The Soviet Union in the War:
Pre - War:
After the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Russian Civil War, the communists assumed power in Russia and declared the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922. At the time, the Soviet Union was the only communist state in the world; its radical ideology resulted in political isolation. During the interwar period, the Soviet industrial power grew and so did its army. Therefore the Soviets sought to regain by force the territory that imperial Russia lost in the First World War. To achieve this goal, the Soviet Union needed to step out of political isolation.
In the mid / late 1930's, the Soviet Union supported the Spanish Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. This was a chance for the Soviets to test and modify their new equipment and tactics.
In the late 1930's, the newly emerged Nazi Germany wanted an alliance with the Soviet Union. The former believed that war with Britain and France was inevitable, and a British naval blockade would cause serious shortages in Germany. Thus it saw the Soviet Union as a potential supplier of raw materials. In addition Germany did not wish to see the Soviet Union side with Britain and France, which would force Germany to fight another war on two fronts. Therefore Germany secretly asked the Soviet Union for an alliance. This provided the latter with an excellent opportunity to step out of political isolation. Note that Britain and France also asked for an alliance with the Soviet Union, but their offers were less substantial and more restricting than Germany's. Furthermore, the Soviet Union's communist government was unpopular with British and French. Therefore the Soviet Union aligned toward Germany.
On August 23rd, 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact, which was a non - aggression pact, stating that members of the pact will not attack each other. In addition, a plan of partitioning Eastern Europe was drew up. The pact is also known today as the Nazi - Soviet Pact. However, this pact was not one of mutual protection, so the Soviet Union remained neutral when Britain and France declared war on Germany in September.
Invasion of Poland:
The Soviet Union invaded Poland on September 17th and soon occupied the areas given to it in the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact. However, there were small changes along the exact borderline.
Later the Baltic states (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia) were forced into signing] treaties with the Soviet Union, which allowed Soviet forces to be stationed in their territory. In effect, they were placed under Soviet occupation.
After the Russian Revolution and the subsequent Russian Civil War, the communists assumed power in Russia and declared the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922. At the time, the Soviet Union was the only communist state in the world; its radical ideology resulted in political isolation. During the interwar period, the Soviet industrial power grew and so did its army. Therefore the Soviets sought to regain by force the territory that imperial Russia lost in the First World War. To achieve this goal, the Soviet Union needed to step out of political isolation.
In the mid / late 1930's, the Soviet Union supported the Spanish Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. This was a chance for the Soviets to test and modify their new equipment and tactics.
In the late 1930's, the newly emerged Nazi Germany wanted an alliance with the Soviet Union. The former believed that war with Britain and France was inevitable, and a British naval blockade would cause serious shortages in Germany. Thus it saw the Soviet Union as a potential supplier of raw materials. In addition Germany did not wish to see the Soviet Union side with Britain and France, which would force Germany to fight another war on two fronts. Therefore Germany secretly asked the Soviet Union for an alliance. This provided the latter with an excellent opportunity to step out of political isolation. Note that Britain and France also asked for an alliance with the Soviet Union, but their offers were less substantial and more restricting than Germany's. Furthermore, the Soviet Union's communist government was unpopular with British and French. Therefore the Soviet Union aligned toward Germany.
On August 23rd, 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact, which was a non - aggression pact, stating that members of the pact will not attack each other. In addition, a plan of partitioning Eastern Europe was drew up. The pact is also known today as the Nazi - Soviet Pact. However, this pact was not one of mutual protection, so the Soviet Union remained neutral when Britain and France declared war on Germany in September.
Invasion of Poland:
The Soviet Union invaded Poland on September 17th and soon occupied the areas given to it in the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact. However, there were small changes along the exact borderline.
Later the Baltic states (Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia) were forced into signing] treaties with the Soviet Union, which allowed Soviet forces to be stationed in their territory. In effect, they were placed under Soviet occupation.
Eastern Front:
On June 22nd, 1941, Germany openly violated the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact by invading the Soviet Union with five million troops. The German invasion, also known as Operation Barbarossa, caught the Soviets by surprise. The blitzkrieg strategy knocked the Soviet army off balance. Ukraine, Belorussia, and the Baltic areas were quickly overrun. The Soviets were forced to withdraw to the Dnieper and Dvina rivers, employing a scorched earth strategy as they went. Cities like Smolensk, Kiev, Kharkov, and Kursk fell before the end of the year. Similar to China, the Soviet Union relocated its heavy industry deeper into homeland and sacrificed space for time. By winter, the German attack was losing momentum while the Soviets gathered new recruits and reserves. In the meantime, more Soviet units were transferred from the Far East to the Eastern Front, following a non - aggression agreement between the Soviet Union and Japan. Moreover, the Soviet army was better equipped for winter warfare than their counterpart. Therefore, the Soviets managed to defeat the Germans at the Battle of Moscow.
In summer 1942 the Germans attempted to continue their offensive from last year, but the element of surprise had been lost. Although the Germans scored considerable victories in spring and summer of 1942, the German offensive on Stalingrad ended in disaster; it was seen as a turning point of the war in Europe. The ensuing Battle of Kursk in summer 1943 ended in another Soviet Victory. Furthermore, the Battle of Kursk was the last great German offensive on the Eastern Front.
