The impact of the war on the soviet union

When did the USSR join WW2

when nazi germany invaded the soviet union in June 1941 - this broke the terms of the nazi soviet pact

the Grand Alliance?

Stalin’s response to the growing fascist threat was to form the “Grand Alliance” with USA and Britain

It formed after Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, when Nazi Germany invaded the USSR.

Despite deep ideological hatred between capitalism and communism, they united to defeat Adolf Hitler.

👉 It was an alliance of necessity, not trust.

Operation Barbarossa

22 June 1941 Nazi Germany launched operation Barbarossa and made rapid gains into soviet territory

By september 1941 the laid siege to Leningrad by October 1941 another army was marching on Moscow and by December over 6m red army soldiers and many towns,cities and villages were overrun, this early success was down to Stalin’s mistaken belief that the Nazi-soviet pact would safeguard the USSR

Foreign aid

The USSR benefited from foreign aid from the USA and Great Britain munitions,transport and raw materials

300,000 trucks

what was stalin’s reaction to the nazi germany invasion of june 1941

On 22 June:

• Stalin did not immediately address the nation.

• Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov announced the invasion instead.

This is significant — it suggests hesitation, shock, or uncertainty.

new position

By 30 June:

• He became head of the State Defence Committee (GKO) — effectively dictator of the war effort.

• He later took the title of Supreme Commander.

This centralised all military, economic and political authority in his hands.

So while his initial reaction may have involved shock, institutionally he moved quickly to take total control.

the speech

On 3 July, Stalin finally addressed the Soviet people by radio.

This speech is hugely important.

He:

• Called citizens “brothers and sisters”

• Framed the war as a patriotic struggle

This marks the beginning of the Great Patriotic War narrative.

wartime alliance with the united nations

The soviet union joined this in 1942

Grand Alliance was also formalised

Siege of Leningrad

1941-1944

June 1941 – Operation Barbarossa begins. Hitler invades the USSR.

Summer 1941 – German Army Group North advances rapidly toward Leningrad.

8 September 1941 – Germans cut the last land route into the city.
🔒 The siege officially begins.

Winter 1941–42 – The deadliest period.

• Food rations fall to 125g of bread per day for civilians.

• Starvation, disease, and freezing temperatures kill hundreds of thousands.

January 1944 – The siege is fully lifted after Soviet offensives push German forces back.

🕰 Total length: 872 days

Human cost of the siege of leningrad

• Around 800,000–1 million civilians died

• Most deaths were from starvation, cold, and disease

• Cannibalism was recorded in extreme cases

Battle of Stalingrad

1942-1943

june 1942 – Hitler launches summer offensive (Case Blue) aiming for oil fields in the Caucasus.

August 1942 – Luftwaffe massively bombs Stalingrad. - damaging infrastructure

September–November 1942 – Brutal street fighting.

19 November 1942 – Soviets launch Operation Uranus.
They attack weaker Axis forces (Romanian troops) on the flanks.

November 1942 – German 6th Army is encircled.

December 1942–January 1943 – Hitler refuses retreat. Luftwaffe fails to supply the army.

2 February 1943 – German 6th Army surrenders.

siege of stalingrad human cost

2 million casualties

91,000 German soldiers and officers, including 24 generals, were captured by Soviet forces

scorched earth policy was used to prevent infrastructure from falling into the hands of the germans