Operation Barbarossa Part 1

         "We are being fired upon! What should we do?" A frantic radio message had been sent to the Soviet Army command in Moscow on 22 June 1941, Operation Barbarossa had begun.

          As early as December 1940 Adolf Hitler had discussed with his generals of his plan for Operation Barbarossa, which was 'to crush Soviet Russia in a rapid campaign. With failure at Britain, Hitler decided to move east, which would soon provide enough "unlimited" resources, to do another invasion of Britain. Hitler's remarks to his generals on 22 June, he said, "When Barbarossa opens, the world will hold its breath."

           Some 3 million soldiers, 3000 tanks, and 2000 planes will pour into the Soviet Territory. There were 3 divided parts, that separated the German army, one group called 'North' would move north-west moving into the Baltic states and Leningrad, Group 'South' would move southwards into Crimea and taking control over the rich agriculture Ukraine, and Group 'Centre' lead by panzer tanks would move straight to Moscow.

         The Germans with twice the amount of allies than when Germany had started the war. Romanian Forces would advance from the south along with, Italian, Croatian, Hungarian, and Slovakian, divisions. The Finns decided to join with Germany. The Finns advanced from the North, in order to gain back their reputation, and retrieving their loss with Russia. This largest advancement or invasion in other words was the largest the world had yet seen. 

          Stalin had helped Germany by supplying them with food, fuel and materials. The last shipment was the day before. Stalin was struck, and on 3 July Stalin got onto the radio sounding sombre had addressed to his nation saying, "Our country has entered into a life and death struggle with its most wicked enemy."

         Stalin ordered his country to do a scorched earth policy, which was to burn, destroy, wreck peoples own homes and farmlands to deny the Nazi advancement and Guerrilla warfare to be used. Many Russian soldiers and citizens followed the orders and fought back their hardest.  Germany kept plowing through, like the Russians were nothing. 

          By three months had concluded which Hitler believed all of Russia was going to be his by autumn, which didn't happen. Fortunately, how the Russians acted they were able to slow down the Nazi's. Then winter hit, which concluded Germany's chance of victory.

         Hitler's belief in gaining Russia for it's resources was probably a smart bold move, but also a reckless one. If Hitler invaded in the early parts of spring, he most likely would have won the war.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RePOWFtsInw

Booth, Owen, and John Walton. The Illustrated History of World War II. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1998. Print.

The Balkan Campaign

Background info: When Italy made a pact with Germany, Hitler had informed Mussolini to follow his orders. Mussolini followed the order till several years later after watching Hitler dominate everyone in Europe, and crushing enemy after enemy. Mussolini felt confident and decided to start his own campaign to return the Roman Empire. Mussolini's actions changed the war, and effected Hitler's plans and caused his plans to move further forward than Hitler expected.

Balkan Campaign Begins: On June 10, 1940 Benito Mussolini who was fascist leader of Italy who wanted to lead Italy to the Rise of a new Roman empire. On September 27, 1940 Hungary and Romania joined the Axis powers. Italy invaded Greece on 28 October, 1940. After so many failed attempts in Greece and the Balkan countries, Hitler was reported to be enraged, and declared war on the Balkan Countries seeking the destruction of Yugoslavia and Greece. On April 6, 1941 Operation Punishment began. Hitler sent 33 divisions of German soldiers into Yugoslavia. 10 days before Operation Punishment began Yugoslavia already had surrendered. Days later after operation punishment began German soldiers, tanks and planes poured into Greece which the Germans believed they were going to have far more success than Italy. By April 21, 1941 the Greeks surrendered. 

When the Axis powers controlled the Mediterranean coastline, which had showed that the German Blitzkreig was unstoppable. 

I believe Hitler had the right to be upset, about the actions of Mussolini. 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c841W29ARoQ

Booth, Owen, and John Walton. The Illustrated History of World War II. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1998. Print.

