Operation Barbarossa: Invasion of the Soviet Union | World War II With Tom Hanks
Video Overview & Insights
Why did Joseph Stalin ignore one of the greatest intelligence warnings in history?
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Despite receiving reports from spies, military attachés, and foreign governments, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin refused to believe that Adolf Hitler was preparing to invade the Soviet Union. Convinced that Germany would honor the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Stalin dismissed repeated warnings that Operation Barbarossa—the largest military invasion ever assembled—was about to begin.
In June 1941, more than three million German troops crossed into Soviet territory, launching a surprise attack that devastated the Red Army and threatened the very existence of the Soviet Union. As the Wehrmacht raced toward Moscow, Stalin faced the greatest crisis of his rule.
Funny how Sheriff Woody is narrating this.
But one intelligence report changed everything.
After learning that Japan would not attack the Soviet Far East, Stalin transferred hundreds of thousands of battle-ready Siberian troops to defend Moscow. Their arrival helped launch a massive counteroffensive that halted Hitler's advance and transformed the course of World War II. See more in this clip from Season 1, Episode 3, "Barbarossa."
Now all Russian leaders have serious trust/daddy issues thanks to Hitler
Featuring:
Operation Barbarossa
Tom Hanks narrating
Joseph Stalin
Adolf Hitler
General Winter (🇷🇺) be like Nyet🙅♂️
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Soviet Intelligence
B
German Invasion of the USSR
Battle for Moscow
At this point Stalin got up from his chair and walked across to a map of the world which was hanging on the wall. Indicating with a broad sweep of his hand the extent of a British possessions, he remarked in what Eden took to be ‘friendly tones’ upon the power and influence of a small island as Great Britain. That little island if she chooses can stop Germany by refusing her raw materials without which she cannot pursue aggressive designs. Much must depend upon the part the British Government was willing to play in a collective system in present conditions, he went on looking at Eden.
Anthony Eden March 1935
Siberian Divisions
World War II Eastern Front
Watch the episode on Pearl Harbor At the very end as Franklin Roosevelt is addressing the nation: Imagine it was Donald Trump instead of Franklin Roosevelt. We'd all be speaking German, there would not be any Black people, Hispanics, Jews or Arabs north of the equatorial Slave camps. We would've suffered a terrible defeat about 5 months into 1942. Now ask yourself why you elected Trump this time… it's just a smaller same thing
Nazi Germany
Soviet Counteroffensive
You are back in the business ❤
Great !!!
Keep it up
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Military Intelligence History
#WWII #OperationBarbarossa #Stalin #Hitler #BattleOfMoscow #MilitaryHistory #WorldWar2 #EasternFront #HistoryChannel #WarHistory
Stalin was a loser.
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Molotov cocktail 😂
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For eighty years, the Second World War has remained the most devastating and defining conflict in human history. "World War II with Tom Hanks" is a landmark documentary event that reexamines the war through the lens of a new century. Told over twenty hours and guided by Tom Hanks, whose lifelong passion for this history has shaped some of the most profound screen portrayals of the era, the series captures the full arc of the war — from the rise of fascism in Europe to the fall of Berlin, from Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima, and the uneasy peace that follows. Each episode uncovers new dimensions of the conflict: the decisions that shaped the battlefield, the unseen networks that sustained the war effort, and the aftershocks that still shape our world today.
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Propagating "general winter" myth pretty much disqualifies this as any sort of serious history.
More User Perspectives
Everyone quiet, I'm watching my favourite series.
@danialm17Ribbentrop never wanted an invasion of the Soviet Union. In fact, he wanted the Soviet Union to join the axis, and people don’t realize that Stalin actually AGREED to join the axis powers, however he wanted Finland, and Hitler was not in favor of this.
Stalin obviously didn’t read Mein Kampf and didn’t realize how deep Hitlers hate of Bolshevism was: however, Ribbentrop never wanted this and saw the Soviet Union as a formidable ally. Crazy how different things might have played out had the Soviets joined the axis.
Molotov = Mallet
Nice. Well they're European languages after all.
Russia and China took the brunt of deaths in WW2
@KIMCHACHING"And perhaps the US in the Philippines..."....Nicely done.....Blink and you'd miss it.....
@jimbobjimjim6500People forget that Hitler Mussolini and Quisling all saw the dangers of communism and nobody didn't listen until two years after WW2
@jokodihaynes419"Et Tu Brute"-Julius Caesar William Shakespeare
@jokodihaynes419The way Stalin treated Ukrainians Cossacks his own people and other nationalities I don't blame them for switching sides during WW2
@jokodihaynes419Great stuff! Tom Hanks is the perfect narrator.
@AlexDaBearsfan1989Molotov is not a hammer in Russian it is just his last name LOL
@rigger5015Simón Sebag Montefiore is a creative non fiction sensationalist masquerading a real historian. The only reason he is so revered and successful is because of his powerful connections. Look him up. He is a descendant of the Montefiore banking dynasty connected to the Rothschilds themselves.
@lukasmiller486Hm...🤔 the difference between American and European WW2 documentaries is always the same i think: In the years when the US are not involved, the events of an entire year are glossed over in just 10 minutes; it is only when the US enters the fray that the documentaries become much more detailed...😂you will see😁 Perhaps the Swiss should be the ones making these kinds of documentaries and not the involved countries. Okay, you’ve got Tom Hanks and his awesome voice—but I’ve already been served this material dozens of times before, and in a much better, and above all more detailed, manner—complete with historical context—starting with my fifth-grade history teacher. But never mind; you got the view anyway...🙄 but no second from me at least.
@FloSch_the_OldSchoolGeekWe need more of these documentaries with Tom Hanks as a voice actor!
@falafelwafel7549General Patton: "We defeated the WRONG enemy." WW2
@JohnArlington-i1c1nSebag Montefiores books on Stalin are overblown
@varovaro1967👍
@OptimumHistoryStalin thought it was an Anglo Saxon ruse.....He didn't trust anything those famous tricksters had to say... Even though this time they were actually telling the truth.😂😂
@jimbobjimjim6500Kinda Ironic Stalin believed Hitlers Germany would respect the treaty, and not pounce the moment they see an opportunity.
After all the Soveits did that to literally anyone they could.
Attack on Finland, occupation of the 3 Baltic countires , Romaina (Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina) all of those BEFORE Operation Barbarossa... and later Soviets tearing up the Neutraility act signed with Japan , invading them in 1945.
the only crime of this series is it only has 10 minutes for every episode
@DonnyJuhari-nr8pdHad to shut off that Roman Empire show last night. Because of the narrator constantly calling the year BCE instead of BC.
@joshuariddensdale2126Toooot😮
@bombar-v9o67haha
@gertrudeacquah-arhin7619Stalin listened to all of his spies. Sorge in Japan. Lucy in Spain, and VP Wallace of the US.
@Ruready2rockIf we learn from history we are less likely to repeat it.
Winston Churchill, 1948.
Never trusted the Russian now or back in 1939.
@riverinesqn3Both Russian and European officials hugely misjudged Hitler’s aggression, they blindsided themselves and nowadays European officials still remain in the same mood and pretend nothing will happen from Russia.
@wilsonfu1258Wolf Messing ?
@Henryque-l8rOperation Barbarossa was an eight nation PRE EMPTIVE attack on USSR. Launched a mere three weeks before the planned Soviet invasion of Eastern Europe ( Operation Thunder)scheduled for July 10, 1941. Its in the archives, but isn't spoken about.
@Ruready2rock1st
@jaekyoungbae4592