Changes

[[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 and their [[Anti-Comintern Pact]] allies launched a 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>

In June—behind schedule because of diversions in the Balkans—the Germans and their [[Anti-Comintern Pact]] allies launched a 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>  

The OUN's stated immediate goal was the re-establishment of a united, quasi-independent [[Nazi]]-aligned, mono-ethnic [[nation state]] on the territory that would include parts of modern day Russia, [[Poland]], and [[Belarus]].  Violence was accepted as a political tool against foreign as well as domestic enemies of their cause, which was to be achieved by a national revolution led by a [[dictatorship]] that would drive out what they considered to be occupying powers and set up a government representing all regions and social classes.<ref>Myroslav Yurkevich, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (Orhanizatsiia ukrainskykh natsionalistiv) ''This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993).''</ref>

The OUN's stated immediate goal was the re-establishment of a united, quasi-independent [[Nazi]]-aligned, mono-ethnic [[nation state]] on the territory that would include parts of modern day Russia, [[Poland]], and [[Belarus]].  Violence was accepted as a political tool against foreign as well as domestic enemies of their cause, which was to be achieved by a national revolution led by a [[dictatorship]] that would drive out what they considered to be occupying powers and set up a government representing all regions and social classes.<ref>Myroslav Yurkevich, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (Orhanizatsiia ukrainskykh natsionalistiv) ''This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 3 (1993).''</ref>

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===Battle of Kharkov===

===Battle of Kharkov===