WW2

Question 1

How many military figures were killed during the purges?

Answer 1

23,000

Question 2

What and when was Operation Barbarossa?

Answer 2

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)

Question 3

Why was Operation Barbarossa delayed?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What percentage of all Russian industry took place in Leningrad and what did this mean for Operation Barbarossa?

Answer 4

11%- This meant that it was a good target, plus it was the old Russian capital and was the centre of revolution

Question 5

How long did the Siege of Leningrad last?

Answer 5

872 days

Question 6

What was the population of Leningrad during the siege and how much had refugees swelled this up to?

Answer 6

2.5 million, 3.5 million with refugees

Question 7

How did Stalin react to the news of Operation Barbarossa?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

By how much did Soviet war production outweigh Germany’s?

Answer 8

By 2/3

Question 9

How many tanks and field guns did the Soviets produce for WW2?

Answer 9

100,000 tanks
800,000 field guns

Question 10

What percentage of the Soviet population were wiped out in the war?

Answer 10

About 12.5%

Question 11

What mistake did Japan make in 1941 that impacted the Axis struggle with the Soviet?

Answer 11

They attacked Pearl Harbour in the USA and removed themselves as a threat to the USSR by engaging in a Pacific War

Question 12

How many German soldiers were killed off by the Russian Winter in 1941?

Answer 12

113,000

Question 13

Where was the Barbarossa attack halted by the Winter?

Answer 13

About 20km from Moscow

Question 14

Which battle was the largest tank battle in history and when was it?

Answer 14

Battle of Kursk 1943- 5,000 Soviet tanks and 3,000 German

Question 15

How many people died during the Leningrad Siege?

Answer 15

1.3 million

Question 16

How did the Soviet people help the war effort?

Answer 16

Many of them volunteered for war work, they outnumbered the Germans 2:1 by 1943 and 3:1 by 1944. They were super resilient

Question 17

What did the Soviets do regarding their industry before war and how did this help?

Answer 17

They moved their main factories to the East, which put it out of the way and meant they could continue producing stuff easily

Question 18

Who entered the war in 1941 and what did they do to help the USSR?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

How many Soviet forces were initially mobilised in 1941?

Answer 19

5 million Soviet soldiers

Question 20

What are some examples of indirect foreign support during the war?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

How did industrialisation/the FYPS help with the war effort?

Answer 21

They proved the industry capable of handling
such heavy requirements.

Question 22

What happened to Stalingrad during the war?

Answer 22

90% of it had been invaded, but determined resistance in 1943 ended with the German army being encircled and defeated