Plan Barbarossa

Fascist aggression against the Soviet Union, named after the Roman emperor "the Barbarossa plan," was a fleeting military campaign, pursuing one single goal: to destroy and destroy the USSR. The deadline for the completion of hostilities was the autumn of 1941.

A year before the outbreak of the war, in December 1941, late in the evening the Führer signed a directive under the serial number 21. It was printed in nine copies and kept in strictest secrecy.

The directive received a conditional name - the Barbarossa plan. It provided for the completion of the campaign of the defeat of the USSR even before the end of the war against Great Britain.

What did this document represent and what goals did the Third Reich pursue ? The Barbarossa plan is a carefully designed aggression directed against the Soviet Union. With his help, Hitler, intending to achieve world domination, had to eliminate one of the main obstacles to his imperial goals.

The main strategic targets were Moscow, Leningrad, Donbass and the Central Industrial District. This capital was given a special place, its capture was considered decisive for the victorious outcome of this war.

To destroy the USSR, Hitler planned to use all German ground forces, except for those that were supposed to remain in the occupied territories.

Plan Barbarossa provided for the release of the forces of the Fascist Air Force to assist the land forces of this eastern operation, so you can quickly complete the ground part of the campaign. At the same time, the directive ordered any means to minimize the destruction of eastern Germany by enemy aircraft.

Naval operations against the Northern, Black Sea and Baltic Soviet fleets were to be carried out by the naval ships of the Reich, together with the maritime forces of Romania and Finland.

For the lightning attack on the USSR, the Barbarossa plan considered the participation of 152 divisions, including tank and motorized divisions, two brigades. Romania and Finland intended to set 16 brigades and 29 land divisions in this campaign.

The armed forces of the satellite countries of the Reich were to operate under a single German command. Finland's task was to cover the northern groups of German troops, which were to attack from Norwegian territory, as well as the destruction of Soviet troops on the peninsula of Hanko. At the same time, Romania was to link the actions of Soviet troops, helping the Germans from the rear areas.

Plan Barbarossa set certain goals, which were based on pronounced class contradictions. It was the idea of the beginning of the war, which turned into the destruction of entire peoples with unlimited use of methods of violence.

Unlike the military invasion of France, Poland and the Balkans, a blitz campaign against the Soviet Union was prepared very scrupulously. Hitler's leadership spent enough time and effort to develop a plan for Barbarossa, so defeat was ruled out.

But the creators were not able to accurately assess the strength and strength of the Soviet state and social system. Proceeding from the exaggeration of the economic, political and military potentials of the fascist empire, they underestimated the power of the USSR, the fighting efficiency and morale of its people.

Hitler's "machine" was gaining momentum for victory, which seemed to the leaders of the Reich very easy and close. That is why the fighting was supposed to be a blitzkrieg, and the offensive was a continuous advance into the interior of the USSR, and with very great speed. Short breaks were provided only for pulling up the rear.

At the same time, the Barbarossa plan completely excluded any delays due to the resistance of the Soviet Army. The reason for the failure of this seemingly victorious plan was an excessive confidence in its strength, which, as history showed, destroyed the plans of the fascist generals.