--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed…" description: "\"On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21, better known as Operation Barbarossa.\" — Leopold Trepper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg" --- # On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21… ![“On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21, better known as Operation Barbarossa.” quote by Leopold Trepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg) > “On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21, better known as Operation Barbarossa.” Leopold Trepper ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The order marked the start of a massive military invasion, reshaping WWII dynamics. **In simple terms:** Hitler’s plan to invade the Soviet Union began. Key Takeaway Study the causes and consequences. Themes war politics history strategy Mood serious analytical Type historical educational When to use this quote - military planning - global conflict - historical analysis Key Concepts military aggression geopolitics ideological conflict Questions to Reflect On - What were the strategic miscalculations? - How did this affect civilian populations? A Different Perspective The decision led to massive loss of life and eventual defeat. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [December](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/december/) [Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitler/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) ## Related quotes > [ “It was thus that in 1940 \[Hitler\] represented a wave of the future. His greatest reactionary opponent, Churchill, was like King Canute, attempting to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lukacs/it-was-thus-that-in-1940-hitler-represented-a-wave-of-the-future-his/) [John Lukacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lukacs/) > [“Instead of further mucking around in the Middle East, Brzezinski is seeking to marshal all remaining US-UK resources for a final onslaught on Moscow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-further-mucking-around-in-the-middle-east-brzezinski-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was much easier for him now that he was smaller to negotiate his way through his crammed shop but he still tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/it-was-much-easier-for-him-now-that-he-was-smaller-to-negotiate-his/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [When Barbarossa commences, the world will hold its breath and make no comment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/when-barbarossa-commences-the-world-will-hold-its-breath-and-make-no/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The Mayans have predicted the world is supposed to end on December 21. If the world doesn't end on December 21, you can bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-mayans-have-predicted-the-world-is-supposed-to-end-on-december-21/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [It's been said that Bill Gates has come up with something that'll be released in December that's gonna put a lid on counterfeiting. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/it-s-been-said-that-bill-gates-has-come-up-with-something-that-ll-be/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens - the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/from-december-to-march-there-are-for-many-of-us-three-gardens-the/) [Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/) > [I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-d-go-back-to-december-turn-around-and-change-my-own-mind/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [My parents subscribed to both Time and Newsweek and in 1978, I remember the covers of both that December were of the bodies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/my-parents-subscribed-to-both-time-and-newsweek-and-in-1978-i/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [It's 25th December! May God bless you and your loved ones the whole year round! Have a Joyous Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-25th-december-may-god-bless-you-and-your-loved-ones-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since, O sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of Thy people, favour us this year with such a sense of Thy preciousness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-o-sweet-lord-jesus-thou-art-the-present-portion-of-thy-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've come to believe that whoever I am didn't start on December 14, 1946, and isn't going to end on whatever that mysterious date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-ve-come-to-believe-that-whoever-i-am-didn-t-start-on-december-14/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [“Congregating power to leave u… To control this love But I always go back to December!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moaz-zulfiqar/congregating-power-to-leave-u-to-control-this-love-but-i-always-go/) Moaz Zulfiqar > [“It was December, I had never felt so cold, the eel soup lay heavy on my stomach, I was afraid I'd die, I turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-was-december-i-had-never-felt-so-cold-the-eel-soup-lay-heavy-on-my/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## More by Leopold Trepper > [Week after week, the heads of Red Army Intelligence received updates on the Wehrmacht's preparations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/week-after-week-the-heads-of-red-army-intelligence-received-updates/) Leopold Trepper > [He who closes his eyes sees nothing, even in the full light of day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/he-who-closes-his-eyes-sees-nothing-even-in-the-full-light-of-day/) Leopold Trepper > [The number of people who left for the United states and Canada increased with every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/the-number-of-people-who-left-for-the-united-states-and-canada/) Leopold Trepper Explore all 4 Leopold Trepper quotes ## More December quotes > [“It was December, I had never felt so cold, the eel soup lay heavy on my stomach, I was afraid I'd die, I turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-was-december-i-had-never-felt-so-cold-the-eel-soup-lay-heavy-on-my/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Congregating power to leave u… To control this love But I always go back to December!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moaz-zulfiqar/congregating-power-to-leave-u-to-control-this-love-but-i-always-go/) Moaz Zulfiqar > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I've come to believe that whoever I am didn't start on December 14, 1946, and isn't going to end on whatever that mysterious date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-ve-come-to-believe-that-whoever-i-am-didn-t-start-on-december-14/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [Since, O sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of Thy people, favour us this year with such a sense of Thy preciousness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-o-sweet-lord-jesus-thou-art-the-present-portion-of-thy-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's 25th December! May God bless you and your loved ones the whole year round! Have a Joyous Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-25th-december-may-god-bless-you-and-your-loved-ones-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My parents subscribed to both Time and Newsweek and in 1978, I remember the covers of both that December were of the bodies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/my-parents-subscribed-to-both-time-and-newsweek-and-in-1978-i/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-d-go-back-to-december-turn-around-and-change-my-own-mind/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens - the garden outdoors, the garden of pots and bowls in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/from-december-to-march-there-are-for-many-of-us-three-gardens-the/) [Katharine Sergeant Angell White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-sergeant-angell-white/) > [It's been said that Bill Gates has come up with something that'll be released in December that's gonna put a lid on counterfeiting. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/it-s-been-said-that-bill-gates-has-come-up-with-something-that-ll-be/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [The Mayans have predicted the world is supposed to end on December 21. If the world doesn't end on December 21, you can bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-mayans-have-predicted-the-world-is-supposed-to-end-on-december-21/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“Colored lights blink on and off, racing across the green boughs. Their reflections dance across exquisite glass globes and splinter into shards against tinsel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/colored-lights-blink-on-and-off-racing-across-the-green-boughs-their/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I was nine or 10 years old and my father was sacked on Christmas Day. He was a manager, the results had not been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/i-was-nine-or-10-years-old-and-my-father-was-sacked-on-christmas-day/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [The goal is to hit your stride, stay in the hunt and be playing your best football in December.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/the-goal-is-to-hit-your-stride-stay-in-the-hunt-and-be-playing-your/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) > [November, I'll give thanks that you belong to me. December, you're the present beneath my Christmas tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-sedaka/november-i-ll-give-thanks-that-you-belong-to-me-december-you-re-the/) [Neil Sedaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-sedaka/) [Browse all 440 December quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/december/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21, better known as Operation Barbarossa.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leopold Trepper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-directive-number-21-better-known-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "December" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-directive-number-21-better-known-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68d/leopold-trepper-68848_december_on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-direct_2541889.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed Directive Number 21, better known as Operation Barbarossa.” — Leopold Trepper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leopold Trepper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-trepper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On December 18, 1940, Hitler signed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-directive-number-21-better-known-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-trepper/on-december-18-1940-hitler-signed-directive-number-21-better-known-as/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```