Changes

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>

The [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic]] and parts of the Byelorussian SSR, Russian SFSR, and Eastern Poland (the ''Kresy'') were annexed to [[Nazi Germany]] as the [[Reichskommissariat Ukraine]] (RKU) from 1941 to 1944. It served as the German [[civilian]] occupation regime.

The [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic]] and parts of the Byelorussian SSR, Russian SFSR [[Crimea]], and Eastern Poland (the ''Kresy'') were annexed to [[Nazi Germany]] as the [[Reichskommissariat Ukraine]] (RKU) from 1941 to 1944. It served as the German [[civilian]] occupation regime.

===Holocaust by bullet===

===Holocaust by bullet===