German barbarossa plan briefly. Barbarossa

Briefly about the Barbarossa plan 1941 - 1942

"Plan Bar barossa"

1. Allies of the Wehrmacht
2. Historical meaning
3. Video

Briefly the name of the plan of war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, briefly called the plan "Barbarossa". When France surrendered, Hitler began planning to seize Soviet territory. Hitler's plan to seize the territories of the Soviet Union was a quick victory. The very tactics of lightning war are called "Blitzkrieg", and the plan was named after the emperor of the Roman Empire "Barbarossa"

What was the essence of the Barbarossa plan

From the very beginning, there was a plan to quickly penetrate with the help of tanks into the territory of the western part of the Soviet Union, namely to seize Moscow. For this it was necessary to destroy the ground forces of the USSR. Further, it was necessary to ensure that the enemy aircraft could not fully deploy and could not harm the German army. And at the very end, the task was to divide the territory of the Soviet Union into European and Asian, a kind of shield for its own army. Thus, only the Urals will remain from the industrial regions, and it would not be difficult to destroy it. In short, the goal was the initial capture of all important strategic and industrial centers and their destruction.

Allies of the Wehrmacht

Despite his "ingenious" plan "Barbarossa", Hitler was able to negotiate cooperation with Romania and Finland in the war against the Soviet Union.
The German command has established the appropriate time and form of armed assistance to be provided by the Allies. All their actions were to be completely subordinate to the German command.
So, Romania had to support the Germans with its best troops for the offensive of the southern flank of the Nazi army. Such support was required at least at the initial stage of the operation. The challenge was to pin down the Soviet army where German forces would not be possible. Further, the role of Romania was to serve in the rear.

Finland's role was to provide cover for the German northern group of forces when they begin to concentrate the northern group of the Wehrmacht, which is heading from Norway. In the future, the Finns were to join up with these troops.

The capture of the Hanko Peninsula was also in store for the Finnish army.
For the outbreak of hostilities, the railways and highways of Sweden were at the complete disposal of the German army. They were provided to fight in the northern direction.

Briefly about the course of hostilities under the Barbarossa plan

In the two years prior to the invasion, the two countries signed political and economic pacts to achieve strategic goals. Despite this, in 1940, Hitler planned a military invasion of the USSR with a start date of May 15, 1941. The actual invasion began on June 22, 1941

The Germans quickly won several battles and occupied some of the most important economic regions of the Soviet Union. Mainly in Ukraine. Despite its successes, the German army, or rather its offensive, stalled on the outskirts of Moscow, and then was thrown back by the Soviet counteroffensive. The Red Army repels the Wehrmacht forces and forces Germany to go to a protracted war
The failure of Operation Barbarossa was a turning point in fate.

On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the territory of the Soviet Union. So, briefly, about the stages of hostilities envisaged by the "Barbarossa" plan.

Part I.

• 1. In the first hours of the offensive, German troops destroyed the possibility of reporting the real situation in the attack zone. Stalin issued an order to attack the invaders.
  2. The next stage was the destruction of the USSR aviation. The complete defeat of the air force did not occur.
  3. The German army received an order to move back to the Western Dvina. Pskov was captured and the German army stood on the outskirts of the Leningrad region. Military operations began on the territory of the region.
  4. The swamps of Pripyat and the Carpathian mountains have become a problem area. The German army invaded the territory of Moldova, which defended the Southern Front.
  5. German troops headed towards Minsk and Vilnius.

Part II

• On July 2 and over the next six days, a downpour typical of the Belarusian summer slowed down the implementation of the plan. This delay helped the USSR organize a counterattack.
• Two armies clashed near Smolensk. The Germans were able to repel the attack. The German command realized that it too underestimated the strength of the Soviet army.
• Hitler's troops began to slow down.
• Thus, it was necessary to capture the industrial center of Kharkov, Donbass and oil fields in the Caucasus. Fyodor von Bock, commander of Army Group Center, and almost all German generals involved in Operation Barbarossa argued that it was necessary to resolutely continue to move towards Moscow.
• In addition, Moscow was a major center for the production of weapons, the center of the Soviet communications system and an important transportation hub.
• More importantly, intelligence reports showed that most of the Red Army was deployed near Moscow and defended the capital.
• But Hitler was adamant, and he issued an order to disband the army of the Center group to the north and south, temporarily suspending the attack on Moscow.

Stage III

• In August, stocks were steadily declining.
• The German air force became more and more helpless. With the onset of autumn, air battles became more and more impossible for the Wehrmacht troops.
• Hitler's army took over Leningrad (1941).
• The seizure and destruction of railways began.
• At this stage, Hitler ordered the final destruction of Leningrad without any prisoners.
• The city did not succumb to siege.
• Then it was decided to starve out. Most of the inhabitants died of hunger.

Stage IV

• At this stage, the first line of defense of Moscow was broken. The German government no longer doubted the fall of Moscow and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
• Martial law was declared in Moscow. The weather was against the German troops.
• The air temperature has dropped. Dirt roads turned into impassable mud.
• This weakened the attack on Moscow. The Wehrmacht army was left without food and ammunition.
• With the onset of cold weather, the ground froze, and again it was possible to continue the offensive.
• Attempts began to encircle Moscow. The Germans came close enough to the capital, but again the weather intervened. This time, snow and blizzard. The equipment was out of order. There were not enough warm clothes.
• The Germans lost the battle for Moscow.

Consequences of the Barbarossa Plan

After the failure of the Battle of Moscow, all German plans to quickly defeat the Soviet Union had to be revised. Soviet counter-offensives in December 1941 caused heavy casualties on both sides, but ultimately eliminated the German threat to Moscow.

Despite this setback for the Germans, the Soviet Union was also hard hit by the conflict. He lost so much of his army and industry that the Germans were able to form another large-scale offensive in July 1942. Hitler realized that the supply of oil from Germany was severely “depleted.

Hitler's next goal was to seize the oil fields of Baku. Once again, the Germans quickly conquered large swaths of Soviet territory, but failed to achieve their ultimate goal as a result of their decisive defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad.
By 1943, the Soviet war economy was fully prepared and able to work more productively than the German one. The war ended in complete defeat and the occupation of Nazi Germany in May 1945.

Why did Plan Barbarossa fail?
There were several reasons for the defeat of Plan Barbarossa:
... The German command mistakenly believed that the enemy would not be prepared for an attack. However, they did not take into account that Stalin foresaw such an outcome, so the tactics of repelling the aggression were developed. The USSR lacked modern military equipment. But the natural conditions, as well as the competent command and the ability to conduct military operations in difficult conditions helped the Barbarossa plan to fail;
... Counterintelligence was well trained in the Soviet Union. So, in many respects, thanks to intelligence, the command of the Soviet army knew about the alleged steps of the enemy. This helped to prepare and form an action plan.
... Since it was difficult to get maps of the Soviet Union, the German command could hardly imagine the territorial features of the enemy. Therefore, the impenetrable forests of the USSR became an unpleasant surprise for the Germans, who slowed down the lightning offensive.
... It was planned that the seizure of power would take place with lightning speed, so when Hitler began to lose control over the military operations, the Barbarossa plan proved to be ineffective. Soon the German command finally lost control of the situation.
Thus, we can say that the weather and natural conditions were just one of the points of the collapse of the Barbarossa plan. For the most part, its collapse was the self-confidence of Hitler and the entire command, as well as the lack of thoughtfulness of the plan.

Historical meaning
Operation Barbarossa was the largest military operation in human history.

It was also a battle in which the number of deployed equipment and people was enormous, which did not exist before. The Eastern Front has become the largest theater of military operations.

During this conflict, it has witnessed titanic clashes, unprecedented violence and destruction over four years, resulting in the death of more than 26 million people. Most people lost their lives fighting on the Eastern Front than in all other hostilities around the globe during World War II.

In late 1940, Hitler signed an ominous document - Directive 21, which became known as the "Barbarossa" plan. The attack on the USSR was originally planned for May 15: the German command planned to end the Red Army before autumn. However, the Balkan operation launched by Germany to seize Yugoslavia and Greece pushed the date of the attack to June 22.

