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>

===Holocaust by bullet===

===Holocaust by bullet===

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 immediately following the June 22, 1941 invasion of the [[Soviet Union]] in 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 14th Waffen Grenadier Division (1st Galician)<ref>German: 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (galizische Nr. 1)) Ukrainian: 14а Гренадерська Дивізія СС (1а галицька)), prior to 1944 titled the 14th SS-Volunteer Division "Galicia" Ukrainian: 14а Добровільна Дивізія "Галичина"</ref> was a German military formation made up predominantly of military volunteers with a [[Ukrainian]] ethnic background from the area of [[Polish Galicia]], later also with some [[Slovak]]s and [[Czech]]s. Formed in 1943, it was largely destroyed in the battle of Brody, reformed, and saw action in [[Slovakia]], [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Austria]] before being renamed the first division of the Ukrainian National Army and surrendering to the Western Allies by 10 May 1945.  Volodymyr Kubiyovych (Ukrainian Father Jewish Mother) founded this Division in order for Ukrainians to aid the Ukrainian Insurgent Army with weapons.  

The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division (1st Galician)<ref>German: 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (galizische Nr. 1)) Ukrainian: 14а Гренадерська Дивізія СС (1а галицька)), prior to 1944 titled the 14th SS-Volunteer Division "Galicia" Ukrainian: 14а Добровільна Дивізія "Галичина"</ref> was a German military formation made up predominantly of military volunteers with a [[Ukrainian]] ethnic background from the area of [[Polish Galicia]], later also with some [[Slovak]]s and [[Czech]]s. Formed in 1943, it was largely destroyed in the battle of Brody, reformed, and saw action in [[Slovakia]], [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Austria]] before being renamed the first division of the Ukrainian National Army and surrendering to the [[Angelo-American]]s by 10 May 1945, ten days after [[Hitler]]'s suicide.  Volodymyr Kubiyovych (Ukrainian Father Jewish Mother) founded this Division in order for Ukrainians to aid the Ukrainian Insurgent Army with weapons.  

{{Anchor|Abwehr}}

{{Anchor|Abwehr}}

{{Anchor|Nachtigall Battalion}}

{{Anchor|Nachtigall Battalion}}

 

The '''Nachtigall Battalion''' under [[Roman Shukhevych]], also known as the Ukrainian Nightingale Battalion Group, or officially as Special Group Nachtigall,<ref name="Abbott">Abbot, Peter. ''Ukrainian Armies 1914-55'', p.47. Osprey Publishing, 2004. ISBN|1-84176-668-2</ref> was the subunit under command of the German Abwehr (Military Intelligence) special operations unit "Brandenburg".  Along with the Roland Battalion it was one of two military units formed February 25, 1941 by head of the Abwehr Adm. Wilhelm Canaris, which sanctioned the creation of the "Ukrainian Legion" under German command. It was composed of volunteer "Ukrainian nationalists," Ukrainians operating under [[Stephan Bandera]]'s OUN orders.<ref>[http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/Book/Patr/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BA.pdf  І.К. Патриляк. Військова діяльність ОУН(Б) у 1940—1942 роках.]<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161104141147/http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/Book/Patr/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BA.pdf Університет імені Шевченко \Ін-т історії України НАН України Київ], 2004 (No ISBN) p.271-278</ref>

The '''Nachtigall Battalion''' under [[Roman Shukhevych]], also known as the Ukrainian Nightingale Battalion Group, or officially as Special Group Nachtigall,<ref name="Abbott">Abbot, Peter. ''Ukrainian Armies 1914-55'', p.47. Osprey Publishing, 2004. ISBN|1-84176-668-2</ref> was the subunit under command of the German Abwehr (Military Intelligence) special operations unit "Brandenburg".  Along with the Roland Battalion it was one of two military units formed February 25, 1941 by head of the Abwehr Adm. Wilhelm Canaris, which sanctioned the creation of the "Ukrainian Legion" under German command. It was composed of volunteer "Ukrainian nationalists," Ukrainians operating under [[Stephan Bandera]]'s OUN orders.<ref>[http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/Book/Patr/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BA.pdf  І.К. Патриляк. Військова діяльність ОУН(Б) у 1940—1942 роках.]<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161104141147/http://history.org.ua/LiberUA/Book/Patr/%D0%9F%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BA.pdf Університет імені Шевченко \Ін-т історії України НАН України Київ], 2004 (No ISBN) p.271-278</ref>

