The Hitler Youth was a logical extension of Hitler's belief that the future of Nazi Germany was its children. The Hitler Youth was seen as being as important to a child as school was. In the early years of the Nazi government, Hitler had made it clear as to what he expected German children to be like:The weak must be chiselled away. I want young men and women who can suffer pain. A young German must be as swift as a greyhound, as tough as leather, and as hard as Krupp's steel."

The Hitler Youth catered for 10 to 18 year olds. There were separate organisations for boys and girls. The task of the boys section was to prepare the boys for military service. For girls, the organisation prepared them for motherhood.

Girls, at the age of 10, joined the Jungmadelbund (League of Young Girls) and at the age of 14 transferred to the Bund Deutscher Madel (League of German Girls). Girls had to be able to run 60 metres in 14 seconds, throw a ball 12 metres, complete a 2 hour march, swim 100 metres and know how to make a bed.

Operation Barbarossa was the name given to Nazi Germany’s invasion of Russia on June 22nd 1941. Barbarossa the largest military attack of World War Two and was to have appalling consequences for the Russian people.

Army Group

Consisted of?

Army Group North

XVIII Army led by von Küchler

IV Panzergruppe led by Hoepner

XVI Army led by Busch

Totalled 20 divisions and Luftflotte I

Army Group Centre

III Panzergruppe led by Hoth

IX Army led by Strauss

IV Army led by von Kluge

II Panzergruppe led by Guderian

Totalled 51 divisions and Luftflotte II

Army Group South

VI Army led by von Reichenau

I Panzergruppe led by von Kleist

XVII Army led by von Stülpnagel

Hungarian Army Corps (Carpathian Group)

III Rumanian Army led by Dmitrescu

XI Army led by von Schobert

IV Rumanian Army led by Ciuperca

40 divisions; 14 Rumanian divisions; Hungarian Army Corps and Luftflotte IV.

Russia was defended by four army units. Though Russia had a large army, the purges had wiped out a considerable part of the army’s senior commanders.

The Baltic Special Military District led by Kuznetsov faced Army Group North

8th Army led by Sobennikov

11th Army led by Morosov

27th Army led by Berzarin

Totalled 26 Divisions including 6 armoured ones.

The Western Special Military District led by Pavlov faced Army Group Centre

3rd Army led by Kuznetsov

10th Army led by Golubev

4th Army led by Korobkov

Totalled 36 divisions including 10 armoured ones.

The Kiev Special Military District led by Kirponos faced Army Group South

5th Army led by Potapov

6th Army led by Muzychenko

26th Army led by Kostenko

12th Army led by Ponedelin

Totalled 56 divisions including 16 armoured divisions

The Odessa Special Military District led by Tyulenev which faced Army Group South

9th Army led by Cherevichenko

Totalled 14 divisions including 2 armoured divisions.

The next version of the plan was completed in December 1940 by Halder. He changed Marcks plan by having three thrusts; a major one against Moscow, a smaller attack on Kiev and a major attack on Leningrad. After taking Moscow and Leningrad, Halder wanted a move north to Archangel. After Kiev had fallen, he envisaged a drive into the Don/Volga region.

The third and final variant was Hitler’s plan which he codenamed Barbarossa. This plan was constructed in December 1940. For Hitler, the primary military activity would take place in the north. Hence Leningrad became a vital target as did Moscow. His drive in the south was confined to the occupation of the Ukraine to the west of Kiev.

We have only to kick in the front door and the whole rotten Russian edifice will come tumbling down.” (Hitler)

By Day 17 of the attack, 300,000 Russians had been captured, 2,500 tanks, 1,400 artillery guns and 250 aircraft captured or destroyed. This was only in the territory attacked by Army Group Centre. To any military observer, the Russian Army was on the verge of a total collapse and Moscow seemed destined to fall.

In fact, the German advance had been so fast that it had compromised the whole army’s supply and communication lines. The Army Group Centre paused on the Desna but it was still thought that it was only catching its breath before moving inexorably on. However, it was now that the German army was compromised by its own leader – Hitler.

He ordered that the Army Group Centre’s Panzer Group led by Guderian should move south-east on to Kiev. 1 Panzer Group was also ordered north. This took away from the Centre group two of its most potent fighting forces. Guderian was very angered by this order but Hitler had always proved himself right in the war, so why argue with the Führer? Who, in fact, had the courage to oppose Hitler?

Hitler had recognised that his most difficult decision was what to do after his forces had broken through the Stalin Line – move north, south or continue east?

The mechanised sweeps north and south had the same massive success as the initial assault on June 22nd. Masses of Russian prisoners were captured and vast quantities of Russian equipment was destroyed. But the orders of Hitler had one dire effect – loss of time. The delay was such that the impact of the winter occurred before the Germans had reached the objectives set by Hitler. Very few in the German Army were equipped to cope with the cold and the army, so used to advancing, found itself very much affected by the freezing temperatures. A war of movement as seen so much in June/July 1941 became an attack blighted by freezing weather that would hinder any army let alone one so ill-prepared for such weather conditions.