1. The Eastern Front during World War II
USSR

2. Nazi Germany – USSR conflict
Eastern Front in 1941
Operation Barbarossa
Siege of Leningrad
Battle of Moscow
Battle of Kursk
Propaganda
Symbols
Casualties
Consequences

3. Eastern Front in 1941 2900 km wide front 300-600 km inside the USSR
3.5 million soldiers captured
Major cities and industrial zones lost

4. Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941
Armies
Fronts
Northern => Baltic states => Leningrad
Central =>Moscow
South => Kiev

5. Statistics

6. The siege of Leningrad September 1 1941- August 9 1944
September 8, Leningrad was entirely blocked, siege began
Artillery bombardment took most victims until the first winter

7. The Hunger 1941-1942 2,500,000 people and thousands refugees
Lack of supplies
Vital goods sent to Moscow and Stalingrad
Power stations destroyed
Supply routes cut off
The Road of Life( road to closest city) and Lagoda lake
rarely during winter ice was thick enough to allow heavy transport

8. Survival Ratios bread given according to social status
Soldiers at frontline- 500 g
Workers- 250 g
Children- 125 g
Bread was 50% mixed
All cats and dogs eaten
Black market thrived
All wood, incl. furniture was burned

9. January 1944- Red Army entirely chased out German troops
End of Siege
January Red Army entirely chased out German troops
Consequences
Barbarossa plan was never accomplished
German invasion to the North was stopped

10. Battle of Moscow “Operation Typhoon”
At 5.30 a.m. on October 2, 1941 “Operation Typhoon” – the attack on Moscow finally started and ironically the weather was very good.
Hitler ordered units in other parts of the Russian campaign to be moved to Moscow
For the attack Field Marshall von Bock had at his disposal 1 million men, 1,700 tanks, 950 combat aircraft and 19,500 artillery guns – 50% of the German men in Russia nad 75% of all the tanks
To defend Moscow, the Russians had under 500,000 men, less than 900 tanks and about 300 combat planes.

11. The Tension continues to grow
1941, November –October Revolution Celebration
More information

12. Second German Assault
The second assault in the middle of November narrowed its target area but it was met with fierce Russian resistance
In 20 days the Germans lost 155,000 men while the Russians had 58 infantry and cavalry divisions in reserve
The Defense of Moscow 1941

13. Russian Counter-Offensive
Stalin himself made it clear to Zhukov that he expected a counter-attack to start on December 5th to the north of Moscow and on December 6th to the south.
These attacks proved extremely effective against an enemy who was hit hard by temperatures of minus 50 degrees Celsius
The Wermacht was pushed back between 60 and 155 miles in places and by January, 1942 the threat to Moscow had passed

14. The Battle of Kursk: Reasons and Preparation
After the defeat at Stalingrad, the German army had to continue its offence while there was no European front
A defeat of the Red Army would increase tension between the Allies
Preparation
The Red Army was advancing towards the German troops based at Orel and Khrakov; if not stopped they would completely surround the Germans
Germany planned the attack with great care and used all available resources to ensure victory
The Soviets captured German shock troopers and learned important details of the Nazi plan.
Through both army and civilian involvement, the Soviets created a strong defense line

15. Leadership Erich von Manstern From left to right:
Hitler gave support for the attack
“This offensive is of decisive importance. It must end in swift and decisive success. Every commander, every private soldier, must be indoctrinated with awareness of the decisive importance of this offensive. Victory at Kursk will be a beacon for the whole world.”
The German commander of the Kursk offence was Erich von Manstein
The Soviet defense of Kursk was given to two generals: Rokossovsky and Vatutin. In change of all, however, was Marshall Zhukov
Erich von Manstern
From left to right:
Zhukov, Rokossovsky, Vatutin

16. Soviet Commanders
Konstantin Rokossovsky (December 21, 1896 – August 3, 1968)
Born in Warsaw
He advocated the creation of strong armored core for the army
Victim of Stalin’s purge, but released as WWII broke
Played a key role in defending Moscow, together with Zhukov
Participated in Stalingrad
1943: Commander of Central Front and commander at Kursk
By 1944 became Marshall of the USSR
Fought in Belarus after and joined with forces of Montgomery
Nikolai Vatutin (December 16, 1901-April 14, 1944)
Born in Kursk province
Promoted to Lieutenant General during the Great Purge.
June 31: Commander of North-Western front.
Aided the defense of Leningrad, but ultimately failed.
Had a contributing role at Stalingrad.
In January 1943 was driving Germans out of Ukraine.
Commanded recapture of Khrakov.
On February 28th, 1944 was ambushed and died in hospital 6 weeks later
Praised tactician

17. The Battle

18. Consequences
The Battle of Kursk was a turning point for the course of WWII. It was the last major German offence at Eastern Front.
The German army was devastated: men were killed, wounded, or missing. 900 tanks and 200 airplanes were destroyed.
The Red Army had even greater losses: around 600,000 killed, wounded, or captured and more than 1000 tanks and airplanes destroyed.
"The three immense battles of Kursk, Orel and Kharkov, all in the space of two months, heralded the downfall of the German army on the Eastern Front."
Winston Churchill

19. Propaganda “For Stalin, for fatherland”
The Red Army was being stimulated for the cause and was taught to be ready for everything in the name of success
Manipulative propaganda (part of totalitarian ideology)
Propaganda mobilized the soldiers spiritually and helped them withstand the harsh conditions
Supported the battle spirit of the army
Most commonly used medium: radio
Other media: posters, rallies

20. Propaganda

21. Symbols
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(CPSU)

22. Casualties

23. Immediate Consequences after WWII
As a victorious nation, the USSR gained a lot of moral and political authority after the war.
The USSR was arguably considered the greatest and most realistic winner, because:
it fought ALONE on around a 2000 km long front with the Germans and won;
sustained the most casualties (30 million);
was ready for fighting on a second front with the Japanese (had 1 million soldiers on standby in the East).
USSR became one of the most powerful nations in the world.
Became one of the two remaining Great Powers (along with the USA).
USSR and USA “split” the world and the USSR dominated Eastern Europe => Communism spread in Eastern Europe
Gained support of not only the newly formed Socialistic Republics in Eastern Europe, but also of many “neutral” states.
Cold War

24. END