Operation Barbarossa - Part Two

Russian Rulers History Podcast

Mark Schauss

History, Putin, Ussr, Usa, War, Tsar, Belarus, Arts, Revolution, Social Sciences, Ukraine, Science, Crimea, Russia, Soviet

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 20 July 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

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Send us a text Today, we wrap up the series on the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Freedmen's affairs radio This program will focus on political, social and cultural concerns for descendants of...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Support the show

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0:00.0	Welcome to Russian History Retold.
0:09.4	Episode 332, Operation Barbarossa part two.
0:18.8	Last time, we covered the planning stages of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany's army, the Wehrmacht.
0:28.9	Hitler was so sure of success that he uttered his famous line regarding the invasion of the USSR, quote,
0:36.0	We only have to kick in the door, and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.
0:43.1	Today, we begin our story on June 21, 1941.
0:49.4	Late that night, Soviet troops were sent NCO directiveive No. 1, which called them to be, quote,
0:57.8	bring all forces to combat readiness, but to avoid provocative actions of any kind.
1:05.8	As I mentioned in the last episode, a German soldier, Alfred Lyskow, crossed the lines at 9 p.m. on the 21st and warned the Soviets that an invasion was imminent.
1:19.4	While Stalin did not believe it, his now very nervous commanders in the field did.
1:25.3	They kept warning Stalin that the Germans were massing their troops on the
1:29.0	borders to no avail. At 3.15 a.m. on June 22nd, 1941, Operation Barbarossa was launched with an aerial
1:39.4	bombing of Soviet-controlled cities in Poland. The artillery bombardment began quickly thereafter all along the
1:47.4	front. Air strikes went as far east as Kronstadt near Leningrad and south into Sevastopol and the
1:54.7	Crimea. At this point, the Declaration of War was prevented to the Soviet ambassador.
2:01.5	Here is the English translation of the Declaration of War was prevented to the Soviet ambassador. Here is the English translation of the Declaration of War by Germany,
2:06.2	delivered to the Soviet ambassador in Berlin at 4 a.m. local time and 5 a.m. Moscow time.
2:13.2	Presented by Foreign Minister Joachim von Rippentrov to the Soviet ambassador on June 22nd.
2:20.4	Quote, in view of the intolerable threat that arose at the German eastern border,
2:25.2	as a result of the massive buildup and preparedness of all armed forces of the Red Army,
2:31.6	the German government considers itself compelled to immediately take military
2:36.7	countermeasures. The corresponding note will be presented to De Canoves in Berlin at the same time.
	...

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