Operation Barbarossa (Red Beard)
- Initial attack on Russia (Breaking the Non-Agression Pact) June 22, 1941- led by Von Paulos (delayed)
- Stalin was warned but did nothing (caught off guard)
- First attacks masterful and Soviets pushed back
- Captured Leningrad/Kiev, 50 miles from Moscow
- Russians retreat to Moscow, scorched earth policy (burn everything to make sure Germans can't use it)
- Russian Winter hits, coldest in 50 years
- German machines all freeze because they aren't ready for Winter
- Thousands died from the cold
- Attack on Moscow failed (50 miles from Moscow is as far as they would ever get)
- Siberian soldiers and weather primary reason
Summary
Germans break non-aggression pact and invade Russia. Because they were delayed when bailing out the Italians (Operation Maritia) the Russian winter hit, resulting in a Russian victory.