At three villages of the Vinnytsia region "all [[Jew]]s which were met" were shot.<ref>"... скрепив нашу ненависть нашу до жидів, що в двох селах ми постріляли всіх стрічних  жидів.  Під час нашого перемаршу перед одним селом... ми постріляли всіх стрічних там жидів"  from Nachtigal third company activity report  Центральний державний архів вищих органів влади та управління України (ЦДАВО). — Ф. 3833 . — Оп. 1. — Спр. 157-  Л.7</ref>

At three villages of the [[Vinnytsia]] region "all [[Jew]]s which were met" were shot.<ref>"... скрепив нашу ненависть нашу до жидів, що в двох селах ми постріляли всіх стрічних  жидів.  Під час нашого перемаршу перед одним селом... ми постріляли всіх стрічних там жидів"  from Nachtigal third company activity report  Центральний державний архів вищих органів влади та управління України (ЦДАВО). — Ф. 3833 . — Оп. 1. — Спр. 157-  Л.7</ref>

The [[Simon Wiesenthal|Simon Wiesenthal Center]] contends that between June 30 and July 3, 1941, in the days that the Battalion was in [[Lviv]] the Nachtigall soldiers together with the German army and the local Ukrainians participated in the killings of Jews in the city. The pretext for the [[pogrom]] was a rumor that the Jews were responsible for the execution of prisoners by the Soviets before the 1941 Soviet withdrawal from Lviv. The ''Encyclopedia of the Holocaust'' states that some 4,000 Jews were kidnapped and killed at that time.<ref>Gutman, Israel. "[http://motlc.learningcenter.wiesenthal.org/text/x16/xm1688.html Nachtigall Battalion]". ''Encyclopedia of the Holocaust''. Macmillan Publishing Company: New York, 1990.</ref> It further states that the unit was removed from Lviv on July 7 and sent to the Eastern Front.

The [[Simon Wiesenthal|Simon Wiesenthal Center]] contends that between June 30 and July 3, 1941, in the days that the Battalion was in [[Lviv]] the Nachtigall soldiers together with the German army and the local Ukrainians participated in the killings of Jews in the city. The pretext for the [[pogrom]] was a rumor that the Jews were responsible for the execution of prisoners by the Soviets before the 1941 Soviet withdrawal from Lviv. The ''Encyclopedia of the Holocaust'' states that some 4,000 Jews were kidnapped and killed at that time.<ref>Gutman, Israel. "[http://motlc.learningcenter.wiesenthal.org/text/x16/xm1688.html Nachtigall Battalion]". ''Encyclopedia of the Holocaust''. Macmillan Publishing Company: New York, 1990.</ref> It further states that the unit was removed from Lviv on July 7 and sent to the Eastern Front.

[[Stepan Bandera]] was the leader of the [[Ukrainian Insurgent Army]] (UPA), which collaborated with the Nazis and fought against the [[Armia Krajowa]] of [[Poland]] and the [[Red Army]] in [[Western Ukraine]]. UPA is responsible for the deaths of 76,000 and 106,000 Poles, mainly [[women]] and [[children]], in Volhynia and [[Eastern Galicia]] during the merciless campaign of [[ethnic cleansing]]. Bandera fled Ukraine after his cause failed and eventually settled in [[Munich]], where he was assassinated in 1959 while working with the [[Gehlen Organization]].

[[Stepan Bandera]] was the leader of the [[Ukrainian Insurgent Army]] (UPA), which collaborated with the Nazis and fought against the [[Armia Krajowa]] of [[Poland]] and the [[Red Army]] in [[Western Ukraine]]. UPA is responsible for the deaths of 76,000 and 106,000 Poles, mainly [[women]] and [[children]], in Volhynia and [[Eastern Galicia]] during the merciless campaign of [[ethnic cleansing]]. Bandera fled Ukraine after his cause failed and eventually settled in [[Munich]], where he was assassinated in 1959 while working with the [[Gehlen Organization]].

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===Battle of Kharkov===

===Battle of Kharkov===

{{See also|Hitler-Mannerheim conversation, June 4, 1942}}

{{See also|Hitler-Mannerheim conversation, June 4, 1942}}