Why did Hitler Invade Russia in WW2?
Hitler wanted to invade England, but he was unwilling to commit his entire military to an invasion of England when the Russians were at his back. Hitler didn’t trust Stalin, and believed that Stalin would attack Germany if the German military was fully committed in the West. He wanted to eliminate Russia as a threat before going after England. Obviously, it was a mistake. He believed that he could take Russia out of the war before winter set in. However, the German invasion (Operation Barbarossa) didn’t commence until June 22, 1941 — too late. The Germans had significant early successes, but were unable to complete their victory before winter stopped them. That gave the Russians time to regroup.