Britain Stands Alone and Operation Sealion

   

Britain being left to destruction, after it's ally had fallen in the south, Churchill, the RAF(Royal Air Force), and the British Army had prepared since the invasion of Poland, and even a month or two before then, when Britain knew there had been something fishy about Hitler's movements. Hitler's goal was to knock out every ally in the world, so that his other plans, would become successful.

In weeks before the invasion of Britain, Britain acknowledged the German might, and knew what the Germans could bring to their country. Already planned and prepared, with all of British might, they were ready to give all they had to stop the Germans and down grade they're German numbers.

July 16, 1940, Hitler  ordered the preparations for the invasion of Britain, therefore calling it operation Sealion. On August 13, 1940,  German bombers, and fighters stormed the skies of Britain. By next week Germany tried it's hardest to destroy and cripple the RAF. By the August 24-September 6 the Germans became closest to victory. On September 7, hundreds of German bombers and there fighter escorts, headed to London. For the next 76 nights London was bombed.

By September 15, the climax of the Battle of Britain had begun.  On that same day 185 Luftwaffe or German aircraft were shot down. The British had held there own well, and on September 17, Hitler postponed the major assault for another day. Hitler had much important things to do other than bothering with Britain. Britain had found hope that the German Army will have it's down fall in the years to come. Which did happen in the Summer of 1942 till 1944. Pictures of London are the effects of German bombing.

I find this a changing point in the war. Germany's first failed attempt, but was still successful. Many lives were taken do to German bombing throughout Britain, but mostly in London. In my opinion Britain's first victory and it's hardest fight against Germany.

 Booth, Owen, and John Walton. The Illustrated History of World War II. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1998. Print.

Invasion of France Part 2 and Fall of France

 

      While Germany invaded France, the Belgian army to the north was becoming adsorbed by the Germans, because of this the lack of sending troops to France had begun to fail. Meanwhile, British troops began to help the French army. France had begun to see it's last and the German army had begun to move more up north to the beach in Dunkirk, or in other words it was called the battle of Dunkirk. British forces began to recognize the fall of France and that Paris and pretty much seemed as though there was no hope for the French and the British. British forces planned a massive evacuation from France.

      Days later Operation Dynamo or code name evacuation of Dunkirk. German forces pored in. Bombers covered the sky's. British navy took the seas. The largest evacuation had begun. German bombers bombed the beach, taking out British boats, and both French and British troops. On that same day May 26, 1940, over 100,000 French troops were evacuated. In total for both British and French troops 338,556 safety were evacuated. From here the Fall of France had begun.

     Fall of France was the greatest fall since the beginning, killing thousands, destroying many properties and was the most tragic fall, since Poland. On June 5, 1940 tanks rolled forward once again after a halt on May 26, 1940. Days later after June 5, German forces marched into Paris with many French citizens shedding into tears. June 16, 1940 French told Churchill to get the USA involved, he informed that the President Franklin Roosevelt will not play ball, and will stay neutral.

      With Poland invaded, Germany conquering much of Europe, gaining more allies, and now France gone out of the war, Mussolini was convinced that Hitler was now on his way to winning the war, unto the day Hitler made one fatal move that happened on June 22, 1941, that caused many Germans to die.

     I am amazed how quickly it took Hitler to gain control over France, and that it took a day to cross Maginot Line along with the River Meuse. Indeed Hitler seems as though he is winning the war and so far his blitzkrieg has ruled all of Europe.

Booth, Owen, and John Walton. The Illustrated History of World War II. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1998. Print.   

Invasion Of France Part 1

          Winter had cane to an end, and now Hitler's plans to conquer all of France were pushed into it's postion. On May 22, 1940 German forces crossed the broader into France. In the speed of how the Germans were going, the French were soon to be out numbered.

           Flashback: WWI German forces pressed into France, or as they would call it then, the Western Front. The German's offense lasted from 1914-1918 gaining very little land.