If you want peace, prepare for war

The emergence of Plan Barbarossa may seem strange at first glance. Only a year ago, a non-aggression pact was signed between Germany and the Soviet Union - the so-called Ribbentrop-Molotov, which provided for the redistribution of spheres of influence in Eastern Europe. What has changed in relations between the recent "allies"? First, in June 1940, France, Hitler's most serious enemy on the continent, surrendered to German troops. Secondly, the recent winter war of the USSR against Finland showed that the Soviet combat vehicle was not so powerful, especially against the backdrop of German successes. And, thirdly, Hitler was still afraid of launching a military operation against England, having Soviet divisions in the rear. Therefore, immediately after the French signed the surrender, the German command began to develop a plan for a military campaign against the USSR.

Tooth for tooth

Finland and Romania were to play an important role in the implementation of the Barbarossa plan. Quite recently, the Soviet Union seized the Karelian Isthmus with Vyborg from the Finns, and Bessarabia from the Romanians, i.e. lands that were previously part of the Russian Empire. The leaderships of these countries yearned for revenge. According to the Barbarossa plan, the Finnish troops were to pin down the Soviet troops with their offensive in the north, and the Romanians in the south. While the German units will deal a crushing blow in the center.

Swedish neutrality

During World War II, Sweden officially declared its neutrality. However, in Barbarossa's plan, the role of Sweden is clearly spelled out - the Swedes had to provide their railways for the transfer of 2-3 German divisions to help Finland. Everything went according to plan - in the very first days of the war, a German division was allowed through the territory of Sweden for operations in Northern Finland. True, the Swedish prime minister soon promised the frightened Swedish people that no German divisions would be allowed through Swedish territory anymore and that the country would not enter the war against the USSR. However, in practice, the transit of German military materials to Finland began via Sweden; German transport ships transported troops there, hiding in the territorial waters of Sweden, and until the winter of 1942/43, they were accompanied by a convoy of Swedish naval forces. The Nazis achieved the supply of Swedish goods on credit and their transportation mainly on Swedish ships.

Stalin's line

In the 1930s, a powerful system of defensive structures was built on the western borders of the USSR, which consisted of fortified areas from the Karelian Isthmus to the Black Sea, in the West it was nicknamed the Stalin line. The fortification included casemates, positions for field artillery, bunkers for anti-tank guns. After the partition of Poland and the return of Western Ukraine and the Baltic States, the border was pushed back and Stalin's line was in the rear, some of the weapons were transferred to new borders, but Zhukov insisted that some of the artillery weapons be retained in the disarmed areas. The Barbarossa plan called for a breakthrough of the border fortifications by tank forces, but the German command apparently did not take Stalin's line into account. Subsequently, some fortified areas played a role in the war, their assault made it possible to delay the advance of the Nazis and disrupt the blitzkrieg.

We'll go south!

The fierce resistance of the Soviet troops, the great elongation of the troops, the guerrilla war in the rear led to the fact that Hitler decided to seek his fortune in the south. On August 21, 1941, Hitler issued a new directive, which stated that the most important task before winter was not to seize Moscow, but to seize Crimea, industrial and coal regions on the Donets River and block the Russian oil supply routes from the Caucasus. The Barbarossa plan, which called for a march to Moscow, cracked at the seams. Part of the troops of Army Group Center was transferred to the aid of Army Group South in order to achieve a strategic advantage in the Ukraine. As a result, the offensive on Moscow began only at the end of September - the time was lost and the Russian winter loomed ahead.

Cudgel of the People's War

The plan developed by the German generals did not take into account the resistance of the civilian population at all. With the onset of autumn, the advance of the Germans slowed down significantly, the war dragged on, and the civilian population did not meet the winners as obedient Europeans and, at the first opportunity, retaliated against the invaders. Italian observer Curzio Malaparte noted: “When the Germans start to fear, when a mysterious German fear creeps into their hearts, you begin to be especially afraid for them and feel sorry for them. They look pitiful, their cruelty is sad, their courage is silent and hopeless. Here the Germans begin to become brutal ... They begin to kill prisoners who have rubbed their legs and can no longer walk. They begin to burn villages that have not been able to provide the required amount of grain and flour, barley and oats, cattle and horses. When there are almost no Jews left, they hang the peasants. " The people responded to the atrocities of the fascists by leaving for the partisans, the club of the people's war, without disassembling anything, began to nail the Germans in the rear.

General "Winter"

The blitzkrieg plan captivated Hitler so much that the fact of the protracted war was not even considered during its development. The attack was originally planned for May 15 to end the Soviets before autumn, but in reality, Hitler's Balkan operation to seize Yugoslavia and Greece pushed the date of the attack to June 22 - it took time for the transfer of troops. As a result, General Zima, as the Germans called him, took the side of the Russians. By winter, the Nazi army was completely unprepared, the captured Germans sometimes found themselves dressed in work clothes stretched over uniform trousers and jackets and lined with unnecessary paper, including leaflets calling for surrender, which were scattered from planes behind the front line over the locations of the Russians. Hands without mittens froze to the metal parts of the weapon, and frostbite became no less formidable enemy of the Germans than the pushing Soviet units.

Chapter 23

However, Hitler kept his decision to attack the USSR a secret, leading the military to believe that England remained his main target. On the day Molotov arrived in Berlin, the Fuehrer outlined a new strategy. After canceling the crossing of the English Channel, he decided to capture Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, Madeira and parts of Morocco, which would cut off the British Isles from the rest of the empire and force it to surrender.

It was a strategically accurate but unrealistic plan as it involved military cooperation with indecisive allies. No one understood the difficulties of this complex operation better than the author himself, but despite recent failures, he was confident in his ability to cope with Petain, Mussolini and Franco. The Fuehrer began with the caudillo and on November 18 informed his Minister Serrano Sunier: “I have decided to attack Gibraltar. You just need a signal to start the operation. "

Convinced that Franco would eventually join the war, the Fuehrer held a meeting in early December to seize Gibraltar. He informed the generals that in the near future he would receive Franco's consent, and then sent his personal representative to him. But the Fuhrer's choice was disastrous: it was Admiral Canaris, who had worked against Hitler since 1938. He presented Hitler's official arguments to Franco, and then informally advised him not to get involved in a war that the Axis would inevitably lose.

Canaris reported that Franco would enter the war "when England is on the brink of collapse." Hitler lost patience and on December 10 ordered the cancellation of Operation Felix - this was the code name for the plan to capture Gibraltar. But a few weeks later, the Fuhrer sent a lengthy message to Franco, in which he promised to immediately deliver the promised grain to Spain if the caudillo agreed to participate in the attack on Gibraltar. In his answer, Franco did not skimp on promises, but practically did nothing to implement them. This led to the disruption of Operation Felix. If Gibraltar fell, it is possible that all of North Africa and the Middle East were captured by Hitler. The Arab world would enthusiastically support German expansion because of its hatred of Jews. In addition to the difficult economic situation in Spain and fears of being in the camp of a loser, Franco also had a personal motive that prompted him to abandon the alliance with Hitler: there was an admixture of Jewish blood in the veins of the caudillo.

Stalin hesitated for almost two weeks before informing the Germans that he was ready to join the four-party pact proposed by Hitler, but on certain conditions, one of which was the withdrawal of German troops from Finland. The demands did not seem excessive, but, to the surprise of the Foreign Ministry, Hitler did not even want to discuss them and, moreover, did not bother to answer Moscow.

The Fuhrer headed for war, and at the end of November his generals began a series of headquarters exercises associated with the attack on Russia. On 5 December, the chiefs of staff of the three army groups participating in the exercise met with Hitler, Brauchitsch and Halder. Having approved in principle the plan of operation proposed by Halder, the Fuhrer noted, however, that one should not imitate Napoleon and consider Moscow as the main goal. Taking the capital, he said, "is not so important for us." Brauchitsch argued that Moscow is of great importance not only as the center of the Soviet communications network, but also as the center of the military industry. To this, Hitler replied irritably: "Only completely ossified brains, brought up on the ideas of past centuries, do not think about anything other than the seizure of the capital." He was more interested in Leningrad and Stalingrad, these hotbeds of Bolshevism. After their destruction, Bolshevism will be dead, and this is the main goal of the upcoming campaign. "Domination over Europe," Hitler continued, "will be achieved in the battle with Russia."

