itable. Unfortunately for him, that break was much shorter than expected.
             Hitler made the decision in secret to attack the USSR in July of 1940. The attack, under the codename "Operation Barbarosa," was scheduled to begin in May of 1941; however, due to difficulties in the Balkans, it did not begin until June. Hitler's objective was "to crush Soviet Russia in a quick campaign before the end of the war against England"(Treadgold, p.338). When the attack came the Soviets were unprepared: their military, especially the leadership, had been weakened by the purges, their equipment was out of date, and they had not paid attention to the Nazi Blitzkrieg in France. On top of this, most of the Red Air Force had been wiped out on the ground by bombing.
             The German invasion was divided into three groups: the northern front, headed by Field Marshall Von Leeb, moved toward Leningrad; the central front, under Field Marshall Von Bock, moved toward Moscow; and the southern front, led by Field Marshall Von Rundstedt, moved toward Kiev.
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