Eastern Front: Why Did The Soviet Union Survive In 1941?
The largest and most unforgettable war of our time was World War II. No regime of the world remained untouched; humanity was living in fear and devastation, trying to survive. Although World War II affected the entire world, the greatest devastation and the greatest struggle for survival, took place on Russian soil. On 22 June 1941, the war shifted to the East where many great battles took place, and Allied victory begun. This war, which the Soviet Union wages against Nazi Germany, named the Great Patriotic War. It was the hardest time for Russian people, and the first year of war was the worst time for Soviet Russia. In 1941, the Soviet Union lost all his western republics with their population and resources and also about one million soldiers and officers of the Red Army.
How did Russia survive with all its losses? Scholars have dealt extensively with the question of Russian survival, with differing opinions. Historians have explained the outcome of the Eastern Front generally in one of two ways: usually, an author's explanation will deal extensively with the role of the weather (the cold, snow, mud), or with Hitler's ignorance, in explain German defeat.
This question is still opened for many historians; even though a significant amount of studies has been done on this subject, there is still no good explanation found. For example, Vladimir Petrov in his book June 22, 1941, states that Russia survived because of the heroism of its people. Richard Overy in his Why the Allies Won, states that Russia survived because of the political system, rapid relocation of the industries, and ability to restore troops fairly quickly. There are many arguments that are similar to the examples provided above. All these statements are quite correct, and all of these factors were reasonably significant in the survival of Soviet Russia. However, the most significant factor for Russia's survival was the...