By the end of April, however, things were sufficiently straightened out to permit the Fuehrer definitely to set D- Day as 22 June more than seven weeks away. A "Top Secret" report of a conference with the Chief of the Section Landsverteidigung of the Wehrmachtfuhrungsstab on 30 April 1941 states, in the first two paragraphs:

[Page 806]

"1. Timetable Barbarossa: The Fuehrer has decided:

Action Barbarossa begins on 22 June. From 23-May maximal troop movements performance schedule. At the beginning of operations the OKH reserves will have not yet reached the appointed areas.

"2. Proportion of actual strength n the plan Barbarossa: Sector North: German and Russian forces approximately of the same strength. Sector Middle: Great German superiority. Sector South: Russian superiority." (873-PS)

Early in June, approximately three weeks before D-Day, preparations for the attack were so complete that it was possible for the High Command to issue an elaborate timetable showing in great detail the disposition and missions of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This timetable (C- 39) was prepared in 21 copies. The copy reproduced here was the third copy, which was given to the High Command of the Navy. Page 1 is in the form of a transmittal and reads as follows:

"Top Military Secret "Supreme Command of the Armed Forces Nr. 44842/41 Top Military Secret WFST/Abt.L (I op)

"Fuehrer's Headquarters
(no date)

"Top Secret (Chefsache)
Only through officer

"21 copies
3rd copy Ob. d. m.
I op.00845/41
Received 6 June
Enclosures: --

"The Fuehrer has authorized the appended timetable as a foundation for further preparations for 'Barbarossa'. If alterations should be necessary during execution, the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces must be informed.

"Chief of Supreme Command of the Armed Forces

signed: Keitel"
(C-39)

The document then proceeds to outline the state of preparations as of 1 June 1941. The outline is in six paragraphs covering the status on that date under six headings: General; Negotiations with Friendly States; Army; Navy; Air Force, and Camouflage. The remainder of the document is in tabular form with six

[Page 807]

columns headed from left to right at the top of each page -- Date; Serial No.; Army; Navy; OKW; Remarks. The item appearing under date 21 June and Serial No. 29, provides in the columns for Army, Navy, and Air Forces that, "Till 1300 hours latest time at which operation can be cancelled (saetester Anhaltetermin)" (C-39). Under the column headed OKW appears the note: "Cancelled by code word 'Altona' or further confirmation of start of attack by code word: 'Dortmund'" (C-39). In the Remarks column appears the statement that: "Complete absence of camouflage of formation of Army point of main effort (Schwerpunkt), concentration of armour and artillery must be reckoned with" (C-39). The entry for 22 June, under serial number 31, gives a notation which cuts across the columns for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and OKW and provides as follows:

"Invasion Day

"H-hour for the start of the invasion by the Army and crossing of the frontier by the Air Forces. 0330 hours". (C-39)

In the Remarks column it is stated that:

"Army assembly independent of any lateness in starting owing to weather on the part of the Air Force." (C-39)

The other parts of the chart are similar in nature to those quoted and give great detail concerning the disposition and missions of the various components of the Armed Forces.

On 9 June 1941 the order of the Fuehrer went out for final reports on Barbarossa to be made in Berlin on 14 June 1941 8 days before "D-day" (C-78). This order, signed by Hitler's Adjutant, Schmundt, reads as follows:

"TOP SECRET
Only by Officer

"Office of Wehrmacht Adjutant

"at Berchtesgaden
9th June 1941

"To the Fuehrer
Br. B. No. 7 Top Secret

"Top Secret

"Re: Conference 'Barbarossa'

"1. The Fuehrer and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces have ordered reports on 'Barbarossa' by the Commanders of Army Groups, armies, and Naval and Air Commanders of equal rank.

"2. The reports will be made on Saturday, 14 June 1941, at the Reich Chancellery, Berlin.

[Page 808]

"3. Time Table.
"a. 11.00 hrs "Silver Fox"
"b. 12.00 hrs-14.00 hrs Army Group South
"c. 14.00 hrs-15.30 hrs Lunch party for all participants in conference
"d. From 15.30 hrs Baltic, Army Group North, Army Group
"Center" in this order.

Participants see enclosed list of participants. (list of names, etc. follows)

"(signed) Schmundt
Colonel of the General Staff and Chief
Wehrmacht Adjutant to the Fuehrer".(C-78)

There is attached a list of participants and the order in which they will report. The list includes a large number of the members of the High Command and General Staff Group as of that date. Among those to participate were Goering, Keitel, Jodl, and Raeder.

The foregoing documents are sufficient to establish the premeditation and calculation which marked the military preparations for the invasion of the USSR Starting almost a full year before the launching of the attack, the Nazi conspirators planned and prepared every military detail of their aggression against the Soviet Union with all that thoroughness and meticulousness which has come to be associated with the German character. The leading roles were performed in this preparation by the military figures -- Goering, Keitel, Jodl, and Raeder.

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

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