1. Hitler Heads East
Operation Barbarossa

2. Hitler’s Plan
June, 1941
Frustrated after the Battle of Britain, Hitler sets his sights on Russia
Hitler sends 3 million soldiers and 3,500 tanks into Russia
He wants to conquer Russia and expand Germany into the east

3. Hitler’s Battle Plan

4. Success…At First The Russians are taken by surprise
They had signed a Non-Aggression Pact with Germany in 1939
Many Russian cities fall to German advances

5. Hitler Runs into Trouble
Hitler doesn’t want to repeat mistakes made by Napoleon
He wants to beat Russia quickly, but:
He doesn’t expect fighting to last into winter
He doesn’t expect the bad autumn conditions (rain, mud)
He underestimates Russia’s army and resources

6. Tables Turn November, 1942 German soldiers are freezing to death
Russians start winning battles
Battle of Stalingrad 
Russia won – February, 1943

7. Battle of Stalingrad
Most decisive but costly victory for the Soviet Union
German planes bombed the city and fought the Soviets building-to-building
Soviet forces outlasted and exhausted German troops and material
More than 1 million Soviet casualties
Almost the entire German Sixth Army perished

8. Another Loss for Hitler

9. Propaganda 1.) What is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing?”
2.) What do you think is the message of this propaganda poster?