Operation Barbarossa (June 22 – December 1941) was the codename for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during the Second World War (1939–1945). Conceived by Adolf Hitler (r. 1933–1945) as a war of conquest and ideology, it aimed to destroy the Soviet state, seize its vast resources, and eradicate communism and Slavic populations regarded as “inferior” under Nazi racial theory. The operation opened the largest land campaign in history, with more than three million Axis troops advancing along three major fronts toward Leningrad, Moscow, and Ukraine. Early German successes, such as the encirclements at Białystok-Minsk, Smolensk, and Kiev, inflicted catastrophic losses on the Red Army and brought German forces deep into Soviet territory.
Despite these initial victories, Operation Barbarossa failed to achieve its strategic objectives. Stretched supply lines, unexpected Soviet resilience, and the onset of the brutal Russian winter stalled the Wehrmacht’s advance before Moscow. The Soviet counteroffensive in December 1941 marked the collapse of Hitler’s plan for a quick victory and transformed the conflict into a long war of attrition on the Eastern Front. The invasion became a defining turning point of the Second World War, leading to immense destruction, the deaths of tens of millions, and the eventual downfall of the Third Reich.
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APA Style
Netchev, S. (2025, March 14). Map of Operation Barbarossa, June - December 1941. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20201/map-of-operation-barbarossa-june---december-1941/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Operation Barbarossa, June - December 1941." World History Encyclopedia, March 14, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20201/map-of-operation-barbarossa-june---december-1941/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Operation Barbarossa, June - December 1941." World History Encyclopedia, 14 Mar 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20201/map-of-operation-barbarossa-june---december-1941/.
