WW2 Flashcards
How many military figures were killed during the purges?
23,000
What and when was Operation Barbarossa?
Began June1941- 3 million German and Axis troops invaded the Soviet Union along an 1,800 mile front. This was that horrific three pronged attack (Leningrad, Stalingrad/oil mines, Moscow)
Why was Operation Barbarossa delayed?
Hitler had to support his Italian allies in Yugoslavia, which delayed them by about three weeks. Hitler believed that the USSR would crumble easily and was determined to eradicate communism
What percentage of all Russian industry took place in Leningrad and what did this mean for Operation Barbarossa?
11%- This meant that it was a good target, plus it was the old Russian capital and was the centre of revolution
How long did the Siege of Leningrad last?
872 days
What was the population of Leningrad during the siege and how much had refugees swelled this up to?
2.5 million, 3.5 million with refugees
How did Stalin react to the news of Operation Barbarossa?
He only gave a speech after two weeks due to shock. He had trusted the Nazi-Soviet Pact so didn’t want to mobilise and antagonise the Germans. He stressed the ideological hatred of Germany
By how much did Soviet war production outweigh Germany’s?
By 2/3
How many tanks and field guns did the Soviets produce for WW2?
100,000 tanks
800,000 field guns
What percentage of the Soviet population were wiped out in the war?
About 12.5%
What mistake did Japan make in 1941 that impacted the Axis struggle with the Soviet?
They attacked Pearl Harbour in the USA and removed themselves as a threat to the USSR by engaging in a Pacific War
How many German soldiers were killed off by the Russian Winter in 1941?
113,000
Where was the Barbarossa attack halted by the Winter?
About 20km from Moscow
Which battle was the largest tank battle in history and when was it?
Battle of Kursk 1943- 5,000 Soviet tanks and 3,000 German
How many people died during the Leningrad Siege?
1.3 million
How did the Soviet people help the war effort?
Many of them volunteered for war work, they outnumbered the Germans 2:1 by 1943 and 3:1 by 1944. They were super resilient
What did the Soviets do regarding their industry before war and how did this help?
They moved their main factories to the East, which put it out of the way and meant they could continue producing stuff easily
Who entered the war in 1941 and what did they do to help the USSR?
USA- they sent Arctic Convoys and materials as part of the ‘lend-lease’ scheme. They provided around 300,000 trucks, which proved vital in getting Soviet economy back up and running
How many Soviet forces were initially mobilised in 1941?
5 million Soviet soldiers
What are some examples of indirect foreign support during the war?
D-Day (1944) opened up a genuine second front that Germany had to deal with, the USA continued bombing Germany in 1941, leaving them having to deal with that too
How did industrialisation/the FYPS help with the war effort?
They proved the industry capable of handling
such heavy requirements.
What happened to Stalingrad during the war?
90% of it had been invaded, but determined resistance in 1943 ended with the German army being encircled and defeated
