German advance → halted by Russian winter → late 1941
- Stalin + military leaders → used this time → reform Red Army completely.
- Copied many tactics + ideas → used by Germans + added some of their own.
- Created specialist tank armies + air force
- Officers → given greater freedom + independence. Stalin banned CP officials → from interfering with military decisions
- Radio communications → adopted.
- radios placed in all tanks and aircraft (supplied mainly by Br. and US)
- Effective new weapons developed + produced in huge numbers
- Harsh disciplined used
- Stalin issued order 227 → soviet army ordered to fight or die trying for every bit of Russian soil
During war:
- Stalin → leader who inspired confidence + loyalty in his people
Turning point → early 1943
- Germans had advanced again in 1942 → towards Stalingrad.
- Here → soviets held them in fierce battle
- Despite heavy casualties → they managed to encircle Germans.
- Forced them to surrender.
Victory → raised morale → of soviets → began to drive Germans back