What was the main reason for Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union?
1 Answer
There are a number of possible answers.
Explanation:
Firstly there was his policy of lebensraum, that is living space in the East for the German people. The area would be cleared to allow Germans to settle there.
This was also linked to his racial policy and anti-semitism. Hitler did not have a problem clearing vast areas of land as he saw all East Europeans as racially inferior. Moreover there was a huge Jewish population in the Soviet Union which had to be eliminated.
Finally Hitler despite his generals fear of a war on two fronts, felt the invasion of the Soviet Union would bring overall victory. Convinced of a quick victory because of the racial inferiority of the Russians, Hitler believed their rapid defeat would leave the UK completely isolated. They would therefore sue for peace, leaving Nazi Germany in supreme control of a vast European empire.
