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Everything Everywhere Daily

Operation Barbarossa (Encore)

Apr 13, 2025
Explore the monumental Operation Barbarossa, the largest military invasion in history, as German forces launched over 3 million soldiers into the Soviet Union in 1941. Discover the ideological roots of Nazi expansionism, particularly the concept of Lebensraum, that fueled Hitler's ambitions. Learn about the unexpected preparedness of Soviet defenses and the catastrophic miscalculations that shifted the war's trajectory, leading to immense loss and a costly failure for Germany.
15:56

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Quick takeaways

  • Operation Barbarossa, launched on June 22, 1941, marked a colossal military effort but ended in a costly failure for Germany.
  • The invasion was driven by Nazi ideology for expansion rather than sound military strategy, resulting in severe miscalculations and setbacks.

Deep dives

The Scale of Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa was the largest military operation in history, involving over three million German soldiers in the invasion of the Soviet Union. This monumental campaign began on June 22, 1941, and not only affected millions of lives but also reshaped the course of World War II. The attack surprised the Soviet forces, who were caught off guard despite having significant military capabilities themselves, including 5.5 million troops. This initial shock and the overwhelming size of the invasion force led to early successes for Germany, dismantling much of the Soviet command structure and achieving significant territorial gains.

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