As is Sep. 17 when the Soviets invaded. Never forget it was a joint German-Soviet operation.
Yep, see my #15 post, it took a bit of time to assemble.
One of my VIGOROUS arguments in college history was about the blatant ignorance about Stalin's active aggression in the 22 months between the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and Operation Barbarossa. Yes, we can sympathize with the Russian People and admire their courage and tenacity in the AMAZING repulse of the German Invasion BUT what does this say about Stalin and his Communists?
With the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, they SILENCED all of the COMMUNIST / Comintern voices who were antiFascists previously. The Pact gave Hitler a free hand to attack westward against the countries Stalin already hated. In return, Stalin took the Baltic Countries of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and he also got the eastern half of Poland. Stalin also tried for Finland but still got land concessions that belong to Russia to this very day!
What a high-water mark for two mighty LEFTist Dictators, who, along with Mao Zedong, drenched the 20th Century in BLOOD. Oh, and for all (not you, dfwgator) who decry religious wars, colonialism and (white) oppression over the past centuries, these 3 PAGANS demonstrated a fine disregard for any racial preferences in killing any and all that came to their unfavored attention!
At the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the start of the war Polish man asked me: If a Polish soldier comes upon both a German and Russian soldier at the same time, which one does he shoot first?
The German because business before pleasure!
When 1 out of every 5 inhabitants of the country was murdered by either the Germans or the Russians, it’s hard to forget.