniform for Winter Fighting from the ruins of a factory, Stalingrad Anti-tank gun crew

German Army Anti Tank GunMotorized artillery crossing river using a pontoon bridge “Tank graveyard” around 2000 tanks were put to rest hereGermans advance on Stalingrad, 1942

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