World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

Russia of the World War 2 era was governed by the Soviet Union, or specifically, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic which was the head of the Soviet Union. The new Russian government came to power after the February Revolution of 1917 that overthrew Tsar Nicholas II of Imperialist Russia and the October Revolution of 1917 that placed Vladimir Lenin in power, and the Soviet Union was formed in Dec 1922. Through various industrial and economic reforms, Russia rose to the status of a power. Joseph Stalin, Russia's leader since the late 1920s, kept the Russian political scene relatively stable and kept himself in power by deploying brutal tactics to purge his political enemies. In the 1930s, Western European nations began to build a distrust of the expansionist communist ideology, which included both the Anglo-French alliance as well as German, two sides which would eventually fight against each other in the upcoming European War. A preliminary showdown took place in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, where Germany and Russia each supported opposing sides in the conflict and used the Spanish Civil War as testing grounds for new weapons and new tactics. Surprising the world, Russia and Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on 24 Aug 1939, which included a secret clause that divided Eastern Europe between Russia and Germany; the clause was activated at the start of the European War as Germany invaded Poland, bringing Russia into WW2 on 17 Sep 1939 on the side of Germany.

In the east, the Japanese Army eyed Russian Siberia along with its resources with envy. After several failed attempts at challenging the Russian forces in the region, plus the shifting favor for a southward expansion, Japan eventually signed a cease fire with Russia. The two countries remained at peace for all but the final few days of World War 2 when Russia broke the treaty and attacked Japan by surprise.

In Northern Europe, Russia engaged in war with Finland in the Winter War over territorial disputes near Leningrad, which played a role in Finland siding with Germany down the road when Germany launched Operation Barbarossa against Russia on 22 Jun 1941.

When Operation Barbarossa began, Russia looked to the Western Allies for help. As the German forces rolled across the Russian borders, initially the Russian troops fell back time after time. But when the siege of Leningrad became stagnant and the attack on Moscow was stalled, Russian troops began to turn the tide. Many consider the Battle of Stalingrad the definitive turning point where the Russian troops dealt their German counterparts a crushing defeat. From that point on, Russia put Germany on the defensive until the Battle of Berlin that ended the war.

In Asia, Russia declared war on Japan on 8 Aug 1945, catching the Japanese by surprise, launching Operation August Storm that speedily captured Manchuria from Japan. The declaration of war on Japan by Russia was among the key factors for Japan's surrender on 14 Aug 1945.

After the war, Russia, as the head of the Soviet Union, emerged as a world power. The countries Russia liberated from Germany became puppet states answering to Moscow, including East Germany. The new found superpower status did not come without a price, however, for Russia suffered the highest number of deaths as a direct result of World War 2 among all nations involved. For decades to come, Russia was to lead the communist countries in the Cold War against United States and her allies.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. smallz says:
   12 Oct 2008 10:18:48 PM
   
   I think it is a little ridiculous to say that the Russians declaring war on Japan had anything to do with Japan surrendering. They attacked Manchuria, they never stepped foot on the mainland. Plus, there was the small act of two nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan by the U.S. So I seriously doubt that a six day offensive had a great deal of sway of Japanese leaders.
2. Suvorov says:
   15 Feb 2009 04:23:17 PM
   
   Soviet Tanks was the best in the world thanks god that hitler anderstood Stalins plans and atacked him first preventing Europe or perhaps all planet from the red color.
3. bruninsky says:
   5 Apr 2009 05:09:25 PM
   
   I do agree. Japan only surendrered after the atomic bombs. Nothing else.
4. zloykloun says:
   7 May 2009 06:41:28 AM
   
   Russians great warriors. Vechnaya slava geroyam!
5. ed says:
   12 Sep 2009 06:51:23 AM
   
   I would just ask a question. Does anyone know what the Russian Black Sea assault craft look like??? Not the bronekater, but the troop carriers. Or did the bronekaters carry the raiding force as wwll???!!
6. Bill says:
   11 Jan 2010 04:14:46 PM
   
