The attack on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 is interpreted by historians as the final stage of Hitler's plan to establish a “new order” in Europe. The famous military historian Rolf-Dieter Müller refutes this claim. Based on numerous little-known sources, he proves that Hitler was seriously planning a war against the USSR back in 1933. The attack on the Soviet Union remained Hitler's idée fixe in later years. Even after the signing of the Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact, in September 1939, a direct clash between the Wehrmacht and the Red Army was still possible. At the same time, contrary to the opinion of a number of publicists, the Wehrmacht generals were not afraid of such a development of events, but, on the contrary, pushed the Fuhrer towards war. Rolf-Dieter Müller - German military historian, in 1999-2012. Scientific Director of the Center for Military Historical Research of the Bundeswehr. Previously, his book “On the side of the Wehrmacht. Foreign accomplices of Hitler during the “crusade against Bolshevism”, 1941-1945.” (M.: ROSSPEN, 2012).