Note that the Soviets and Germans had also been waging unrestricted submarine warfare in the meantime.
In 1943 and early 1944 fresh Soviet recruits from areas previously occupied by Germany bolstered the strength of the Soviet army. On the other hand, German recruitment was drying up. Thus the Soviets greatly outnumbered their enemies. In 1943 a series of counteroffensives pushed the Germans back to the Dnieper. Kharkov, Orel, and Smolensk were back under Soviet control. Moreover, the Germans and their allies were unable to mount any significant offensives to turn the tide; their outnumbered armies were also incapable of defending such a wide front. (See below map)
On June 22nd, 1941, Germany openly violated the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact by invading the Soviet Union with five million troops. The German invasion, also known as Operation Barbarossa, caught the Soviets by surprise. The blitzkrieg strategy knocked the Soviet army off balance. Ukraine, Belorussia, and the Baltic areas were quickly overrun. The Soviets were forced to withdraw to the Dnieper and Dvina rivers, employing a scorched earth strategy as they went. Cities like Smolensk, Kiev, Kharkov, and Kursk fell before the end of the year. Similar to China, the Soviet Union relocated its heavy industry deeper into homeland and sacrificed space for time. By winter, the German attack was losing momentum while the Soviets gathered new recruits and reserves. In the meantime, more Soviet units were transferred from the Far East to the Eastern Front, following a non - aggression agreement between the Soviet Union and Japan. Moreover, the Soviet army was better equipped for winter warfare than their counterpart. Therefore, the Soviets managed to defeat the Germans at the Battle of Moscow.
In summer 1942 the Germans attempted to continue their offensive from last year, but the element of surprise had been lost. Although the Germans scored considerable victories in spring and summer of 1942, the German offensive on Stalingrad ended in disaster; it was seen as a turning point of the war in Europe. The ensuing Battle of Kursk in summer 1943 ended in another Soviet Victory. Furthermore, the Battle of Kursk was the last great German offensive on the Eastern Front.
Note that the Soviets and Germans had also been waging unrestricted submarine warfare in the meantime.
In 1943 and early 1944 fresh Soviet recruits from areas previously occupied by Germany bolstered the strength of the Soviet army. On the other hand, German recruitment was drying up. Thus the Soviets greatly outnumbered their enemies. In 1943 a series of counteroffensives pushed the Germans back to the Dnieper. Kharkov, Orel, and Smolensk were back under Soviet control. Moreover, the Germans and their allies were unable to mount any significant offensives to turn the tide; their outnumbered armies were also incapable of defending such a wide front. (See below map)
By spring 1944 the Soviets were back in roughly the same spot as they had been in September 1939. (See map below) The later Baltic Offensive in autumn 1944 drove the Axis forces out of the Baltic area as well. Soviet operations were also sufficient in pressuring the Germans to focus most of their manpower on the Eastern Front. Therefore the German army was not able to transfer many troops to the Western Front to defend against the American and Commonwealth troops, who had just landed in Western France.
In January 1945 the Soviets invaded German proper en masse. This was the first time that a large Russian force entered Germany since 1914. The Prussian region was captured in early Spring 1945; the Soviets were then in striking range of Berlin. The Battle of Berlin began on April 16th. Soviet and American troops met near the Elbe River on April 25th, cutting Germany in two. Berlin surrendered on May 2nd; German Marshall Keitel signed the German surrender on May 9th (Soviet time), ending the war in Europe. Due to time zone differences, in the West, the surrender was on May 8th, not May 9th. In most Commonwealth nations, VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) is on May 8th.
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Far East:
Although the Germans had surrendered, the Japanese in the Far East did not. Following the defeat of Germany the Allies turned their attention to Japan. Although the Soviet Union signed a non - aggression pact with Japan earlier in the war, the pact can be renounced a year before its expiration in 1946. Thus the Soviet Union renounced the pact in 1945, just before the surrender of Germany. On August 9th, the Soviet Union declared war and began its invasion of Manchuria. In less than two weeks, the Japanese were decisively defeated in Manchuria.
The Soviets also drew up plans for invading the Japanese home islands, but the Japanese surrender on September 2nd marked an end to the war and the invasion of Japan never occurred.
The war had a dramatic impact on the future of the Soviet Union, for further details see the Aftermath section.
Although the Germans had surrendered, the Japanese in the Far East did not. Following the defeat of Germany the Allies turned their attention to Japan. Although the Soviet Union signed a non - aggression pact with Japan earlier in the war, the pact can be renounced a year before its expiration in 1946. Thus the Soviet Union renounced the pact in 1945, just before the surrender of Germany. On August 9th, the Soviet Union declared war and began its invasion of Manchuria. In less than two weeks, the Japanese were decisively defeated in Manchuria.
The Soviets also drew up plans for invading the Japanese home islands, but the Japanese surrender on September 2nd marked an end to the war and the invasion of Japan never occurred.
The war had a dramatic impact on the future of the Soviet Union, for further details see the Aftermath section.