Five days later, Hitler began to prepare his people for the crusade. He delivered an impassioned speech in Berlin about the inequities in the distribution of natural resources. “Is it fair,” he asked, addressing the audience, “when 150 Germans live on one square kilometer? We must solve these problems, and we will solve them. "

Simultaneously, Goebbels was preparing Germany for new tests. Speaking to his employees, he said that the upcoming Christmas holidays should be limited to two days and should be celebrated modestly, in accordance with the requirements of the present moment and the fighting spirit of the German people.

On December 17, Hitler was presented with a plan of attack on Russia developed by the General Staff. The Fuehrer made some changes to it, which provided for a delay in the offensive on Moscow until the Baltic states were cleared and Leningrad was taken. The Fuehrer also appropriated the forthcoming operation, which was formerly called "Otto", a new name - "Barbarossa" ("Red beard"). This was the name of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick I, who in 1190 began a crusade to the East. The main forces of the Red Army concentrated on the western border, the Fuehrer pointed out, "will be destroyed as a result of crushing blows by deeply penetrating tank wedges." The troops that have preserved their combat effectiveness will be surrounded so that they cannot retreat into the interior of the country. “The final goal of the operation is to erect a barrier against the Asian part of Russia along the common Volga-Arkhangelsk line. The last stronghold of the USSR in the Urals can then, if necessary, be liquidated by aviation. "

Halder believed Hitler was bluffing and asked Engel how serious the plan was. The Fuehrer's adjutant replied that Hitler himself was still apparently not sure of the accuracy of his predictions. But the die was cast. Hitler did not tolerate those who called for moderation. Much of Europe is under German rule, they argued, and if you wait a bit, England will recognize German hegemony. But for Adolf Hitler, such a passive policy was unacceptable. The goal of National Socialism was to destroy Bolshevism. Could he, the chosen one of fate, change his great mission?

The original plan "Barbarossa"

Outwardly, nothing darkened the relationship between the two rival allies. Soon after the approval of the Barbarossa plan, on January 10, 1941, Hitler approved two agreements with Moscow: one economic - on the mutual supply of goods, the other - a secret protocol by which Germany renounced its claims to a strip of Lithuanian territory for 7.5 million dollars gold.

Behind the facade of friendship, however, discord among the allies intensified. Raw materials from the Soviet Union were delivered to Germany strictly on schedule, and German supplies were constantly disrupted. There were cases when the machines for Russia were already ready, but some inspector from the military department appeared, praised the product and then "for defense reasons" took the machines away. This practice has spread to ships as well. Hitler himself ordered the suspension of work on the heavy cruiser intended for the Soviets: Germany needed to speed up the production of submarines. The Germans offered to tow the ship's hull to Leningrad and equip it with 380-mm Krupp cannons, but the parties disagreed on the price, and the ship remained in Wilhelmshaven.

While Stalin was striving for peace, at least until the Red Army was brought to a combat-ready level, Hitler continued to prepare his people for war. Ominous was his speech on January 30 at the Palais des Sports: "I am convinced that 1941 will be the beginning of a great new order in Europe." But the only enemy he named was England, the leader of the "plutodemocracies" which, Hitler argued, were under the control of the international Jewish clique. Anti-British attacks served as cover for plans to attack the Soviet Union.

Four days later, after hearing Halder's message that the number of German troops would soon equal the Russian, and in terms of equipment they would surpass any enemy, Hitler exclaimed: “When Barbarossa begins, the world will hold its breath!” The Fuhrer's appetites spread beyond the continent, and on February 17, he gave orders to prepare a plan for an invasion of the heart of the British Empire - India. This was to be followed by the conquest of the Middle and Near East by an enveloping maneuver: on the left - from Russia through Iran and on the right - from North Africa to the Suez Canal. Although these grandiose plans were primarily aimed at forcing England to cede to Germany, they testified to Hitler's loss of a sense of reality. In his imagination, Russia was already conquered, and he was looking for new worlds to conquer, new enemies who had to be brought to their knees.

The defeat of the Italian troops in Albania and Greece, according to Hitler, "dealt a blow to the belief in our invincibility, both among friends and among enemies." And therefore, before starting Operation Barbarossa, it was necessary to crush Greece and restore order in the Balkans. Hitler believed that the defeat of the Italians in the Balkans cleared the way for him to conquer new territories and acquire economic benefits.

Geographic conditions made Hitler's task more difficult. Four countries lay between Germany and Greece - Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. The first two, which became German satellites, had German troops for several months. The third, under strong pressure, joined the trilateral pact on March 1. Although this opened up a direct route to Greece for German troops, the strategically important Yugoslavia did not leave Hitler alone. Its leaders did not want either a German or a Russian military presence in the Balkans, and after hidden threats and vague promises failed to bring the recalcitrant Yugoslavs to the Axis, Hitler invited the head of state, Prince Paul, to the Berghof.

Although the Yugoslav regent was tempted by Hitler's promise to guarantee the country's territorial integrity, he said that the decision to join the "Axis" was a personal difficulty for him: his wife is a Greek woman who sympathizes with England, and he dislikes Mussolini. The prince left without giving an answer, but three days later - an infinitely long time for Hitler - announced the readiness of Yugoslavia to join the trilateral pact, provided that he would receive the right to refrain from providing military assistance to anyone and would not be obliged to let German troops pass through the territory of their country. With difficulty restraining his irritation, Hitler announced that he was accepting the terms. This conciliatory gesture unexpectedly met with a decisive rebuff: the Yugoslavs declared their unwillingness to take any action that could involve them in the war. But on March 17, the situation in Yugoslavia suddenly changed. The Royal Council agreed to join the tripartite pact. This sparked a storm of protests, and after the resignation of three ministers, senior air force officers revolted. On March 27, the rebels overthrew the government, and the young heir to the throne, Peter, was proclaimed king.

In Berlin that morning, Hitler congratulated himself on the successful conclusion of the Yugoslav episode: he had just received a message that the local population "generally approves" of Yugoslavia's accession to the pact and that the government "has full control of the situation." At five minutes to twelve, when the Fuhrer was preparing to receive Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka, a new telegram arrived from Belgrade: former members of the Yugoslav government were arrested. At first, the Fuehrer thought it was a joke. But then he was overcome with indignation. The thought of being robbed of his victory at the last moment was unbearable. He believed that he was personally insulted. Hitler demanded to immediately call Ribbentrop, who at that time was talking with Matsuoka, burst into the conference room, where Keitel and Jodl were waiting, and, waving a telegram, shouted that he would destroy Yugoslavia once and for all. The Fuhrer vowed that he would give the troops the order to immediately invade Yugoslavia. Keitel objected that such an operation is now unlikely to be possible: the start date for "Barbarossa" is close, the transfer of troops to the east is taking place in accordance with the maximum throughput of the railways. In addition, List's army in Bulgaria is too weak, and it is difficult to hope for the help of the Hungarians.

“That's why I summoned Brauchitsch and Halder,” Hitler replied irritably. “They have to find some solution. Now I intend to cleanse the Balkans. "

Brauchitsch, Halder, Goering, Ribbetrop and their adjutants soon arrived. Hitler sharply declared that he would destroy Yugoslavia as a state. To Ribbentrop's remark that it might be better to first send an ultimatum to the Yugoslavs, Hitler responded in an icy tone: “So do you assess the situation? Yes, the Yugoslavs will swear that black is white. Of course, they say that they have no aggressive intentions, and when we enter Greece, they will stab us in the back. " The attack, he exclaimed, would begin immediately. The blow to Yugoslavia must be delivered ruthlessly, blitzkrieg style. This will scare the Turks and Greeks. The Fuehrer instructed Goering to destroy the Yugoslav aircraft at the airfields, and then bomb their capital with "wave raids". The Hungarian and Bulgarian envoys were urgently summoned. To the first, Hitler promised that if Hungary helped him in solving the Yugoslav question, she would receive the disputed territories claimed by the Romanian neighbors. The second Fuhrer promised Macedonia.

