Just Two Months into World War II, the Soviet Union Lost 109 Divisions, Plunging Stalin into Despair

The Early Stages of World War II: A Series of Catastrophic Defeats for the Soviet Union

At 4:30 AM on June 22, 1941, German armies from the north, center, and south, totaling 5.5 million soldiers, suddenly crossed the Soviet border and launched a fierce attack. The unprepared Soviet forces were left reeling under the blitzkrieg.

Within just 20 days, 89 infantry divisions and 20 tank divisions were annihilated, resulting in the loss of 13,145 armored vehicles, 10,388 artillery pieces, and 9,082 aircraft. Stalin, upon reading the battle reports, turned pale, holding his pipe in silence for a long time, sinking into deep despair.

Operation Barbarossa

After sweeping through France in 1940, Germany devised “Operation Sea Lion,” amassing over 4,500 aircraft and more than 100 naval ships, aiming to conquer the British Empire. However, facing stiff resistance from the Royal Air Force, the Germans made no progress over the year and could only stare across the English Channel helplessly.