How Russia had overcome Germany by 1945

Why, despite the disasters of 1941, was Russia able to defeat Germany by 1945?

First explain early war - Operation Barbarossa.

Then take into consideration -

• The actions of Hitler & the Germans
• The actions of Stalin & the Russians
• The Russian war economy & Allied help

Early war - the disasters of 1941

• Germany invaded Russia in 1941. Stalin was in disbelief after the Nazi-Soviet pact and retired to his summer home and did nothing about the invasion. He was coaxed back into action by General Molotov, but the Germans had already advanced a significant amount.
• Operation Uranus - the Soviet counter-attack - wasn't launched until 1942.
• The Battle of Stalingrad commenced in 1941 and resulted in huge losses for the Russians.

Hitler & the Germans

• Hitler delays Operation Barbarossa by 6 weeks and it ends up leading into the Russian winter - Germans are unprepared and ill-equipped to survive & can no longer advance.
• Hitler had opened a second front with Russia - there was already an ongoing war with British and French troops to the West, and so opening the Eastern front…