   Present day Russia can be traced back to the
   9th Century when the first "Russian Empire"
   was founded in (862AD) the Capitol was moved
   to Moscow in (1326AD).
   Ivan the IV, known as Ivan the Terrable was the first to call himself the "Tsar of all the Russians"
   Within 100 years territory grew from what
   is European Russia past the Ural Mountains
   into Sibera to reach the Pacific.
   The Capitol was moved to St. Petersburg in
   1712, and once again back to Moscow.
   Poland, the Baltic States and Finland were
   conquered by Peter the Great the accuisition
   of Alaska in 1784 more land was conquered Crimean Region expanded to the Caucasus,
   present day Turkmenistan and Kazachstan in
   the 1860's. Tsars also took large parts of
   China and Manchuria. Russia continued to be ruled by the Tsars, until World War I, the
   fall of the Tsar, the October Revolution of 1917, rise of the Communists, World War II,
   Defeat of Nazi Germany, Eastern Europe under Communist rule, Cold War and the Collapse of the U.S.S.R. in 1991, to the present day
   Russian Federation.
   Note*
   European Russia is not a separate country,
   but rather the far western end of todays
   Russian Federation. The Russian dividing line
   between Europe and Asia is the Ural Mountains.
7. Bill says:
   12 Jan 2010 10:42:02 AM
   
   CIS Commonwealth of Independent States an
   association of former Soviet republics that
   was established in December 1991.
   The CIS's functions are to coordinate its
   members policies regarding economies,foreign
   relations,defense,immigration,environmental
   protection and law enforcement.
   
   Note*
   Following the South Ossentian War in 2008,
   Georgia withdrew from the CIS.
   
   Did you know that the Russian ruble is the only legal tender currency. It is illegal
   to pay for goods and services in US Dollars,
   except at authorized retail establishments.
   30 to 80 Rubles $1.00 to 3.00 US Dollars
   1 Ruble 100 Kopeks.
   
   By the end of the 19th Century Russia was
   22,400,000 sq.km or (8,600,000 sq.mi) almost
   1/6th of the Earth's landmass. The only rival
   at the time was the British Empire.
   From 1600 to 1900 Russia grew at a rate of
   50 square miles a day.
   The Russian Empire by 1914 was the largest in
   the world, in area from the Artic Ocean to
   the Capsian Sea and from the Baltic Sea to
   the Pacific Ocean. The Tsars ruled Russia
   with an iron fist and brutal towards its own
   people, with the fall of the Tsar in 1917
   the rise of Communism the people continued to suffer under the fist of Stalin million
   were shot,jailed,tortured,sent to the gulags
   continued persecution of the Soviet citizen. After Stalin's death in 1953 reforms were
   slow.
   The U.S.S.R. died quietly, 74 years after its
   founders vowed that communism would be the wave of the future.
   In the 1980's Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev
   wanted to reform the Soviet Union, changes in
   greater freedom would start Nationalism and
   Gorbachev underestimated its impact, and the
   speed of the nations change, and the rest of
   Eastern Europe.
   In 1990 many Soviet bloc countries declared
   independence from Moscow. Shortages of basic
   household goods and foodstuff were growing
   changes continued a warning of a coup by
   those who wanted to keep the old system, and
   were against reforms. By December 1990 the
   U.S.S.R. would cease to exist, Gorbachev
   resigned afterward the CIS was formed, one
   evening the old flag of the U.S.S.R. was
   lowered for the last time, and the new colors
   replaced it.
   Flag of the U.S.S.R. was adopted in Nov.1923 was plain red with a hammer and sickle and
   red star in the upper canton.
   The color red has always been positive in
   Russian Culture the word red (Krasny) is
   etymologically related with the Russian words for very good and the best, as well
   as beautiful.
   The hammer symbolizes the nations industrial
   workers (Proletarians), while the sickle
   symbolizes the nations agricultural workers
   (Peasants) who together formed a State, the
   red star represents the Communist Party.
   The old Soviet flag has not been banned in
   Russia, and it is still being used.
   On April 15,1996 Boris Yelysin signed a
   Presidental Decree giving the Soviet flag
   (called the Victory Banner, after the banner that was raised above the Reichstag on
   May 1,1945 in Berlin) status given similar
   to the National flag.
   The difference is that the hammer and sickle
   have been removed from the flag.
   On certain holidays, the Victory Banner is
   flown along with the Russian flag under
   President Putin, the Victory Banner was
   adopted as the official flag of the Russian
   Army.
   The Flag of Russia is the traditional colors
   of three equal horizontal bands of white top/
   azure blue middle/red bottom.
   
   Like all Regimes, Empires and Ideologies
   Soviet Communism lasted 74 years. Today Lenin
   still remains in his mausoleum on Moscow's Red Square, and the debating still goes on,
   as what to do with him, his legacy long
   passed into History, but it should continue.
   to be remembered.
   
