Operation Barbarossa, launched on June 22, 1941, marked a pivotal moment in World War II with Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union. This massive military campaign aimed to decisively defeat the USSR, exploiting its perceived weaknesses to secure Lebensraum ("living space") for Germany. Adolf Hitler believed that the Soviet Union would collapse quickly under the weight of Blitzkrieg tactics, which relied on fast-moving units of tanks and infantry. The invasion commenced early in the morning, ca