After ordering the attack and gaining two allies, Hitler finally found time to receive the Japanese minister. The Fuehrer expressed the hope that America could be deterred from entering the war, and this would be best done by Japan's seizure of Singapore. Such a chance, Hitler concluded, may not appear in the future. Japan, he added, had nothing to fear that the Red Army would invade Manchuria: it was opposed by the might of the German army.

After meeting with the Japanese minister, Hitler signed a directive on the simultaneous attack on Yugoslavia and Greece, and at midnight began to prepare Mussolini's message. The Fuehrer informed him that he had taken all the necessary measures to resolve the crisis in Yugoslavia. Hitler advised the Duce not to carry out further operations in Albania in the coming days, warning him against new adventures.

By this time, the nature of the relationship between the two dictators had changed. After failures in Greece and Africa, Mussolini was no longer a “senior partner”. In the eyes of the Fuehrer, he was simply a failure. The defeat of the Italians in Greece not only inspired the British for a successful offensive in Libya and discouraged Franco from supporting the operation to seize Gibraltar, but also forced Germany to engage in rebellious Yugoslavia at the most inopportune moment for this. Operation Barbarossa had to be postponed for at least a month.

Although Hitler attributed Barbarossa's delay to the campaign in Yugoslavia, the decisive factor was obviously the lack of weapons for the Wehrmacht. The Fuhrer was constantly haunted by the obsession that the Russians might attack first. But when the commanders involved in the Barbarossa were invited to the Reich Chancellery on March 30, he seemed calm. America, the Fuehrer reasoned, would reach the peak of military power not earlier than in four years. During this time, it is necessary to cleanse Europe. A war with Russia is inevitable, and inaction would be a disaster. Fighting is scheduled to begin on June 22nd.

It cannot be postponed, Hitler continued, since none of his successors has sufficient authority to take responsibility for this operation. He alone can stop the Bolshevik skating rink before it passes across Europe. Hitler called for the destruction of the Bolshevik state and the Red Army, assuring the audience that victory would be quick and effective. The only problem, he added ominously, is the way the POWs and civilians are treated.

The military listened to the Fuhrer in suspense. They were jarred by Hitler's brutal methods after the conquest of Poland against Polish Jews, intellectuals, clergy and aristocracy. And the Fuhrer continued: "The war against Russia is a struggle of ideologies and racial differences, and it will need to be fought with unprecedented, ruthless and unyielding cruelty." There were no protests.

Meanwhile, preparations for the invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece were completed. In Belgrade, there were daily patriotic demonstrations, some of which were inspired by pro-Soviet local communists. Russia really sought to support the Yugoslavs in the face of the threat of a German invasion and on April 5 signed a treaty with the new government. However, this did not embarrass Hitler. The next morning, significant German forces crossed the Yugoslav border. During the operation, which the Fuhrer gave the meaningful name "Punishment", bombers began to methodically destroy Belgrade. The Soviet leaders, who had just signed a treaty with Yugoslavia, reacted with surprising indifference, posting the attack on Yugoslavia and Greece on the back page of Pravda. Only in passing was there any mention of the devastating air raids on Belgrade, which continued around the clock.

Hitler warned Goebbels that the entire campaign would last for a maximum of two months, and this information was published. However, a week later, German and Hungarian troops entered the destroyed Belgrade. 17 thousand civilians were killed. On April 17, the remnants of the Yugoslav army surrendered. Ten days later, when German tanks entered Athens, the Greek campaign was effectively over. Twenty-nine German divisions were deployed to the battle zones with enormous expenditures of energy, fuel and time. Of these divisions, only ten participated in hostilities over the course of six days.

The cost of the Balkan operation was mitigated by the unexpected turn of events in North Africa. With only three divisions, General Erwin Rommel made his way through the desert almost to the Egyptian border. This victory was no less unexpected for Hitler than for the enemy. England was losing control of the eastern Mediterranean. This damaged British prestige and convinced Stalin of the need to maintain the old relationship with the Germans, despite their constant provocations. The Soviet leader stubbornly ignored the growing rumors about Hitler's plans to attack his country. The warnings came from numerous sources, including the US State Department. Foreign diplomats in Moscow spoke openly about the upcoming battle.

In recent months, Soviet intelligence has also repeatedly warned its leadership about the impending attack on the USSR. But Stalin did not trust anyone. Convinced that Hitler was not stupid enough to attack Russia before England was neutralized, he believed these were rumors fabricated by the capitalist West seeking to provoke a war between him and Hitler. On one such warning from a Czech agent, he wrote in red pencil: “This is an English provocation. Find where the message came from and punish the culprit. "

Stalin sought to pacify Japan. As a guest of honor, he received Foreign Minister Matsuoka, who had just visited Berlin, and did not hide his joy when the treaty of neutrality was signed. At a banquet in the Kremlin on the day Belgrade fell, Stalin brought plates of food to Japanese guests, hugged and kissed them, and even danced. The treaty was a victory for US diplomacy, convincing proof that rumors of a German attack on Russia should be ignored. Of course, the Soviet leader reasoned, Hitler would never have allowed Japan to conclude this treaty if he was going to attack Russia ...

Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka signs the Neutrality Pact with the USSR. Behind - Molotov and Stalin

Drunken Stalin was in such high spirits that he even went to the station to see off the Japanese delegation. He kissed General Nagai, then squeezed little Matsuoka in a bear hug, kissed him and said: "Now that there is a Soviet-Japanese treaty of neutrality, Europe has nothing to fear."

When the train with the Japanese started, he put his arm around the German ambassador von Schulenburg and said: "We must remain friends, and you must do everything for this."

Meanwhile, German aircraft committed numerous border violations, flying over the western regions of the USSR. In the last two weeks alone, the number of such violations reached 50. Soon, a German plane made an emergency landing on Soviet territory, almost 150 kilometers from the border, carrying a camera, undeveloped film clips and a map of this region of the USSR. Moscow sent an official protest to Berlin, complaining that there have been 80 other violations of Soviet airspace since late March. But the protest was drafted in a rather mild form, and Stalin continued to stubbornly ignore a new stream of warnings, including from the British Ambassador Cripps, who predicted that Hitler would attack the USSR on June 22.

Although everyone in the German Foreign Office suspected that the day of the attack on Russia was near, it was not until mid-April that Hitler initiated Ribbentrop into the Barbarossa plan. The dejected minister wanted to make another diplomatic demarche in Moscow, but Hitler forbade him to do so. And Schulenburg the Fuhrer assured: "I do not plan a war with Russia."

Undoubtedly, Germany entered the fray with the strongest military force in the world without reliable allies. Japan was on the other side of the continent. Italy was more of a burden than a helper, Spain shied away from any specific commitments, and so did the Vichy government of France. Hitler's conquests frightened all his friends, including small countries such as Yugoslavia, Hungary and Romania. His only strength was in the Wehrmacht, and the rate only on strength killed more than one conqueror.

Hitler's only chance to win the war in the East could have been an alliance with millions of potential opponents of the Stalinist regime. This is what Rosenberg called for, but the Fuehrer ignored his arguments. This had fatal consequences for the Nazi dictator.

Hess's flight to England

Although at first the leaders of the Wehrmacht rejected the very idea of ​​an attack on Russia, they now almost unanimously shared the Fuhrer's confidence in a quick victory. The general consensus was that the campaign would be successfully completed within three months, and Field Marshal von Brauchitsch predicted that the major battles would end in four weeks and the war would turn into local battles with "little resistance." Stubborn Jodl cut off Warlimont, who questioned his categorical statement that "the Russian colossus will turn out to be a pig's bladder: if you pierce it, it will splash."

According to General Guderian, the Fuhrer managed to infect his immediate military environment with unfounded optimism. The command was confident that the campaign would end before winter. Only every fifth soldier had warm uniforms. There were, of course, many skeptics in the highest circles. From the very beginning Ribbentrop and Admiral Raeder spoke out against the Barbarossa plan. Keitel also had serious doubts, but he kept them to himself. There was also opposition in Hitler's “family circle”.

