Operation Barbarossa caught the USSR unready. But that doesn't mean they were helpless. They hit back—hard. 

Beyond Barbarossa, the first English-language podcast in the world to focus on the Eastern Front of World War II, takes a close look at the opposing forces facing off across the border on June 22, 1941. 

Music by Nicolas Bury. 

Beyond Barbarossa: the website for more maps and information. 

Enjoy this podcast? Support us on Patreon to help cover the costs of production. 

The Eastern Front Trilogy: the true story of a Canadian drafted into the Soviet Red Army in 1941—just in time for Operation Barbarossa. 

The initial OKH plan for Operation Barbarossa

German advances to August 1941

Maps sources: World War II Database, United States Military Academy

What brought Nazi Germany and the USSR to the brink of war in June 1941? What about their odd alliance in the late 1930s? 

The relationship between these opposite tyrannies played out like the macabre inverse of a romantic comedy. Nothing was funny.

Maps to help: 

Battle of Khalkin Gol 

German invasion of Poland: 

Soviet invasion of Poland 

Finland 1940 

The first day of the biggest land invasion in the history of warfare.

See the maps on the website, https://beyondbarbarossa.podbean.com.

Sound effects obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com.

Music by Nicolas Bury. 

Support the program by becoming a Patreon patron: https://www.patreon.com/BeyondBarbarossa 

Get all the info on the web page. 

Contact us by email: [email protected] 

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Beyond Barbarossa: The first English-language podcast to focus on the biggest part of World War II— the largest war in human history—the Eastern Front, launches June 22, 2022, the 81st anniversary.

Music by Nicolas Bury.