WW2: Operation Barbarossa - The Invasion of the USSR (Part 8)

03/10/25 • 48 min

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In the summer of 1941, Nazi Germany launched the largest military invasion in history—Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s bold and catastrophic attempt to crush the Soviet Union in a matter of months. In this episode of Hearthside History, we take you deep into the chaos of the Eastern Front, where three million Axis troops surged across a 1,800-mile front, aiming to seize Moscow, Leningrad, and the resource-rich lands of the East.

From the early Blitzkrieg victories that saw entire Soviet armies encircled and destroyed, to the brutal sieges and war crimes that made Barbarossa a war of extermination, we examine how Hitler’s ideological obsession shaped this devastating campaign. But as the Germans pushed deeper into Soviet territory, logistical nightmares, Soviet resilience, and the unforgiving Russian winter turned their triumph into disaster.

How did Stalin’s miscalculations nearly doom the Soviet Union? Why did Hitler’s overconfidence and strategic blunders derail his invasion? And how did the Battle of Moscow become the first major defeat of the Nazi war machine? We break down the turning points, the staggering losses, and the long-term consequences that made Barbarossa a pivotal moment in World War II.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow Hearthside History, leave a five-star review, and share it with fellow history lovers. And for more thrilling stories, check out other great podcasts from Past Cast Studios—dive into legendary heists with Heistories, uncover the worst jobs in history with History’s Worst Paychecks, or see who would win in epic warrior matchups in History Fight Club.

Next time, we leave the battlefields of the Eastern Front and head to the Pacific, where the rising sun brings war to American shores. Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would change the world forever—tune in as we cover the beginning of the war in the Pacific.

Let’s bring history to life!

Let’s bring history to life!

Previous Episode

WW2: The Desert Fox and the Battle for Africa (Part 7)

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The sands of North Africa became the proving ground for some of World War II’s most legendary commanders, as German General Erwin Rommel—nicknamed The Desert Fox—led a bold campaign against the British Eighth Army. In this episode of Hearthside History, we follow the dramatic rise and fall of the Axis war effort in North Africa.

From early Italian failures that forced Hitler to send Rommel and the Afrika Korps into battle, to lightning-fast offensives that pushed the British to the brink, we explore how tactical brilliance and battlefield deception nearly won the day for the Axis. But as the campaign wore on, supply shortages, relentless British counterattacks, and the arrival of American forces turned the tide.

How did Rommel’s battlefield genius both propel and doom his army? Why did Hitler hesitate to fully support the campaign? And how did victories in the desert shape the Allied war effort in Europe? We break down the critical battles, the key turning points, and the brutal realities of desert warfare in this high-stakes fight for control of North Africa.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow Hearthside History, leave a five-star review, and share it with fellow history lovers. And if you’re looking for more thrilling history, check out other great podcasts from Past Cast Studios—dive into legendary heists with Heistories, uncover the worst jobs in history with History’s Worst Paychecks, or see who would win in epic warrior matchups in History Fight Club.

Next time, we move from the scorching sands of Africa to the frozen fields of the Eastern Front as we cover Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s disastrous invasion of the Soviet Union.

Tune in, and let’s bring history to life!