WW2 Flashcards
Why was Hitler’s strategic goal of conquering the USSR never abandoned?
For geopolitical and ideological reasons.
What was happening with the USSR and Germany by 1941?
Stalin’s fear of German power had become overwhelming.
Stalin was appeasing Hitler - and preparing for war.
What were two of the accurate warnings of the coming attack?
- Churchill and Roosevelt warned Stalin directly.
- German deserters.
What did Stalin believe about the warnings about war?
Stalin and his inner circle mistrusted Hitler, but mistrusted Churchill and Roosevelt more.
Who was Friedrich-Werner Graf von der Schulenburg?
Named German ambassador to the USSR in 1934.
What happened to Friedrich-Werner Graf von der Schulenburg?
Executed in 1944 for being part of the plot to assassinate Hitler.
How many army commanders were lost as a result of the purges?
15 out of 16.
What was the issue with the 225 regional commanders on active duty in 1940?
Not one was educated in a military academy.
What happened on 22nd June 1941?
Germans launched Operation Barbarossa.
What happened in Operation Barbarossa?
Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a 1,800 mile front.
What did Stalin do after the invasion of Operation Barbarossa?
Disappeared from public view for more than a week.
What did the policy of appeasement make Stalin feel?
Threatened as he felt GB and France were sending Hitler in his direction.
What three reasons were there for the USSR’s victory?
- German errors.
- Soviet tactics.
- External factors.
How did the Nazis overestimate?
Overstretched themselves with over 2000 miles of front to fight.
What key mistake did Hitler make?
He got too focused on symbolic cities such as Stalingrad.
How had the FYPs and purges done in preparation for war?
Prepared people for the harsh reality.
What economic changes encouraged food production?
Lifting of the restriction which had limited the size of private plots.
What scheme did the US implement? What did it provide the USSR with?
The Lend lease scheme.
Provided 400,000 lorries and 14 million soldiers boots.
What was opened in 1944?
The Western Front and the German Army was split.
In what way were the USSR not ready for war?
In a political sense.
What happened June 22nd 1941?
Operation Barbarossa.
What were the main three fronts of war?
- German Army Group North - Leningrad.
- German Army Group Centre - Moscow.
- German Army Group South - Kiev, Rostov-Don.
When did the siege of Leningrad begin?
September 8th, encircled Leningrad.
How long did the siege of Leningrad last?
For 900 days.
What was the rationing situation in the siege of Leningrad?
125g of bread per person, per day.
What happened between the months of January and February 1942, in Leningrad?
200,000 people died.
How close to Moscow did German Army Group Centre get?
Within 20 miles of Moscow by Nov 1941, but never captured it.
Who staged a counter offensive in Moscow?
Zukov.
What were the main two goals in 1942 for the Germans?
- Capture the oil fields in Southern Russia.
- Capture Stalingrad.
What is the significance of the Battle of Moscow?
First Soviet victory over the Nazis.
How many Germans did the Soviet kill on the Caucus front?
260,000.
How long did the Battle of Stalingrad last?
Over 200 days and nights.
When did the Germans surrender at the Battle of Stalingrad?
2nd February 1943.
When was the liberation of the Soviet Union?
August to December 1943.
What did the Red Army do between August and December of 1943?
Liberated most of central Russia and Ukraine.
What was Order 270?
Commissars and commanders who left the front were seen as deserters, and their families were deprived of state entitlements.
When was Order 270 passed?
16th August 1941.
What was Order 277?
Order for ‘not a step back’ to defend Soviet territory to the end. Issued at the low point of the war.
When was Order 277 passed?
28th July 1942.
Give an example, of how the Germans were initially successful in Operation Barbarossa?
Occupied 85% of pre-war aircrafts, factories, by November 1941.
How much did living standards in the SU fall?
By two-fifths.
How much did Lend Lease contribute to the economy in 1943 and 44?
10% of the GDP.
What was the worst year for agriculture?
1943 - 30% of output in 1940.
What fraction of farmers had been removed in the countryside?
4/5 by the end of the war.
How many women served in the armed forces?
500,000.
What were women not allowed to participate in after WW2?
Any after war parades.
How did Pravda characterise Stalin after the war was won?
‘The genius organiser of our victories’.
