Key battles

By implementing a so-called blitzkrieg, or lightning war, Hitler planned to defeat the Soviet Union in less than three months. The operation was codenamed Barbarossa after Frederick I Barbarossa, the 12th century Holy Roman Emperor, in whose days the Roman Empire’s military might was at its most powerful. Hitler, however, underestimated the military potential of the Soviet Union. »»»

“Repelling the Hitlerite invaders’ treacherous sneak attack on the Soviet Union, the defenders of Brest Fortress, with heavy odds against them, fought the Nazi German aggressors. The defenders demonstrated outstanding valor, mass heroism and bravery, which became a symbol of the unmatched fortitude of the Soviet people.”

– From the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the conferment of the title “The Hero Fortress” to the Brest Fortress, May 8, 1965. »»»

The occupation of Leningrad, the second largest Soviet city after Moscow, was on Hitler's top priorities list. He was sure it would kill the morale of Soviet soldiers if it fell. The siege lasted almost 900 days, killed hundreds of thousands of people, yet it failed to bring the city to its knees. »»»

As the capital of the Soviet Union, Moscow was the primary strategic goal for Adolf Hitler, whose plan was to encircle and then destroy the city with a man-made flood. But despite a late warning, Soviet forces repelled the enemy before it could reach Moscow. »»»