• Operation Barbarossa was Hitler’s initial assault on Russia. In the beginning Germany made great advances, with their Blitzkrieg tactics causing havoc amidst Russian troops.
• Operation Barbarossa was started in late summer, during June of 1941.
• However, the distance was too great so the invasion which started in June, continued on into the Autumn and Winter, during which the invasion was halted.
• Hitler’s army had to retreat from Russia and the German war effort began to go downhill.
• After other battles and failed attempts to gain an upper hand, such as the largest tank battle to date, the Battle of Kursk, Germany had to fully retreat out of Russia.
• This invasion could be seen as what really caused Germany's defeat, as Hitler's ambition had caused him difficulty and Germany would soon have to start fighting on two fronts with the allied invasion of Normandy.