The Great Patriotic War Flashcards
what areas were hit first by the germans?
the first area hit by German invasion were rich in resources, the Germans took the Soviets completely by surprise, advanced hundreds of miles in just a
few weeks, killed or captured several million Soviet troops, and seized an area containing 40
percent of the USSR’s population, as well as most of its coal, iron ore, aluminium, and armaments industry creating a massive problem for Stalin who denied any invasion at all.
How did the five year plans help?
although the economy had its problems, the Five Year Plans ensured that all targets required would be able to be met in delivering machinery and therefore helping the war effort as the troops were able to be supplied with ammunition, weapons, clothing and food effectively and allowing them to continue fighting for the soviet uninterrupted by famine or loss of ammo etc.
why did millions of workers have to be moved?
Due to the advancement of the German forces, the scorched earth policy was employed, factories were decommissioned and all heavy equipment taken and relocated. This significant effort would prove to be challenging however it ensured that they did not fall into German hands and that production could continue as planned, significantly helping the war effort, especially since the workers moved willingly to save the motherland.
how did Stalin utilise propaganda effectively?
to inspire his troops, Stalin utilised propaganda. he inspired millions to volunteer by advertising the war as a defence of communism against fascism and the defence of their home against invaders, it was the peoples war, not Stalin’s. this made everyone within Russia regardless of gender or role within the war effort to fight the axis forces with all their power and eventually go on to win the war through sheer will power.
how was Stalin’s leadership throughout the war?
in the beginning, Stalin refused to beleive the German forces were invading even when they were marching through towns in Russia as they had a pact to not invade each other. he then decided to maintain his absolute authority and command the forces himself. this ended in disaster after it was one fail after another. however, he eventually realised his strenghts and weaknesses and delegated the roles among more qualified people, one of which, Zhukov, commented on Stalin’s willingness to learn military strategy.
how did Russia use geography to her advantage?
Russia prioritised time over space, they realised the Germans were ill equipped to survive Russia in winter and were not anticipating the war lasting as long as it did. Russia therefore allowed Germany to advance little by little until it took them into deep winter, something the Russians were used to and were equipped for. this made defeat of the German forces a much easier task
how did the Purges contribute to morale within the War effort in the beginning?
when the war began, the peoples morale was extremely low as most of the military were purged not that long ago and they felt ill equipped. the army was extremely weak and people were not as anxious to fight as they were at the end of the war; this lack in enthusiasm and weakness within the much smaller army was a massive contributor of the disaster of June 1941
what did Laver say?
Laver highlights the establishment of a command economy and authoritarian rule and the appeal to patriotism in order to galvanise support for ‘mother Russia’
what did Ward say?
Ward notes the economic, military and the political, but also points out the importance of the social factors — the people’s war. He also notes Hitler’s blunders
what did Medvedev say?
Medvedev criticises the Generalissimo (Stalin) as being ‘short sighted and cruel, careless of
losses’
what did Hosking say?
Hosking stresses that productivity was impressive in terms of military output.
