Turning Point of World War II

With a force like the 6th army, I could storm the heavens” Adolf Hitler As the surprise Soviet counter-offensive of the winter of 1941 petered out in the freezing snows of the Russian wilderness the minds of the German war planners began to turn to the inevitable summer campaign ahead, their successive offensive against a bloodied but defiant enemy.
Six months before on the 22nd of June 1941 the awesome German war machine, seemingly unstoppable had launched itself at Russia, the largest country in the world, with a sudden and devastating ferocity.
For this unparalleled attack the Germans had divided their four million strong striking force into three large army groups. Army Group North was to dash up to Leningrad, while bringing the Baltic area under its heel.
The task of the exceptionally strong Army Group Centre was to thrust into the Russia heartland with Moscow as the desired long stop. The Donnets River was the ambitious summer target for the Army Group South, with Ukraine and Crimea as the rich prizes(News-Dailynews)