Rudolf Hess - the second after Goering's successor to the Fuehrer - overwhelmingly approved of the theory of expanding "living space", but he was against an attack on Russia while the war with England continued. He believed that only the Bolsheviks would benefit from this conflict. Having met with the geopolitician Professor Karl Haushofer, Hess was fired up with the idea of ​​a secret meeting with some influential Englishman in a neutral city. This, according to Haushofer, could contribute to the conclusion of peace with England.

Excited at the prospect of a secret mission, Hess laid out the plan to Hitler in the hope that it would restore his shaky position in the Nazi hierarchy. Hitler reluctantly agreed with Hess's proposal to talk on this topic with the eldest son of Professor Haushofer Albrecht, who worked in the Foreign Ministry.

Young Haushofer, who had been a member of a secret anti-Hitler group for several years, told Hess that it might be best to arrange a meeting with his good English friend, the Duke Hamilton, who has close ties to Churchill and the king. Hess left inspired, but Albrecht wrote to his father that "this business is a stupid idea."

At the same time, as a German patriot, he decided to do his best and wrote a letter to Hamilton with a proposal to arrange a meeting with Hess in Lisbon. He signed "A" and sent a letter to a certain Mrs. Roberta in Lisbon, who forwarded it to England, but the letter was intercepted by an English censor and passed on to intelligence. Time passed, no answer was received, and Hess decided to act independently, without the knowledge of the Haushofers and Hitler. He decided that he would fly to the estate of the Duke of Hamilton, throw himself out on a “parachute, and hold negotiations under an assumed name. He was an experienced pilot who flew on the fronts of the First World War, the winner of the dangerous 1934 fly-overs of the Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany. A solo flight through enemy territory to a remote corner of Scotland, he thought, would definitely impress young Hamilton, a fellow avid sports pilot who was the first to climb the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. “I was faced with a very difficult decision,” Hess later admitted during interrogation. “I don’t think I would have dared to do this if I didn’t see a picture of an endless row of children's coffins and crying mothers.” Hess was convinced that only in this original way he could realize the Fuhrer's dream of a coalition of Germany and England. If this fails, he will not involve Hitler in the dubious case, and if he succeeds, then all the merits will be attributed to the Fuhrer. He was aware that there was little chance of success, but the game was worth the candle.

Karl Haushofer (left) and Rudolf Hess

Hess was confident that Hitler would approve of such a peculiar attempt to resolve the conflict, but would never allow him to take such risks. Therefore, it was very important to maintain secrecy. So thought the naive, not too clever Nazi, who, according to Wiedemann's adjutant, was Hitler's “most devoted follower”.

Hess carefully prepared for the implementation of his plan. He persuaded aircraft designer Willie Messerschmitt to give him on. time two-seat fighter "Me-110". But this plane had a short range. For each wing, according to the wishes of Hess, one additional gas tank with a volume of 100 liters was installed. Then he asked the designer to install a special radio station. After completing twenty test flights, Hess decided that he had mastered the converted aircraft. In violation of wartime rules, he acquired a new leather jacket and persuaded the personal pilot of the Fuhrer Baur to give him a secret map of the restricted air zones.

It is quite possible, he later wrote to his wife from prison, “I am not quite normal. The flight and its purpose captured me like an obsession. Everything else faded into the background. "

Early in the morning of May 10, after listening to the weather forecast, which turned out to be favorable, Hess began to prepare for the flight. Never before had he been so affectionate with his wife. After breakfast he kissed her hand and stopped at the door of the nursery with a thoughtful expression on his face. The wife asked when to expect him, assuming that the husband was flying to a meeting with someone like Petain. “Monday at the latest,” was the reply.

The wife expressed doubt: “I don’t believe it. You won't be back so soon. " Hess thought that she obviously guessed everything, looked at the sleeping son for the last time and left.

At 18.00, having passed a letter for the Fuehrer to the adjutant, he took off from the airfield in Augsburg and headed for the North Sea. England was covered in haze. Disguising himself, Hess went down sharply, not knowing that he had a Spitfire hanging on his tail. But the advantage in speed helped - the English fighter fell behind. Hess flew very low above the ground at a speed of up to 700 kilometers per hour, almost touching trees and houses. A mountain appeared ahead. This was his landmark. At about 11 pm the pilot turned to the east and saw a railway line and a small lake, which, as he remembered, should have been located just south of the Duke's estate. Having risen to a height of 1800 meters, Hess turned off the engine and opened the cockpit. He suddenly remembered that he had never jumped with a parachute, believing that it was easy. As the fighter began to lose altitude, Hess remembered the words of a friend that it was best to jump when the plane was overturned. He turned the car over. The pilot was pinned to the seat, and he began to lose consciousness. With the last effort, squeezing himself out of the cockpit, pulled the parachute ring and, to his surprise, slowly began to descend.

Upon collision with the ground, Hess lost consciousness. He was discovered by a farmer and taken to the militia, who brought the captive pilot to Glasgow. Calling himself Chief Lieutenant Alfred Horn, he asked to meet with Duke Hamilton.

His letter was delivered to Hitler at the Berghof on the morning of Sunday 11 May. During Engel's report, Martin Bormann's brother Albert entered and said that Hess's adjutant wanted to see the Fuehrer on a very urgent matter. “Can't you see I'm busy? I'm listening to a war report! ”Hitler flared up. But a minute later, Albert appeared again, saying that the matter was very serious, and gave Hitler a letter from Hess. He put on his glasses and began to read indifferently, but the very first line stunned him: "My Fuhrer, when you receive this letter, I will be in England." Hitler fell into a chair shouting: “Oh God, oh God! He flew to England! " Hess's goal, Hitler read, was to help the Fuehrer achieve an alliance with England, but he kept the flight secret, because he knew that the Fuehrer would not give his consent. “And if, my Fuehrer, this project, which, I admit, has little chance of success, fails and fate turns its back on me, it will not have disastrous consequences for you or Germany; you can always refuse any responsibility. Just declare that I am crazy. "

The Fuhrer, white as chalk, ordered him to be connected to the Reichsmarshal. “Goering, come here immediately!” He shouted into the receiver. Then he ordered Albert to find and call his brother and Ribbentrop. He immediately ordered the arrest of the unfortunate adjutant Hess and began to pace the room excitedly. When Martin Bormann, out of breath, rushed in, Hitler demanded to know if Hess could fly to England in the Me-110. The answer to this question was given by the famous ace of the First World War, General of the Luftwaffe Udet. “Never!” He exclaimed. “I hope he fell into the sea,” muttered the Fuhrer.

Hitler's anger grew. How to present this story to the world? What if the Japanese and Italians suspect that Germany is plotting a separate peace? Will this message affect the morale of the soldiers? Worst of all, didn't Hess betray the Barbarossa Plan? After considering the different versions, a press release was finally drawn up, which said that Hess went on a flight without permission and disappeared. It is believed to have crashed. It was also pointed out that the letter he left, "unfortunately, indicates signs of mental breakdown and raises fears that Hess was a victim of hallucinations."

Frau Hess was watching a movie when she was summoned from the audience. Upon learning that the radio had broadcast a message about the death of her husband, she angrily replied: "Nonsense!" - and called the Berghof, hoping to talk to the Fuhrer. She was answered by Bormann, who said that he had absolutely no information on this matter. Knowing her husband's assistant well, she did not believe him. Then she called her husband's brother Alfred Hess in Berlin - he also did not believe that Rudolph had died.

There were no reports from England, although Hess, who confessed who he really was, told the Duke of Hamilton about his peacekeeping mission and how he and Albrecht Haushofer tried to arrange a meeting in Lisbon. Hamilton hurried to Churchill, but he said: "Well, Hess or not Hess, and I'm going to watch a film with the Marx brothers." (The Marx Brothers were popular comic actors in American cinema at the time.)

A few hours after the German news of Hess's disappearance, the British finally announced his arrival in England. No details were provided. But this news forced the Germans to clarify the official version of the incredible act of Hitler's closest associate.

