The Beginning of the Great Patriotic War
Pirate Attack by German-Fascist Invaders
The German-Fascist command, intoxicated by easy victories in Europe, sought to quickly conquer world domination. However, the main obstacle in the way of this aggressive campaign was the Soviet Union — the only socialist state on the planet. This is why its defeat was viewed by the Nazi military-political leadership as a decisive step toward achieving their adventurous goals.
The German General Staff had developed a plan for military operations against the USSR in advance, known as Directive No. 21 (the "Barbarossa" plan). The strategic intent was based on "blitzkrieg": sudden lightning strikes by tank troops and aviation, supported by infantry, were to destroy the "mass forces of the Russian army located in the western part of Russia." The defeat of the Soviet Armed Forces was allotted only a few weeks. This operation was planned to be completed before the onset of winter 1941, with the fascist troops reaching the line of Arkhangelsk — Volga — Astrakhan.
By June 21, 1941, Hitler's hordes — 190 divisions (of which 153 were German and 37 were from satellite countries) totaling 5.5 million people — were concentrated along the western Soviet borders. They were armed with about 4,300 tanks and assault guns, 4,980 combat aircraft, and 47,200 artillery pieces and mortars.
At dawn on Sunday, June 22, 1941, thousands of German artillery opened fire on Soviet border outposts, military headquarters, communication nodes, and areas of deployment of Red Army units and formations.
At the same time, enemy aviation carried out massive bombing strikes on airfields, naval bases, railway hubs, and peaceful cities in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Crimea, and the Baltic republics. After the artillery bombardment, the main forces of the fascist army crossed the USSR border on a wide front and began to advance deep into the country with battles.
Thus, the fascist aggressors, treacherously violating the Soviet-German non-aggression pact concluded in 1939, without declaring war or presenting any claims, unleashed an attack on the Soviet country. They pursued reactionary, aggressive goals: the overthrow of the Soviet regime, the dismemberment of the territory, and the destruction of the national statehood and culture of the peoples of the USSR, their ethnic integrity, and the enslavement of the Soviet people. "When the 'Russian space' is conquered," Hitler proclaimed on September 9, 1941, "once a year we will conduct a procession of Kyrgyz through the capital of the empire, so that the power and grandeur of the stone monuments of this city are imprinted in their consciousness."
Alongside fascist Germany, Italy, Finland, the boyar Romania, and Horthy Hungary began military actions against the USSR. Francoist Spain actively assisted Germany.
The pirate attack by the German-Fascist invaders interrupted the peaceful labor of the Soviet people. The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union began — a nationwide struggle for the freedom and independence of the socialist Motherland.
Kyrgyzstan on the Eve of the Great Patriotic War
