E. Aggression Against the USSR

The attack upon Russia was preceded with premeditation and deliberation. Just as, in the case of aggression against Czechoslovakia, the Nazis had a code name for the secret operation, "Case Green", so in the case of aggression against the Soviet Union, they had a code name, "Case Barbarossa". A secret directive, Number 21, issued from the Fuehrer's Headquarters on 18 December 1940, relating to "Case Barbarossa," was captured among the OKW files at Flensberg (446-PS). This directive was issued more than six months in advance of the attack. (Other evidence shows that the planning occurred even earlier.) his order, signed by Hitler and initialled by Jodl and Keitel, -as issued in nine copies, of which we have the fourth. The directive reads:

[Page 402]

"The German Armed Forces must be prepared to crush Soviet Russia in a quick campaign before the end of the war against England. (Case Barbarossa.)

"For this purpose the Army will have to employ all available units with the reservation that the occupied territories will have to be safeguarded against surprise attacks.

"For the Eastern campaign the Air force will have to free such strong forces for the support of the Army that a quick completion of the ground operations may be expected and that damage of the Eastern German territories will be avoided as much as possible. This concentration of the main effort in the East is limited by the following reservation: That the entire battle and armament area dominated by us must remain sufficiently protected against enemy air attacks and that the attacks on England and especially the supply for them must not be permitted to break down.

"Concentration of the main effort of the Navy remains unequivocally against England also during an Eastern campaign.

"If occasion arises I will order the concentration of troops for action against Soviet Russia eight weeks before the intended beginning of operations.

"Preparations requiring more time to start are -- if this has not yet been done -- to begin presently and are to be completed by 15 May 1941.

"Great caution has to be exercised that the intention of an attack will not be recognized.

"The preparations of the High Command are to be made on the following basis:

"I. General Purpose:

"The mass of the Russian Army in Western Russia is to be destroyed in daring operations by driving forward deep wedges with tanks and the retreat of intact battle- ready troops into the wide spaces of Russia is to be prevented.

"In quick pursuit a (given) line is to be reached from where the Russian Air force will no longer be able to attack German Reich territory. The first goal of operations is the protection from Asiatic Russian from the general line Volga-Archangelsk. In case of necessity, the last industrial area in the Urals left to Russia could be eliminated by the Luftwaffe.

In the course of these operations the Russian Baltic Sea Fleet will quickly erase its bases and will no longer be ready to fight.

[Page 403]

"Effective intervention. by the Russian Air force is to be prevented through forceful blows at the beginning of the operations." (446-PS)

Another secret document captured from the OKW files establishes the motive for the attack on the Soviet Union (2718-PS). It also establishes the full awareness of the Nazi conspirators of the Crimes against Humanity which would result from their attack. The document is a memorandum of 2 May 1941 concerning the results of a discussion on that day with the State Secretaries concerning "Case Barbarossa." The memorandum reads in part:

"Matter for Chief; 2 copies; first copy to files Ia. Second copy to General Schubert. 2 May 1941. Memorandum. About the result of today's discussion with the State Secretaries about Barbarossa.

"1. The war can only be continued if all armed forces are fed by Russia in the third year of war.

"2. There is no doubt that as a result many millions of people will be starved to death if we take out of the country the things necessary for us." (2718-PS)

The original plaintext version of this file is available via ftp.

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