   Note*
   
   This information is just an overview, and
   does not address contemporary events in detail.
8. Bill says:
   12 Jan 2010 03:46:09 PM
   
   It is estmated that 94 million people were
   killed under Communist regimes, but then again we will never really know the total
   number of people killed.Indroctrination left a legacy of apathy and indefference, the
   Communists left Russia severely damaged.
   Just what is the legacy of Communism?
   In sweden a study found out that only 10% of
   students between the ages of 15 to 20 had
   heard of the Gulags, while 95% heard about Auschwitz! Communism is not dead, only in
   another form their are still States today,
   that think Socialism is the way to go, still
   brutal regimes that keep its people under
   control. Its still a warning to free people everywhere.
   It is, what I would say:
   A Continuation of Politics by Other Means.
9. Bill says:
   12 Jan 2010 04:58:05 PM
   
   Communist movements have caused the deaths
   of 110,286,000 people between 1917 to 1987.
   Today Communism continues to rule over at
   least 1/4th of the world's people. Untold
   millions are still killed, and suffer under this system.
   Communism in the 20th Century proved to be
   one of the most heinous perpetrators of
   violence and genocide. By the 1980's 1/3rd
   of the world's population lived under
   Communism. Political parties have changed
   their names and ideologies, but still operate
   on the left of the political spectrum.
   
   Note*
   This information is an overview, and does
   not address contemporary events in detail.
   
   The universal concept of freedom:
   The freedom of expression and development to
   full potential for all. Freedom to acquire
   knowledge, the sanctity of life, without freedom of choice there is no creativity.
   
   Government, even in its best state, is but a
   necessary evil, in its worst state, an
   intolerable one.
   
   -Thomas Paine-
   
   
   
   These are my opinions alone and do not reflect the views of WW2DB.
   
   
10. Bill says:
    14 Jan 2010 06:14:46 PM
    
    Facts About Russia...
    
    Russia has (11) time zones.
    
    Russia's Official Name: Russian Federation
    Came into effect in 1991 when the Soviet
    Union split into (15) Geo-Political parts.
    
    Official Language is Russian, about 75% of the population of Russia is made up of
    Slavic origin, However there are (48) other
    languages spoken by (120) or so Nationalities
    
    Red Square is a dramatic open cobbled space
    in the center of Moscow. Originally the
    city's market-place, public gathering for festivals.
    The Soviet state turned it into a memorial
    cemetery, and built Lenin's mausoleum, that
    is still open to the public.
    
    Did you know: That Moscow is situated in the
    center of the European part of Russia, at
    the very heart of the city, is the Kremlin
    the Russian place of command for almost (8)
    centuries.
    
    More About Red Square:
    The word "Red" doesn't apply to the color of
    the brickwork, neither is it a reference to
    Communism.
    The meaning of the word (Krasny) means
    "Beautiful" in old russian, but over the
    centuries the word changed to mean "Red"
    too giving the square's present name.
    
    Trans-Siberian Railway is one of the most
    famous in the world. Traveling by train
    takes (6) days, covering 5,869 miles or (9,446 Km.) the train stops several times a
    day, passes through (8) time zones, from
    Moscow to Vladivostok on the Asian Pacific
    Coast. The railway was started in 1891, and
    took (26) years to build.
    
    
11. Bill says:
    15 Jan 2010 12:57:28 PM
    
    When the Communists took over one of the
    first things they did was to deny liberty and confiscate all personal firearms, to
    make sure the people can not resist against
    tyranny.
    But even the most insidious than the theft
    of the peoples weapons, was the theft of
    their history. Official Communist Historians
    rewrote history, to fit current party lines.
    Millions were Murdered, Tortured, Jailed without Due-Process, Starved and Worked to
    Death the Gulags.
    The rule of fear and terror...Millions in
    other Nations lost their freedom, as the
    Millions of Russians did.
    The Communists Raped Russia,Stole and Looted the Wealth of the Nation.
    Communism is the biggest ideology of Mass Murder in the 20th. Century, and continues
    to be an ever present evil.
    The Communists became experts when it comes
    to Mass Murder, Terror and Genocide.
    Its really absurd, that some people are still so naive!
    The Brutality of Psychchopaths and Paranoid
    Shizophrenics who ever they might be:
    Pol-Pot, Stalin, Cancescu, Mao Tse Tung Kim Sung and others.
    It continues today Revolutionaries whose one
    hope, is to overthrow a free Government and
    establish what? They have nothing to offer
    while on the other hand, free people every-
    where have Courage, Devotion and Willingness
    as a free people to act against oppression.
    
    

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