Social Studies 10 Lessons 📖

By: Gen L

In partnership with Hyperion University, 2023

Lesson 7: The Eastern Front

The East

  • With the 1939 Nazi-Soviet Pact before the war, both Germany and the Soviets agreed not to attack eachother.
  • This saved Hitler from a second front, but gave Stalin time to prepare.
  • Summer, 1941, Hitler grew suspicious of Stalin
  • He decided to invade the USSR sooner than he planned. (catastrophic mistake)
  • This decision would cost him the war.

Operation Barbarossa

  • June, 1941, German armies invaded the Soviet Union.
  • Known as Operation Barbarossa (Red Beard)
  • Germans move swiftly, with great success.
  • The Russians retreated, burning anything of use (Scorched Earth)
  • Germans laid siege to Leningrad (present-day St. Petersburg)
  • By Christmas, the Germans could see the outskirts of Moscow

Soviet Upper Hand

  • Working against the Germans was the fact the 1941-1942 winter was the worst. Lethally worst.
  • Germans were ahead of their ability of their ability to supply the troops.
  • They pushed south, to the Caucasus oil fields.
  • Russians made a stand at Stalingrad
  • Early 1943, after 300k+ casualties, The Germans surrendered.
  • Soviets went on the offensive, pushing west to Berlin.

Next Lesson