OSHER 862 - World War II in Eastern Europe

Many of us think of WWII as having taken place primarily where the US and British forces fought. We know little about the campaigns in Eastern Europe, even though the vast preponderance of fighting was done there. This class focuses on the events of the Eastern European campaign, and the decisions that led to victory. We will carefully examine the pros and cons of major decisions and why the final decision was what it turned out to be. We will examine Operation Barbarossa, the Battle of Stalingrad, and the amazing resilience shown by the Soviets. We will also discuss topics such as the role played by Soviet women.