Changes

1941 marked the major turning point in the war in Europe, when the Germans broke the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact]] and undertook Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union.  [[Stalin]] was repeatedly informed by his own spies and anti-German countries that Germany was about to attack; he rejected the accurate reports and paid dearly for the blunder.  The [[Great Purge]] of the 1938 also had decimated the Red Army's military leadership.

1941 marked the major turning point in the war in Europe, when the Germans broke the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact]] and undertook Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union.  [[Stalin]] was repeatedly informed by his own spies and anti-German countries that Germany was about to attack; he rejected the accurate reports and paid dearly for the blunder.  The [[Great Purge]] of the 1938 also had decimated the Red Army's military leadership.

[[File:Axis Allies.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Axis Allies that fought with [[Nazi Germany]] against the [[Soviet Union]]. Not included in the list: [[Finland]], [[Hungary]], and [[Romania]] which also sent troops.]]

[[File:Axis Allies.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Axis Allies that fought with [[Nazi Germany]] against the [[Soviet Union]]. Not included in the list: [[Finland]], [[Hungary]], and [[Romania]] which also sent troops.]]

In June—behind schedule because of diversions in the Balkans—the Germans launched their massive war against the Soviet Union (known as the "Great Patriotic War" in Russia). It was by far the largest, bloodiest, and most decisive phase of World War II. Outside observers in the first few months figured that Germany would win easily. But the Nazi armies were split three ways, logistics became worse and worse as distances grew, and none met their objective by the time the extreme Russian winter of 1941-42 set in. Blitzkrieg had failed against the Soviets, and the Germans lacked the resources to fight a long war against a country with such vast areas and so many more people.  The Luftwaffe, which promised to overcome the slowness of ground travel, failed to provide adequate support and was soon matched and outnumbered by the Soviet air force.<ref>The best studies of this theater are by [https://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=30&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES&lr=&as_vt=&as_auth=glantz+david&as_pub=&as_sub=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_isbn=&as_issn= David Glantz]</ref>

In June—behind schedule because of diversions in the Balkans—the Germans launched their massive war against the Soviet Union (known as the "Great Patriotic War" in Russia). It was by far the largest, bloodiest, and most decisive phase of World War II. The German-led [[Western]] alliance regarded the [[Soviet Union]] - which was not a member of [[Geneva Convention]] - and the peoples of [[Eurasia]] as uncivilized [[Asiatic]] hordes. Outside observers in the first few months figured that Germany would win easily. But the Nazi armies were split three ways, logistics became worse and worse as distances grew, and none met their objective by the time the extreme Russian winter of 1941-42 set in. Blitzkrieg had failed against the Soviets, and the Germans lacked the resources to fight a long war against a country with such vast areas and so many more people.  The Luftwaffe, which promised to overcome the slowness of ground travel, failed to provide adequate support and was soon matched and outnumbered by the Soviet air force.<ref>The best studies of this theater are by [https://books.google.com/books?as_q=&num=30&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_brr=0&as_pt=ALLTYPES&lr=&as_vt=&as_auth=glantz+david&as_pub=&as_sub=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&as_isbn=&as_issn= David Glantz]</ref>

Einsatzgruppen squads began to carry out mass shootings during the last week of June 1941.<ref>[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline-event/holocaust/1939-1941/operation-barbarossa Operation Barbarossa | Holocaust Encyclopedia]</ref>  

Einsatzgruppen squads began to carry out mass shootings during the last week of June 1941.<ref>[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/timeline-event/holocaust/1939-1941/operation-barbarossa Operation Barbarossa | Holocaust Encyclopedia]</ref>