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Before the Invasion
Planning for the invasion of the Soviet Union began as long before it as 1940, as the German military wanted not only the land the Russians had for agricultural and logistical purposes, but also for enslaved manpower. At this time it was known as Operation Otto, but in the years to come would be called Operation Barbarossa. -
Operation Barbarossa Begins
On June 22nd, Germany and it's Axis allies would begin their offensive into the Soviet Union, beginning the largest land offensive in human history, with over 10 million combatants. During the first month or so, Soviet Russia would see emmense losses along its front lines from Germanys overwhelming firepower and from the additional allies that came with them. -
Period: to
The length of the Invasion
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Turning the Tides of the War
Come the end of 1941, the German forces and their allies would become halted in the battle of Moscow. This would be when the Russian forces would strike back and begin their push of the Germans all the way back to Germany and put the odds of the war back in the Allies favor.