Invade; launch massive attacks; wage a war; counter-offensive; sacrify; occupy new territories; defeat; siege; evacuate; aggressive; annihilate

The Great Patriotic War began on 22^nd of June 1945 when German Nazi troops invaded the USSR and attacked all the borders of the Soviet Union. The first German strikes were massive, strong and unexpected that the Soviet avant guard garrisons were practically completely destroyed and ruined during the first hours of the invasion and couldn’t resist efficiently. The exception was the Brest Fortress where its defenders could fight back the massive attacks of elite German troops up till 20^th of July 1945, showing tremendous courage and patriotism.

On 28^th of June 1941 the German Tank Groups completed a double development at Minsk trapping the 3^rd and the 10^th Russian Armies at the Belostok pocket and as the result of it Minsk fell to the occupation. The war was spreading wide inside the country and the battle of Smolensk was also lost in September. During August and October Kiev and Odessa fell and in November of 1941 the elite German Tank Groups launch their offensive against Moscow on its way occupying Vyazma. In September the German Army Group reached the Lake of Ladoga and a siege of Stalingrad began.

In spite of tremendous heroism and sacrificed lives of Soviet soldiers and officers, German armies were continuously occupying new and new territories. Once again Russian people launched the “Scorched earth” strategy and every Soviet man and woman was doing all they could do to protect the motherland from the aggression. As majority of male population joined the Soviet Army, many of women and their children went to replace them at factories and plants. Working quotas were increased and working hours rose to 14 hours a day. The country started the whole country mobilization. Larger part of industrial complexes and factories were moved backward to remote areas where they could continue to manufacture required armory, equipment. Many of factories were evacuated to the Ural, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan areas. All the industrial production of the country was shift to manufacturing of military goods.

A year of 1942 started with the Soviet troops destroyed in Kerch Peninsular and unsuccessful offensive attack and defeat at Kharkov, and the main sea port Sebastopol fell. German troops reached the Main Caucasus Ridge and launched a forceful attack on Stalingrad which defense lasted till November of 1942. The Soviet Army was fighting against German well-advanced troops and soldiers and officers were presenting samples of mass heroism and scarified their lives for the freedom of their motherland. Much due to the heroism of Soviet Army the Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad succeeded, and the German attempt to relieve the 6^th German Army at the Stalingrad Pocket failed. The time of grief and heavy defeats was coming to an end. The country could mobilize all its efforts and strength for resisting German armies. Mass demobilization and new armory supply reinforced the Soviet Army and made it possible to resist German troops.

Exercise № 72. Answer to the following questions in written form.

1. How long were the defenders of the Brest Fortress fighting back German attacks?

2. How did the year of 1942 start for the USSR?

3. When did the siege of Stalingrad begin?

4. How were the Soviet soldiers and officers fighting against well-advanced German troops?

5. What efforts were undertaken by the Soviet Union to resist Germany?

6. What were the major reasons for the Soviet armies to lose battles?