Explain both why Hitler decided to invade the Soviet Union in 1940, and explain the outcome.

Answer 1

Hitler violated his non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union in 1941, not 1940. His primary goals were Ukrainian grain and the oil near Stalingrad. The Nazis were fighting England and the Royal Navy that meant that they were largely cut off from non-European resources. This is what actually brought down Germany in World War I. Hitler's goal was to protect Germany from being starved for resources again and make the Royal Navy irrelevant. Note the dark side to this plan. If you are using grain from Ukraine to feed Germany then that grain is not going to feed people in Eastern Europe. Millions of people starving to death in Eastern Europe (including the Holocaust) was not an accident. From the very beginning, it was understood as part of the plan and carried out intentionally.