This was mostly achieved through Finland’s tight involvement with Western powers during the Winter War. While the Winter War was a key aspect in the causation of Operation Barbarossa other factors such as Hitler’s aims to expand Germany to the East and ideological differences also played large factors in the decision to launch an offensive against Russia. This ultimately led to Germany executing ‘Operation Barbarossa’ in 1941, its secret invasion plan against Russia whom they had signed a non-aggression pact with in 1939. Overall while the Winter War became the public and official reason for the cause of Operation Barbarossa, as it showed Germany in a heroic light, its political significance was less important, with the Winter War impacting the timing and location of Operation Barbarossa rather than being its
This was mostly achieved through Finland’s tight involvement with Western powers during the Winter War. While the Winter War was a key aspect in the causation of Operation Barbarossa other factors such as Hitler’s aims to expand Germany to the East and ideological differences also played large factors in the decision to launch an offensive against Russia. This ultimately led to Germany executing ‘Operation Barbarossa’ in 1941, its secret invasion plan against Russia whom they had signed a non-aggression pact with in 1939. Overall while the Winter War became the public and official reason for the cause of Operation Barbarossa, as it showed Germany in a heroic light, its political significance was less important, with the Winter War impacting the timing and location of Operation Barbarossa rather than being its