Eastern Front (World War II)

The Eastern Front of World War II was the theatre of war covering the conflict in eastern Europe. Many sources include the German-Polish War of 1939 in this World War II theatre but this article concentrates on the much larger conflict which was fought from June 1941 to May 1945 in which the two principal belligerent nations were Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. It resulted in the rise of the Soviet Union as a military and industrial superpower, the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, and the partition of Germany.

Overview

The Great Patriotic War began on 22 June 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet-occupied part of Poland, and ended on 8 May 1945, when Germany's armed forces surrendered unconditionally following the Battle of Berlin. Germany was able to call on the manpower of three other Axis Powers, Italy, Hungary and Romania to support them at the front and in the areas which they invaded the help of some anti-communists. The Soviet Union had help from partisans in many countries in eastern Europe, notably those in Poland and Yugoslavia. In addition the 1st and 2nd Polish armies, armed and trained by the Soviets, fought alongside the Red Army at the front.

Related Topics:
22 June - 1941 - Poland - 8 May - 1945 - Battle of Berlin - Axis Powers - Italy - Hungary - Romania - 1st - 2nd

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The Eastern Front was by far the largest and bloodiest theatre of World War II, probably of all of history, and involved more land combat than all other World War II fronts combined. The Red Army and other forces of the USSR inflicted about 80% of losses suffered by German land forces (Germany's strongest armed force comprised of the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS) in World War II.

Related Topics:
Red Army - Wehrmacht - Waffen-SS

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The war inflicted huge losses and suffering onto the civilian populations of the participants. Behind the front lines the atrocities against the civilians in German-occupied areas were routine, including the Holocaust of the Jews . Twenty million civilians were killed or died of disease, starvation and mistreatment. After the war the German populations of East Prussia and Silesia were displaced to the west of the Oder-Neisse Line.

Related Topics:
Holocaust - Jew - German populations - East Prussia - Silesia - Displaced to the west of - Oder-Neisse Line

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