The renowned British historian Gerald Reitlinger examines the political plans and problems of Hitler's military campaign in Russia, which began virtually with the conclusion of a non-aggression pact in 1939 and ended disastrously in the last months of the Third Reich. Hitler's expectations of an easy war in the East did not materialize. The invasion of German troops into Russian territory was met with decisive resistance, mass repressions gave rise to partisan warfare, and hopes for the success of using the army under the command of General Vlasov, who went over to the Nazi side, turned out to be a failure. Step by step, the author explores Hitler’s mistakes in pursuing policies in the occupied territories and comes to the conclusion that the building of the future great Germany was built on sand.