The USSR in World War II

London: monument to Roosevelt and Churchill

The Big Three: Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin at Yalta, Feb.1945

The ultimate test of the Russian battle order has usually been war

The Romanov Empire failed that test in WWI – and fell By the time of the next test – WWII, the Russian state was

transformed into a more formidable machine The “socialist” organization of the country was aimed at

making the state more militarily capable A similar logic unfolded in Italy and Germany under

different forms of “socialism” They talked of “socialism”, but they meant winning world

wars

If the essence of War Communism was to win the Russian civil war, the essence of Stalinism was to win in World War II

Belief in the inevitability of war – of one kind or another The slide to war

Forced modernization The Great Terror of 1937-38 Skirmishes in the 1930s: China, Spain Diplomatic maneuvers in 1934-39: attempts to contain the

fascist powers, then a non-aggression pact with Hitler

Global civil war and interstate conflict Fierce Left-Right struggles in European countries since

WWI, the lure and fear of revolution Stalinism in Russia as a new stage in the Russian civil

war: forced modernization to strengthen the state and make it fit for the next round of interstate wars

Fascism as a new stage in European Left-Right conflict: to defeat the Left internally and externally

Projection of the internal conflicts on interstate relations The Spanish Civil War Appeasement: betrayal of Czechoslovakia The fall of democracies across Europe due to both

internal (Left vs. Right) and external (actions of Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union)

The geopolitical triangle: Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan), USSR, Western democracies (WDs)

USSR

WDs

Axis

As a state committed to world revolution, the Soviet Union was viewed as a threat by Western elites

The rise of fascism was partly a response to the threat – and anticommunism was one of the motives of Western appeasement of Hitler

But the Axis powers were also challenging other Great Powers in Europe and Asia – the continuing conflict between empires

In the 1920s-early 1930s, before Hitler’s coming to power in Germany, USSR cooperated with Germany against Britain and France

When Germany became a radical anticommunist force, USSR and Western democracies discussed “collective security” arrangements to prevent Hitler’s aggression – without success

Then Britain, France and the USSR made their separate deals with Hitler, which enabled him to start World War II

Britain and France hoped to channel Hitler’s aggression to the East, toward conflict with Russia – reluctant to fight Germany

Hitler was determined to prevent Western democracies and USSR from joining forces: beat them one by one

Stalin was determined to avoid war with Germany as long as possible – but convinced that such a war was inevitable

1939: A divergence of interests between USSR and Western democracies – and a convergence of interests between Germany and USSR

The unexpected deal was logical – but only temporary

Moscow, August 23, 1939: German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop signs non-aggression pact with Russia

Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, June 1940

1939-1941: growing tensions between USSR and Germany At first: division of the spoils. But then: Germany’s unexpected triumph in the West emboldens

Hitler Hitler’s strategic goal of conquering the USSR was never

abandoned – for geopolitical and ideological reasons Stalin expected the new war to generate a new wave of

revolutions – and intended to get involved By 1941, his fear of German power became the

overwhelming factor He was appeasing Hitler – and preparing for war against

him at the same time Each of the two intended to strike first Hitler preempted Stalin and delivered a crushing blow

Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941 Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded

the USSR along an 1,800 mile front Goals:

Total destruction of the Soviet state Colonization of the Soviet territory, together with

allies – Japan especially Enslavement of the population, turning the territory

into a resource base for the Third Reich

The Nazi invasion : http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=StYywx7Uzok&feature=related BBC, “War of the Century”, Parts

2,3,4

Hitler explaining the future war against Russia, March 1941: “It is a struggle between two ideologies… Communism

presents an enormous danger for the future. A communist has never been and never will be our comrade. It is a struggle for annihilation. If we think otherwise, then, even if we should crush the enemy, the communist threat will rise again in 30 years…

This war will be vastly different from the onw in the West. In the East, brutality is a benefit for the future. Commanders must be ready for sacrifice and overcome their doubts.”

From the diary of General F. Halder, Chief of Staff, Land Forces, Germany

German poster depicting Soviets: “The lower race”

STAKES IN THE BATTLE FOR RUSSIA Will the Soviet state survive? Will Soviet society as a product of the transformations since

1917 be crushed? Will the Soviet Union become a German colony? How many Soviet citizens will survive? Will genocide become a new global norm? What will become of the world?

In the first 10 days, German armies moved 550 km into Soviet territory

In the first 20 days of the war, the Red Army lost 1/5 of its manpower – 600,000 men

By July, 20 mln. Soviets found themselves under occupation. Nazi terror began.

Resistance Redeployment of industry to the East

Victims of German occupation

Japanese terror in occupied China

Resistance http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=4IAfigTgzmU&feature=related

The Battle of Moscow: September 1941 – January 1942

Moscow, October 1941

Women digging anti-tank moats near Moscow

Antitank barriers in downtown Moscow

November 7th, 1941: military parade in Red Square

Marshal Georgi Zhukov, commander of Soviet forces in the Battle of Moscow

Women in the war: medics

Women in the war: pilots

Children workers assembling weapons

Partisans

Partisans

The Battle of Moscow was the first Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Casualties in the battle of Moscow: 250,000 – 400,000 German 600,000 – 1,300,000 Soviet

The Siege of Leningrad September 1941 – November 1943 The Germans and Finns failed to take the city The cost to Soviet population: About 1.4 million people were rescued by military

evacuation from the besieged city of Leningrad in two years between September 1941 and November 1943.

Another 1.2 million civilians perished in the city.

In 1939-41, states of the Global Right attacked the world order, aiming at global primacy

Western democracies joined forces with the communist state in a defensive Center-Left coalition against the Right

The battle for Russia became decisive for the defeat of the Global Right

US and British aid to the Soviet ally, 1941-45: Food - $1.5 bln. in Automobiles – 427,000 Warplanes – 22,000 Tanks – 13,000 Warships – over 500 Explosives – 350,000 tons Other supplies

Total estimated cost of Allied aid to USSR in contemporary prices –

$100 bln.

America at war: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=G5u8E4s57I0&feature=related

The turning point of World War II: Stalingrad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5u8E4s57I0&feature=related

The Battle of Stalingrad claimed over two million casualties, more than any other battle in human history

It was also one of the longest: it raged for 199 days Killed, wounded or captured at Stalingrad:

Soviets: 1,290,000 Germans and allies: 850,000

Red flag over Berlin, May 1945

Checking out Hitler’s headquarters, May 1945

Berlin, 1945: surrender of German High Command

Ovens in Buchenwald concentration camp

Survivors of a Nazi concentration camp

June 24, 1945: Marshal Zhukov leads Victory Parade in Red Square

Victory Parade in Red Square, June 24, 1945:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDQ2gQttPBs&NR=1

Soviet losses in World War II Over 27 mln. killed (13.6% of the population) Of those who survived, 29 mln. took part in the fighting

(including 0.8 mln. women) Battlefield losses – est. 8 mln. (Germany lost 4 mln.) 5 mln. POWs (of them 3 mln. died in concentration camps)

US and British POWs – 232,000 (8,500 died) German POWs – 2.4 mln (0.45 mln. died)

1710 cities and 70,000 villages completely or partially destroyed

40,000 hospitals, 84,000 schools, 43,000 libraries destroyed

Historically unprecedented level of damage suffered by any country

The war took all nine of her sons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1e9Sz8I8k&feature=related