Operation Barbarossa
Barbarossa (red beard) was code name for the German attack on Russia in June of 1941. The Russians were warned about the attack, and it was still a surprise to them when it happened. The Germans used Blitzkrieg tactics to surprise the Russians. Many of the Russian peasants began the "scorched earth policy" of which the point was to burn all crops and all shelters. Leningrad was besieged, Kiev was captured, and they fled to the Crimea on the outskirts of Moscow. Cold weather halted the Germans, and set them back, but they were still able to capture and imprison 2 million red army troops. Operation Barbarossa also broke the non aggression pact.