Background
Prior to WWII, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact in 1939. This agreement stated that “the two countries agreed not to attack each other, either independently or in conjunction with other powers; not to support any third power that might attack the other party to the pact; to remain in consultation with each other upon questions touching their common interests; not to join any group of powers directly or indirectly threatening one of the two parties; to solve all differences between the two by negotiation or arbitration. The pact was to last for 10 years, with an automatic extension for another 5 years unless …show more content…
Germany began experiencing difficulties transporting supplies to the fronts due to severely degraded road conditions due to weather considerations. Furthermore, the Soviet Union began utilizing a scorched earth policy, Soviet troops destroyed anything of use that the invading German forces could utilize; while factories, supplies, machinery and train sets were shipped deeper into Russia in order to maintain the Soviet’s war effort (Taylor,