The Battle of Russia: Operation Barbarossa, Hitler and the Eastern Front

As Europe staggered toward war, Stalin saw opportunity to gain territory for Russia and stand apart from imperialist conflict between Britain, France and Germany. He abandoned cooperation from western allies. By agreeing to share Polish territory between the 3rd Reich and the Soviet Union after invasion, Hitler kept the Russians at bay on his eastern borders to devote attention to war with the west.

As Adolph Hitler prepared his armies for the invasion of Russia in 1941, he was conscious that he was about to change European history. He did change it although not in a way that he neither the rest of the war torn World would have ever thought possible. Hitler prepares his armies for the invasion of Russia in 1941, conscious he will change history.

The Wehrmacht organized into 3 army groups for operation. North headed to Stalingrad, South, toward Ukraine, and centre towards the heartland of Russia. Led by General field marshall Fedor Von Bonk, a well known anti-nazi, army group centre was the largest and best equipped of all 3 groups. It also contained Gen. Heinz Guderian, perhaps the most renowned commander of the 20th century. Army Group Center was the largest of three Wermacht groups.