On May 13, a communiqué was published, which acknowledged the fact of Hess's flight to England. It went on to say: “As was well known in party circles, for a number of years Hess suffered from serious physical ailment. Recently, he has been looking for relief through various methods practiced by psychics, astrologers, etc. Steps are being taken to establish the extent to which these individuals are responsible for creating the conditions for the mental disorder that prompted him to take such a rash step. "

This version caused general bewilderment. Goebbels told his staff: “At present, our job is to keep our mouths shut, not explain anything to anyone, and not enter into polemics with anyone. This matter will be cleared up in the course of the day, and I will give the appropriate instructions. " He tried to reassure his subordinates that Hess's flight in the future would be viewed as a minor episode.

At an extraordinary meeting of the Gauleiters and Reichsleiters, Hitler said that Hess's flight was sheer madness: “Hess is above all a deserter, and if I come across him, he will pay for it like an ordinary traitor. It seems to me that the astrologers whom Hess gathered around him pushed him to this step. So it's time to put an end to these astrologers. " The audience knew about Hess's interest in homeopathic medicine and astrology and were ready to believe in his mental breakdown. However, they wondered: why did Hitler keep him in such a high position for so long?

At the meeting, the Fuhrer did not say a word about the upcoming attack on Russia and his fear that Hess had given this secret to the British. He had nothing to worry about. During interrogation, Hess argued that there was "no basis for rumors that Hitler was going to attack Russia." He wanted to talk about peace with England. He arrived without Hitler's consent to "convince responsible people: the most reasonable course would be to conclude peace."

As soon as Albrecht Haushofer learned about Hess's flight to England, he hurried to his father. “And with such fools we are doing politics!” He exclaimed. The father sadly agreed that "this terrible sacrifice was made in vain." Young Haushofer was summoned to the Berghof, taken into custody and ordered to write a message to the Fuehrer, who refused to accept him. He wrote everything he knew, but did not mention his friends in the anti-Hitler group. Albrecht Haushofer reported about his connections with the Duke of Hamilton, about a letter he wrote at the request of Hess, adding that he himself would be very useful for further contacts with the British. After reading the paper, Hitler decided not to rush. He ordered Haushofer to be handed over to the Gestapo for further interrogation. The Fuehrer spared the criminal's father, angrily saying about him: "Hess is on the conscience of this professor associated with Jews."

Other people from Hess's entourage were arrested - his brother Alfred, adjutants, orderlies, secretaries and drivers. Ilsa Hess remained at large, but Martin Bormann did his best to humiliate her. Becoming the successor of Hess, he did everything to erase the memory of him: all photographs with Hess, literature with his photographs were destroyed. He even tried to confiscate Hess's house, but Hitler did not sign this order.

The British government decided not to publish the materials of the interrogation of Hess in order to confuse the Germans. On the night of May 16, he was secretly transported to the Tower of London, where he remained in the position of a prisoner of war until the end of the war.

Hess's flight greatly alarmed Stalin, who, in the light of rumors of an impending attack on the USSR by unreliable allies, suspected that the British had entered into an agreement with Hitler.

No matter how upset and angry Hitler was, he somehow confessed in a narrow circle that he respected Hess for such self-sacrifice. Hitler did not believe that Hess was crazy, he believed that he was simply not smart enough and did not realize the catastrophic consequences of his mistake.

From the Tower of London, Hess wrote to his wife that he did not regret his deed: “True, I have not achieved anything. I have not been able to stop this insane war. I couldn’t save people, but I’m happy that I tried to do it. ”

On May 12, Hitler issued two repressive orders. One declared that Russian civilians who would use weapons against the Wehrmacht in the coming war should be shot without trial. Another authorized Himmler to carry out "special assignments arising from the struggle between two opposing political systems." The SS chief was supposed to act independently of the Wehrmacht "under his own responsibility." No one had the right to interfere with his activities in the occupied Russian territory, which should be "cleared" of Jews and troublemakers by special SS units "Einsatzgruppen" ("Special Forces").

Both directives worried Alfred Rosenberg, who had recently been appointed "Imperial Commissioner for the Control of Eastern European Territories." A native of the Baltic states, he believed that the Soviet people should be treated loyally. He assured Hitler that the population would meet the Germans as liberators from the Bolshevik-Stalinist tyranny, and that self-government could be allowed within certain limits in the occupied territories of the former USSR. Moreover, each region requires a selective approach. For example, Ukraine could be an "independent state allied with Germany," but the Caucasus must be governed by a German "commissioner".

Convinced that a tough policy in the East would prevent the development of "living space", Rosenberg presented Hitler with a memorandum of objections to both directives. How can a civil administration be created in the occupied territories, he argued, without the use of Soviet commissars and officials currently managing them? Rosenberg recommended that only high-ranking officials be “liquidated”. Hitler did not give a definite answer. He was accustomed to the fact that Rosenberg vied with Himmler in the struggle for influence over the Fuhrer.

Meanwhile, the final preparations for the implementation of the Barbarossa plan continued. On May 22, Raeder told Hitler that he was cutting off supplies of strategic materials to Russia, although supplies from the East were coming regularly. In addition to 1,500,000 tons of grain, the Soviet Union supplied Germany with 100,000 tons of cotton, 2,000,000 tons of petroleum products, 1,500,000 tons of timber, 140,000 tons of manganese and 25,000 tons of chromium. Despite the suspicions raised by Hess's flight, Stalin tried so hard to placate Hitler that he ordered a green light to be given to trains bringing important raw materials to Germany.

Von Schulenburg's meeting with Molotov on the same day convinced the German ambassador that the recent concentration of power in Stalin's hands had strengthened his control over Soviet foreign policy. In the hope of thwarting the implementation of Barbarossa, Schulenburg reported to Berlin that in recent weeks the attitude of the USSR towards Germany had noticeably improved. And on May 30, three days after the capture of the strategically important island of Crete by German paratroopers, Admiral Raeder tried to divert Hitler's attention from the East, advising him to organize a major offensive against Egypt in order to capture the Suez Canal. It was now, he argued, that a good moment had come to strike. After receiving reinforcements, General Rommel can win a decisive victory. But nothing could stop Hitler: the Barbarossa plan was set in motion. Meeting with Mussolini at the Brenner Pass on June 2, Hitler talked about everything - about the submarine war against England, about Hesse and the situation in the Balkans. But he never said a word about Barbarossa. And not only for reasons of secrecy: Duce in unequivocal terms warned him against an attack on Russia.

The roads and railways were operating at full capacity. On June 6, Hitler summoned Japanese Ambassador Oshima to the Berghof and informed him that due to Soviet border violations, a significant number of troops were being transferred to the East. “Under these circumstances, a war between us may be inevitable,” he said confidently. For Oshima, this meant a declaration of war, and he immediately warned Tokyo that an attack on Russia would soon take place.

On June 14, Soviet agent Sorge sent a warning from Tokyo: "The war will begin on June 22". But Stalin continued to stubbornly ignore the alarming messages. He convinced himself that the war could not start earlier than 1942, and on the same day ordered the publication of a TASS report refuting numerous rumors about the war. This authoritative message reassured the army.

On June 17, the "Z" hour was approved - 3 o'clock in the morning on June 22. On this day, a German non-commissioned officer, who was threatened with execution for a fight with an officer, ran over to the Russians. He announced that the German offensive would begin at dawn on 22 June. This alarmed the military, but they were reassured: "There is no need to panic."

In London, Ambassador Cripps, who arrived from Moscow for consultations, issued another warning about the imminent attack of Hitler's Germany on the USSR. “We have reliable information that it will take place tomorrow, June 22, or June 29 at the latest,” he told Soviet Ambassador Maisky. He sent an urgent code to Moscow.

Finally, Stalin authorized the bringing of troops to combat readiness. He also instructed his ambassador in Berlin to hand a note to Ribbentrop in strong protest against 180 violations of Soviet airspace by German aircraft, which "assumed a systematic and deliberate nature."

In the Chancellery, Hitler was preparing a letter to Mussolini, trying to explain the reason for the attack on Russia. The Soviets had concentrated a huge number of troops along the borders of the Reich, he argued, and time was working for the enemy. "So after much painful thought, I finally made the decision to break the noose before it tightens."

In Moscow, Molotov urgently summoned the German ambassador Schulenburg to lend weight to the note of protest that his ambassador in Berlin had not yet been able to hand over to Ribbentrop. “There are a number of signs,” he told Schulenburg, “that the German government is unhappy with our actions. There are even rumors that Germany and the Soviet Union are close to war. "

All Schulenburg could do was promise to send a statement from the Soviet government to Berlin. He returned to the embassy, ​​not knowing, like Molotov, that a war would begin in a few hours.

