The Great Patriotic War, Part I

Russian communism cannot be explained solely through the internal logic of Russian history

It was a specifically Russian product of a global crisis, the hallmark of which was the start of the Era of World Wars

The Russian Revolution was an act of rejection of the World War logic – and of its capitalist roots

In the 1920s, under NEP, USSR experienced a brief respite from global conflict - the Soviet state was tested for its ability to serve society’s peaceful needs

In the 1930s, the logic of global war re-imposed itself Preparation for war, not prosperity or freedom – and

capability to win as the main criterion of the state’s vitality and strength

If the essence of War Communism was to win the Russian Civil War, the essence of Stalinism was to win in World War II

Belief in the inevitability of war – of one kind or another A sense of insecurity in the face of “capitalist encirclement” Forced modernization was seen by Stalinists as the only

way for the Soviet Union to survive

January 30, 1933: Adolf Hitler is appointed Germany’s

Prime Minister, after the Nazi Party wins a plurality of seats in a parliamentary election

Interconnections between civil wars and interstate conflicts Fierce Left-Right struggles in European countries since

WWI, the lure and fear of revolution Stalinism in Russia as a new stage in the Russian civil

war: forced modernization to strengthen the state and make it fit for the next round of interstate wars

Fascism as a new stage in European Left-Right conflict: to defeat the Left internally and externally

Projection of the internal conflicts on interstate relations

1933-39 Germany is transformed into a racist totalitarian

dictatorship Abolition of democracy, political repressions State terror against Jews State capitalism Massive rearmament Preparation for a war for world domination First aggressive moves against neighbours

1938: Appeasement of Hitler, betrayal of Czechoslovakia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CAAqfS8lUQ&feature=related

Hitler publicly and repeatedly pledged to destroy the Soviet Union, billing himself as saviour of the West from communism

As a state committed to world revolution, Russia was viewed as a threat by Western elites

The rise of fascism was partly a response to the threat – and anticommunism was one of the motives of Western appeasement of Hitler

Stalin saw the prospect of a new world war as an opportunity for the spread of communism: the WWI template

But ultimately, WWII was not about revolution: it was an interstate conflict of a traditional kind, similar to WWII, waged on a global scale

Germany besieged: a Nazi propaganda poster

The geopolitical triangle: Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan), USSR, Western democracies (WDs)

USSR

Axis

WDs

WDs hoped to channel Hitler’s aggression to the East, toward conflict with Russia – reluctant to fight Germany

Hitler was determined to prevent WDs and USSR from joining forces: beat them one by one

Stalin was determined to avoid war with Germany as long as possible – but convinced that such a war was inevitable

1939: A divergence of interests between USSR and WDs – and a convergence of interests between Germany and USSR

The unexpected deal was logical – but only temporary

Moscow, August 23, 1939: German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop signs non-aggression pact with Russia

Secret Additional Protocol to the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Article I. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement in the areas belonging to the Baltic States (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), the northern boundary of Lithuania shall represent the boundary of the spheres of influence of Germany and U.S.S.R. In this connection the interest of Lithuania in the Vilna area is recognized by each party.

Article II. In the event of a territorial and political rearrangement of the areas belonging to the Polish state, the spheres of influence of Germany and the U.S.S.R. shall be bounded approximately by the line of the rivers Narev, Vistula and San.

The question of whether the interests of both parties make desirable the maintenance of an independent Polish States and how such a state should be bounded can only be definitely determined in the course of further political developments.

In any event both Governments will resolve this question by means of a friendly agreement.

Article III. With regard to Southeastern Europe attention is called by the Soviet side to its interest in Bessarabia. The German side declares its complete political disinterestedness in these areas.

Article IV. This protocol shall be treated by both parties as strictly secret.

Moscow, August 23, 1939.

Stalin’s and Ribbentrop’s signature on the secret map establishing division of Eastern Europe between USSR and Nazi Germany

Stalin offers a toast to Hitler

September 1, 1939: Nazi Germany invades Poland

German and Soviet invasions of Poland

Soviet and Nazi officers in occupied Poland, 1939

May 1940, Dunkirk: British troops evacuated from the continent

Hitler and his High Command after occupation of France, summer 1940

1940: Hitler in occupied Paris

Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, June 1940

1939-1941: growing tensions between USSR and Germany At first: division of the spoils. But then: Germany’s unexpected triumph in the West emboldens

Hitler Hitler’s strategic goal of conquering the USSR was never

abandoned – for geopolitical and ideological reasons Stalin expected the new war to generate a new wave of

revolutions – and intended to get involved By 1941, his fear of German power became the

overwhelming factor He was appeasing Hitler – and preparing for war against

him at the same time Each of the two intended to strike first Hitler outfoxed Stalin and delivered a crushing blow

War of the Century, BBC documentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVo-2jfeoMM&feature=related

Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941 Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded

the USSR along an 1,800 mile front Goals:

Total destruction of the Soviet state Colonization of the Soviet territory, together with

allies – Japan especially Enslavement of the population, turning the territory

into a resource base for the Third Reich

Hitler explaining the future war against Russia, March 1941: “It is a struggle between two ideologies… Communism

presents an enormous danger for the future. A communist has never been and never will be our comrade. It is a struggle for annihilation. If we think otherwise, then, even if we should crush the enemy, the communist threat will rise again in 30 years…

This war will be vastly different from the onw in the West. In the East, brutality is a benefit for the future. Commanders must be ready for sacrifice and overcome their doubts.”

From the diary of General F. Halder, Chief of Staff, Land Forces, Germany

Nazi propaganda poster: SS forces kill the Red beast of communism

German poster depicting Soviets: “The lower race”

Soviet POWs

The Wehrmacht rolling down Ukraine: 1941

Invaders

General von Richthoffen in Russia with his officers

Celebrating success in Lightning War

In the first 10 days, German armies moved 550 km into Soviet territory

In the first 20 days of the war, the Red Army lost 1/5 of its manpower – 600,000 men

By July, 20 mln. Soviets found themselves under occupation. Nazi terror began.

Resistance Redeployment of industry to the East

Victims of German occupation

Stubborn resistance

The Battle of Moscow: September 1941 – January 1942

Moscow, October 1941

Women digging anti-tank moats near Moscow

Antitank barriers in downtown Moscow

November 7th, 1941: military parade in Red Square

Marshal Georgi Zhukov, commander of Soviet forces in the Battle of Moscow

Women in the war: medics

Women in the war: pilots

Children workers assembling weapons

Partisans

Partisans

General Guderian wrote in his journal: “The offensive on Moscow failed…. We underestimated the enemy's strength, as well as his size and climate. Fortunately, I stopped my troops on December 5, otherwise the catastrophe would be unavoidable."

Furious that his army had been unable to take Moscow, Hitler dismissed his commander-in-chief on December 19, 1941, and took personal charge of the Wehrmacht, effectively taking control of all military decisions and setting most experienced German officers against him.

The Battle of Moscow was the first Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Casualties in the battle of Moscow: 250,000 – 400,000 German 600,000 – 1,300,000 Soviet