The attack on the Soviet Union launched on June 22nd, 1941 marked a turning point in the war and also in the racial politics of the Third Reich. Operation Barbarossa ultimately depleted the German army and lasted much longer than Hitler had anticipated. In the fall of 1941, Hitler conceived of The Holocaust and then began to implement it.

The series, "A Year in the Third Reich," explores significant events that took place throughout the years of Hitler's Third Reich. In each episode, we refer to specific primary sources such as newspaper articles, photographs, and maps. To access and download the Primary Sources Handout for this episode, please visit: https://ackerman.utdallas.edu/virtual-outreach.