The commanders read out Hitler's appeal to the troops. "Burdened with anxiety for many months, forced to remain silent, I can finally speak openly with you, my soldiers." The Fuehrer argued that the Russians were preparing for an attack on Germany and were guilty of numerous violations of its border. “German soldiers!” Hitler addressed them. - You are about to enter a battle, a difficult and important battle. The fate of Europe and the future of the German Reich, the existence of our country are now only in your hands. " Along the entire winding front line stretching 1,500 kilometers, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, three million people listened to the Fuhrer and believed him.

It was the shortest night of the year, the time of the summer solstice. But to those who waited for the pale dawn to charge on the offensive, it seemed endless. At midnight, the Moscow-Berlin express rumbled across the border bridge into German territory. It was followed by a long freight train laden with grain - this was Stalin's last delivery to his ally Adolf Hitler.

An atmosphere of anticipation reigned in Berlin that evening. Foreign journalists gathered in the Foreign Press Room hoping to get information from a group of Foreign Ministry officials, but since there was no official announcement by midnight, everyone began to go home. And such unusual activity was observed in the Reich Chancellery that even Hitler's press secretary Dietrich, who knew nothing about the Barbarossa plan, was sure that "some grandiose action against Russia was being prepared." Hitler had no doubts about success. "In three months at the latest," he said to the adjutant, "Russia will suffer a collapse such as the world has never seen before." Nevertheless, that night he could not close his eyes.

At 3 o'clock in the morning on June 22, exactly one year after the surrender of France at Compiegne, the German infantry moved forward. Fifteen minutes later, conflagrations broke out along the entire front line. From the flashes of guns, the pale night sky became as bright as day: Operation Barbarossa had begun.

Fifteen minutes before "Z" the German ambassador to Italy, von Bismarck, delivered Hitler's lengthy letter to Ciano. Ciano immediately called Mussolini. Duce was angry that he had been disturbed at such a late hour and that he had been informed so late. "I don't even bother the servants at night," he said gruffly to his son-in-law, "and the Germans make me jump up at any time."

In Moscow, Schulenburg went to the Kremlin to report that in response to the Soviet Union's intention to "stab Germany in the back," the Fuhrer ordered the Wehrmacht to "resist this threat by all means." Molotov silently listened to the German ambassador and said with bitterness in his voice: “This is war. Your planes have just bombed about ten of our cities. Do you really think we deserve it? "

In Berlin, Ribbentrop ordered the Soviet ambassador to be summoned by 4.00. Never before had the translator Schmidt seen the foreign minister so flustered. Pacing the room like a beast in a cage, Ribbentrop repeated: "The Fuehrer is absolutely right to attack Russia now." He seemed to be convincing himself: "The Russians themselves would have attacked us if we had not gotten ahead of them."

At exactly 4:00 the Soviet ambassador Dekanozov entered. As soon as he began to state Soviet claims, Ribbentrop interrupted him, announcing that the hostile position of the USSR forced the Reich to take military countermeasures. “I'm sorry I can't say anything more,” Ribbentrop said. "Despite serious efforts, I have not been able to establish a reasonable relationship between our countries."

Taking control of himself, Dekanozov expressed regret over what had happened, blaming the consequences on the German side. He got up, nodded casually, and left without holding out his hand to Ribbentrop.

The war with fascist Germany is one of the most tragic periods in the history of our country and the whole world. Hitler's strategy of capturing and enslaving peoples gave different results in European countries, and the war on the territory of the Soviet Union turned out to be completely different from what the fascist invaders imagined it, already at its first stage. Anyone who is familiar with should be able to describe Barbarossa's plan briefly, know why it got such a name, as well as the reasons for the failure of the plan.

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Blitzkrieg

So what was Barbarossa's plan? Its other name is blitzkrieg, "lightning war". The attack on the USSR, planned for June 22, 1941, was to be sudden and quick.

To confuse the enemy and deprive him of the opportunity to defend, the attack was planned simultaneously on all fronts: Air force first, then several directions on the ground. Having quickly defeated the enemy, the fascist army was supposed to go to Moscow and completely subjugate the country within two months.

Important! Do you know why the plan is named that way? Barbarossa, Frederick I Hohenstaufen, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, legendary ruler, became a classic of medieval military art.

Why was Hitler so confident in the success of the operation? He considered the Red Army weak and ill-prepared. German equipment, according to his information, won both in quantitative and qualitative composition. In addition, the "lightning war" has already become proven strategy, thanks to which many European countries admitted defeat in the shortest possible time, and the map of the occupied territories was constantly replenished.

The essence of the plan was simple. The seizure of our country was to take place in stages as follows:

• Attack the USSR in the border zone. The main attack was planned on the territory of Belarus, where the main forces were concentrated. Open the way for traffic to Moscow.
• Having deprived the enemy of the opportunity to resist, move towards Ukraine, where the main goal was Kiev and the sea routes. If the operation is successful, Russia will be cut off from the Dnieper, opening the way to the southern regions of the country.
• In parallel, send armed forces to Murmansk from the Nordic countries. This opened the way to the northern capital, Leningrad.
• Continue the offensive from the north and west, advancing towards Moscow, without encountering sufficient resistance.
• Capture Moscow within 2 months.

These were the main steps of Operation Barbarossa, and the German command was confident of its success... Why did she fail?

The essence of the Barbarossa plan

Operation progress

A lightning attack on the Soviet Union, called Barbarossa, was launched on June 22, 1941 at about 4 a.m. in several directions.

The beginning of the invasion

After a sudden artillery attack, the effect of which was achieved - the population of the country and troops were taken by surprise- deployed an offensive front to the border areas with a length of 3,000 kilometers.

• Northern direction - tank groups were advancing on the North-Western Front in the direction of Leningrad and Lithuania. In a few days the Germans occupied the Western Dvina, Libava, Riga, Vilnius.
• Central - the offensive on the Western Front, the attack on Grodno, Brest, Vitebsk, Polotsk. In this direction, during the beginning of the invasion, Soviet troops could not contain the attack, but held the defense for much longer than it was supposed under the "lightning war" plan.
• Yuzhnoye - an attack by air and navy forces. As a result of the attack, Berdichev, Zhitomir, Prut were captured. Fascist troops managed to reach the Dniester.

Important! The Germans considered the first phase of Operation Barbarossa successful: they managed to catch the enemy by surprise and deprive him of his main military forces. Many cities held out longer than expected, but, according to forecasts, further serious obstacles to the capture of Moscow were not foreseen.

The first part of the plan was successful for the Germans.

Offensive

The German offensive against the Soviet Union continued in several directions and continued throughout July and August 1941.

• North direction. Throughout July, the German offensive continued, targeting Leningrad and Tallinn. In connection with the counterattacks, the movement inland was slower than planned, and only by August did the Germans come to the Narva River and then to the Gulf of Finland. On August 19, Novgorod was captured, but at the Voronka River the Nazis were stopped for almost a week. Then the opponents nevertheless reached the Neva, and a series of attacks on Leningrad began. The war ceased to be lightning fast, the northern capital could not be subdued from the first attack. With the arrival of autumn, one of the most difficult and difficult periods of the war begins - the blockade of Leningrad.
• Central direction. This is a movement with the aim of capturing Moscow, which also did not go as intended. It took German troops a month to reach Smolensk. Also, battles for Velikie Luki were fought for a whole month. While trying to take Bobruisk, most of the divisions were attacked by Soviet soldiers. Thus, the movement of the "Center" group from the offensive was forced to go over to the defensive, and Moscow turned out to be not such an easy prey. The capture of Gomel was a major victory for the fascist army in this direction, and the movement to Moscow continued.
• Southern. The first major victory in this direction was the capture of Chisinau, but then the siege of Odessa followed for more than two months. Kiev was not taken, which meant the failure of the movement to the south. Army "Center" were forced to provide assistance, and as a result of the interaction of the two armies, Crimea was cut off from the rest of the territory, and Ukraine on the eastern side of the Dnieper was in the hands of the Germans. Odessa surrendered in mid-October. By the beginning of November, Crimea was completely occupied by the fascist invaders, and Sevastopol was cut off from the rest of the world.

