In the summer of 1941, Nazi Germany launched the largest military invasion in history—Operation Barbarossa, Hitler’s bold and catastrophic attempt to crush the Soviet Union in a matter of months. In this episode of Hearthside History, we take you deep into the chaos of the Eastern Front, where three million Axis troops surged across a 1,800-mile front, aiming to seize Moscow, Leningrad, and the resource-rich lands of the East.

From the early Blitzkrieg victories that saw entire Soviet armies encircled and destroyed, to the brutal sieges and war crimes that made Barbarossa a war of extermination, we examine how Hitler’s ideological obsession shaped this devastating campaign. But as the Germans pushed deeper into Soviet territory, logistical nightmares, Soviet resilience, and the unforgiving Russian winter turned their triumph into disaster.

How did Stalin’s miscalculations nearly doom the Soviet Union? Why did Hitler’s overconfidence and strategic blunders derail his invasion? And how did the Battle of Moscow become the first major defeat of the Nazi war machine? We break down the turning points, the staggering losses, and the long-term consequences that made Barbarossa a pivotal moment in World War II.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow Hearthside History, leave a five-star review, and share it with fellow history lovers. And for more thrilling stories, check out other great podcasts from Past Cast Studios—dive into legendary heists with Heistories, uncover the worst jobs in history with History’s Worst Paychecks, or see who would win in epic warrior matchups in History Fight Club.

Next time, we leave the battlefields of the Eastern Front and head to the Pacific, where the rising sun brings war to American shores. Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would change the world forever—tune in as we cover the beginning of the war in the Pacific.

Let’s bring history to life!