World War and the Growth of Global Power 251stopped somewhat in the Battle of Britain in 1940-41, but the German offen-
sive into the Soviet Union was making headway. Should Hitler capture parts
of Russia, he would have access to vital raw materials, railways to transfer
goods and troops, and oil. The initial stages of the invasion in June 1941 went
better than planned, as the Germans broke through Soviet lines, their air force
knocked out Russian airfields, and Stalin, despite advice from his commanders
to do a tactical retreat, kept his troops on the line fighting and suffered huge
losses. By October, however, the German advance was slowing. The Nazis
had moved so quickly through the Soviet Union in the first few months that
they had outrun their system of logistics [acquiring, storing and distributing
material to armies and personnel; transporting troops to the front; maintaining
and operating facilities like forts and bases; getting supplies and reinforce-
ments into the battlefield; communicating between armies and staffs, and
providing medical support, among other things] and had to slow down in
FIGuRE 5-2 Map of WWII in Europe