Important! Barbarossa was brought to life, but it was very difficult to call what was happening “lightning war”. Soviet cities did not surrender without a long, exhausting defense on both sides, or they repulsed the offensive. According to the plan of the German command, Moscow was supposed to fall by the end of August. But in fact, by mid-November, German troops had not yet managed to even approach the capital. A harsh Russian winter was approaching ...

The German offensive against the Soviet Union continued in several directions.

Failure of the operation

Already at the end of July, it became clear that the Barbarossa plan would not be able to be implemented briefly, the terms that were given for its implementation had long passed. Only in the northern direction, the real offensive almost did not disagree with the plan, in the central and southern directions there were delays, the operations developed much slower than planned by the German command.

As a result of such a slow advance into the interior of the country at the end of July, Hitler changed his plan: not the capture of Moscow, but the capture of the Crimea and blocking communications with the Caucasus, in the near future became the goal of the German army.

It was not possible to capture Moscow, the position of which was very difficult, within 2 months, as planned. Autumn has come. Weather conditions and serious resistance from the Soviet army caused the failure of the Barbarossa plan and the plight of the German army on the eve of winter. Traffic to Moscow was stopped.

Serious resistance of the Soviet army is one of the reasons for the failure of the plan

Reasons for failure

The German command could not even imagine that such a well thought out Barbarossa plan, which gave excellent results in European countries, would not be able to be implemented in the Soviet Union. The cities put up heroic resistance. It took Germany a little more than a day to take France. And about the same - to move from one street to another in the besieged Soviet city.

Why did Hitler's Barbarossa plan fail?

• The level of training of the Soviet army actually turned out to be much better than the German command assumed. Yes, the quality of technology and its novelty were inferior, but the ability to fight, to correctly distribute forces, to think over a strategy - this undoubtedly bore fruit.
• Excellent awareness. Due to the heroic work of the scouts, the Soviet command knew or could predict every step of the German army. Thanks to this, it was possible to give a worthy "response" to the attacks and attacks of the enemy.
• Natural and weather conditions. Barbarossa's plan was supposed to be implemented in the favorable summer months. But the operation dragged on, and the weather began to play into the hands of the Soviet soldiers. Impenetrable, wooded and mountainous areas, inclement weather, and then severe cold - all this disorientated the German army, while the Soviet soldiers were fine fought in familiar conditions.
• Loss of control over the course of the war. If at first all the actions of the fascist army were offensive, then after a short period they turned into defensive ones, and the German command was no longer able to control events.

Thus, the incarnation of Barbarossa in the USSR met with serious obstacles, and the operation was not carried out. Moscow was not taken for 2 months as planned. "Lightning War" unsettled the Soviet army for only a short time, after which the offensive movement of the Germans was stopped. Russian soldiers fought in their native land, which they knew very well. Cold, slush, mud, winds, showers - all this was familiar to the defenders, but created significant obstacles for the German army.

Plan "Barbarossa"

In his book, which was pompously titled "My War", as well as in numerous speeches, Hitler proclaimed that the Germans, as a superior race, needed more living space.

At the same time, he did not mean Europe, but the Soviet Union, its European part. The mild climate, fertile lands and geographical proximity to Germany - all this made Ukraine an ideal place for a German colony from his point of view. He took as a basis the experience of the colonization of the British in India.

According to his plan, the Aryans should live in beautiful houses, enjoy all the benefits, while the fate of the rest of the peoples is to serve them.

Negotiations with Hitler

If the plan was excellent, then certain difficulties arose with the implementation. Hitler understood perfectly well that it would hardly be possible to conquer Russia with such lightning speed, due to its territorial size and large population, like Europe. But he firmly counted on conducting a military operation before the onset of the famous Russian frosts, realizing that getting bogged down in a war was fraught with defeat in it.

Joseph Stalin was not ready for the beginning of the war of the year. According to some historians, he sincerely believed that Hitler would not attack the USSR until he defeated France and Great Britain. But the fall of France in 1940 made him wonder about a possible threat from the Germans.

Therefore, Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov was delegated to Germany with clear instructions - to drag out negotiations with Hitler for as long as possible. Stalin's calculation was aimed at the fact that Hitler would not dare to attack closer to the fall - after all, then he would have to fight in the winter, and if he did not have time to act in the summer of 1941, then he would have to postpone his military plans until next year.

Plans for an attack on Russia

Plans for an attack on Russia by Germany have been developed since 1940. Historians believe that Hitler canceled Operation Sea Lion, deciding that with the fall of the Soviet Union, the British would surrender themselves.

The first version of the offensive plan was made by General Erich Marx in August 1940 - in the Reich he was considered the best specialist in Russia. In it, he took into account many factors - economic opportunities, human resources, vast territories of the conquered country. But even careful reconnaissance and development of the Germans did not allow them to discover the reserve of the Supreme High Command, which included armored forces, engineering troops, infantry and aviation. Subsequently, this became an unpleasant surprise for the Germans.

Marx designed the attack on Moscow as the main line of attack. Secondary strikes were to be directed at Kiev and two distracting ones - through the Baltic states to Leningrad, as well as Moldova. Leningrad was not a priority for Marx.

The plan was developed in an atmosphere of strict secrecy - disinformation about Hitler's plans to attack the Soviet Union went through all channels of diplomatic communication. All troop movements were explained by exercises or redeployments.

The next version of the plan was completed in December 1940 by Halder. He changed Marx's plan, highlighting three directions: the main one was against Moscow, the smaller forces were to be focused on advancing towards Kiev, and a major attack was to go to Leningrad.

After the conquest of Moscow and Leningrad, Harold suggested going in the direction of Arkhangelsk, and after the fall of Kiev, the forces of the Wehrmacht were to go to the Don and the Volga region.

The third and final version was developed by Hitler himself under the code name "Barbarossa". This plan was created in December 1940.

Operation Barbarossa

Hitler made the northward movement the main focus of his military activities. Therefore, Moscow and Leningrad remained from the strategic important goals. Units moving south were to be tasked with occupying Ukraine west of Kiev.

The attack began early on Sunday morning, June 22, 1941. In total, the Germans and their allies deployed 3 million soldiers, 3,580 tanks, 7,184 artillery pieces, 1,830 aircraft and 750,000 horses. In total, Germany has assembled 117 army divisions for the attack, not counting the Romanian and Hungarian. Three armies took part in the attack: "North", "Center" and "South".

“You just have to kick at the front door, and all the rotten Russian structure will fall down,” Hitler said smugly a few days after the outbreak of hostilities. The results of the offensive were truly impressive - 300,000 Soviet soldiers and officers were killed or captured, 2,500 tanks, 1,400 artillery pieces and 250 aircraft were destroyed. And this is only for the central advance of the German troops in seventeen days. Skeptics, seeing the catastrophic results for the USSR in the first two weeks of hostilities, predicted the imminent collapse of the Bolshevik empire. But the situation was saved by Hitler's own miscalculations.

The first advances of the fascist troops were so fast that even the command of the Wehrmacht was not prepared for them - and this jeopardized all the supply lines and communications of the army.

Army group "Center" in the summer of 1941 stopped at the Desna, but everyone believed that this was just a respite before the inexorable movement. But in the meantime, Hitler decided to change the balance of power of the German army. He gave the order to the military units led by Guderian to go to Kiev, and the first tank group to go north. was against Hitler's decision, but he could not disobey the order of the Fuhrer - he repeatedly proved his innocence as a military leader with victories, and Hitler's authority was unusually high.

The crushing defeat of the Germans

The success of the mechanized units in the north and south was as impressive as the attack on June 22 - huge numbers of people killed and captured, thousands of pieces of equipment destroyed. But, despite the results achieved, this decision already laid down the defeat in the war. lost time. The delay was so significant that the onset of winter came before the troops had reached the goals set by Hitler.

The army was not equipped for the winter cold. And the frosts of the winter of 1941-1942 were especially severe. And this was a very important factor that played a role in the loss of the German army.