         
1940: Hitler demanded to take control over France, and his plan was to take it under he control quickly. The plan was march into France using Blitzkrieg, poring troops and every tank the German army had into France. During the assault only 6 men died that were from the German army. In what had taken the Germans in WW1 which was several days to across the River Meuse, the Germans could cross that same river in one day. The French were mind blowed how quick the German took, to cross the broader and then the river in one complete day...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgWGhPnjGSo

I think the Germans were completely successful on pushing ever soldier into France as quickly as possible. Great move! Much intelligence must have been planned for every German to get into the country with hardly losing any men. 

Winter War- Soviet Invasion of Finland

        While Hitler stayed and waited to assault France, Russia's plans changed. Soviet forces where confident that taking control over Finland would be so easy to conquer that it would take less than a month. Unfortunately they found out they were wrong, and because of their confidence many of their troops were killed.

        On 30 November 1939, Russian forces pressed into Finland, with over one million men, 1500 tanks, and 3000 planes. Compared to The Finns (Finland) Army which only had about 175,000 men little in tanks, artillery and planes. When Soviet forces crossed Russio-Finns boarder, the inevitable happened to the Soviets. With Finland army knowing their whole country's territory very well, the Russians had no chance against the Finns.

        Finland Army used such tactics like midnight runs, or night operations in other general wording. Other tactics such as he Motlov Cocktail, highly explosive and effective weapon that was used. The Motlov Cocktail was a glass bottle that had a liquid called petrol. Inside a the neck glass was a rag of some kind. Finns would light the rag and throw it, causing a highly effective weapon.
        The Motlov creation became a great use for the Finns in their fight against the Russians. Their use for these was helpful to slow down Soviet advancement, by doing Night Operations to destroy Soviet tanks.

          In addition to one of their tactic the Finns dressed as Soviets in order to communicate with the Russian supplies in order to redirect them into Finland hands. Another tactic was to keep warm and blend in with their environment. Compared to the Soviets, Finns were dressed for the weather, and were willing to sacrifice themselves for their country.

          Day after day Russians, tried there best to destroy the Finland army, but due to Finns knowledge of the land, the Russians were out matched. Many Finland heroes, such as Simo Hayha, who had killed 505 Russians.  Remarkably survived after he got shot in his left Jaw by a Russian Soldier. 

          After 3 months of the Finns holding Russian forces off. Finnish soldiers, tired and weak for fighting for 3 months straight, gave up and surrendered. Finland government made a treaty with Russia, and Russia accepted the treaty.    

Click the link below to see a video of the Winter war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BlfaMLxZGI&list=PL3A5201D58E444597

I find that the Finnish army had good tactics, when they had to defend against the Soviets. The Soviet losses came to the fact that compared to the Finnish army, the saying of "the best defense is the best offense" is a true fact. The invasion of Finland proved that statement is true. As you can tell, by the information, that the Finnish army, had held their ground and had slowed down the advancement  of the Soviets for three months, by using all their knowledge of warfare, and using their knowledge of their terrain to their advantage. Again this proves when it comes down to warfare that numbers mean nothing, compared to the knowledge of the terrain and surroundings that you have.

Events that lead up to WWII

    World War 2 (WWII) also to be known as the second world war, is known as the worst global war of humanity. The war lasted 6 years and a day, causing millions of casualties, and deploying millions of troops throughout the world. Changing the world politically, scientifically, and technologically.

    In 1921 Adolf Hitler established a National Soicalist German Workers Party, (Nationalistsozialistische Deutshe Arbeiter  Partei) later became the Nazi Party. After 2 years of leading the group, he gets arrested in 1923. 5 months later in 1924 he is released. After years of reforming his party, by 1933 Hitler becomes chancellor. On 2 August 1934 the president of Germany dies, and Hitler is given all rights and powers.

Years later 1939 Germany invades Poland, beginning the war in Europe. On 3 September 1939 Britain and France declare war on Germany, beginning WW2...