Operation Barbarossa

Question 1

From when had Allied intelligence found evidence that Hitler had been plotting to invade Russia?

Answer 1

October 1940

Question 2

When was the siege of Leningrad?

Answer 2

sep 1941

Question 3

When was the Battle of Moscow?

Answer 3

Dec 1941

Question 4

When was Operation Barabarossa?

Answer 4

22nd June 1941

Question 5

When did the German army surround Stalingrad?

Answer 5

November 1942

Question 6

When did the German army surrender at Stalingrad?

Answer 6

Feb 1943

Question 7

When did the Leningrad siege end?

Answer 7

1944 Jan

Question 8

When was the Soviet victory in the Battle of Berlin?

Answer 8

may 1945

Question 9

Hitler had intended the invasion of the USSR to be another blitzkrieg campaign. What is this?

Answer 9

this was the term used to define the rapid victories achieved by German armies in conquering poland in 1939 and France in 1940 using fast moving amorured units followed by air support

Question 10

Why was it bad for Operation Barbarossa that it was cut to 22nd June rather than the intended 1st of June?

Answer 10

as it shortened the window for completion of the operation before winter weather conditions intervened

Question 11

3 huge army groups spearheaded the German invasion of the USSR. Where did they go?

Answer 11

• North through Baltic States towards Leningrad
• East to Ukraine
• Central thrust towards Moscow

Question 12

What was the aims behind Operation Barabarossa? (3)

Answer 12

military victory, seize control over Soviet economy and eradicate communism

Question 13

How did Hitler believe many Soviet citizens would welcome the German invaders?

Answer 13

as liberators

Question 14

What was a reason why Stalin preferred not to believe allied forces that Hitler was planning an invasion?

Answer 14

as he did not want to provoke Hitler into launching an attack

Question 15

How can the weakness of the Soviet position in June 1941 be reflected in Stalin’s reaction to the German invasion?

Answer 15

he shrank away from making a radio broadcast to the people- he left this task to Molotov

Question 16

How much time had Stalin spent away from public after the German invasion?

Answer 16

almost 2 weeks

Question 17

When did Stalin make a radio speech to the nation following the German invasion?

Answer 17

3rd July

Question 18

What did Stalin appeal to in his radio speech on the 3rd July 1941 following th German invasion which was a change fro the startling terror tone of the 1930s?

Answer 18

he appealed to religion and patriotism, and unity amongst the nationalisties

Question 19

Why was it significant that the new tone of Stalin’s propaganda was for a Great Patriotic War?a

Answer 19

s this linked to the national struggles of Russia’s past during Napoleons campaign

Question 20

How did the Communist Party refer to Russia during the war?

Answer 20

as the mother land

Question 21

How long did the army purges last?

Answer 21

from 1937-1939

Question 22

Where can the weakness of the red army be demonstrated?

Answer 22

in the Winter War against Finland 1939-40

Question 23

Why did Soviet resources have to be stretched as far as the Far East?

Answer 23

due to the 1939 war against Japan which was a major threat to Stalin

Question 24

Although the total size of the army greatly increased between 1939-1941, how did this compare to the Germans?

Answer 24

the Germans had efficiency, equipment and leadership

Question 25

What happened to the extensive territories in eastern Poland and the Baltic States that had been seized in 1939-40?

Answer 25

this did not provide a buffer zone and were taken over by Germany within a matter of weeks

Question 26

Stalin’s leadership was poor in the first year of war. He was even prepared to move the government away from Moscow to where until the last second?

Answer 26

to Samara on the Volga

Question 27

What was an issue with the commanders of the Red Army?

Answer 27

They were inferior and had only been promoted due to the purge of the army from 1937-39

Question 28

How did Stalin cause a massive defeat of his southern armies at Kiev in Sep 1941?

Answer 28

by refusing to allow them to retreat until it was too late

Question 29

What was the Stavka?

Answer 29

this was the top-level military command of the USSR formed on the 23rd June 1941 compromising of key generals and politicians- subordinate only to the GKO which was the supreme political war cabinet

Question 30

What was the GKO?

Answer 30

this was the supreme political war cabinet

Question 31

What was Stalin saved by in the war? (3)

Answer 31

the size of Russia, the enormity of its population and the intensity of its weather

Question 32

Who gave Stalin advance information about the intentions of Japan?

Answer 32

by master spy, Sorge

Question 33

Who were the Axis powers?

Answer 33

Germany, Italy and Japan

Question 34

By 1943, more than how many in Leningrad died of hunger and cold in three successive winters of terrifying siege?

Answer 34

1.3 million

Question 35

In what year had the USSR fought a major war against Japan?

Answer 35

1939

Question 36

Why was it advanatagous to Soviet victory that master spy Sorge in Japan tipped of Stalin that Japanese aggression would be targetted at America?a

Answer 36

as this allowed Stalin to redirect the high quality troops in the Far East to strengthen the defence of Moscow