On June 22, 1941, Hitler turned his attention east.
Operation Barbarossa saw the Third Reich break their peace treaty with the Soviet Union, and launch a full scale invasion.
The Great Patriotic War began, and the Soviet Union was dragged into World War II.
But as the Nazis made their move in force, Russia made their move in song, and within one night, the lyrics ‘Священная война’ (‘The Holy War’) were written by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach.
It became a symbol of Soviet courage, and one of the most powerful war songs ever written.
