ABSTRACT
In Russia, following the Battle of Stalingrad, the Germans could no longer hope to interrupt traffic on the Volga, Europe's longest river that connected Russia to the oil wells of Baku on the Caspian Sea. The battle marked the beginning of the end of the Axis presence in North Africa, and British historiography is justly proud of the great victory won so far from home. Problems varied according to location: there was, for instance, the dilemma of how to resist the German authorities when there were hardly any German soldiers to be seen, such as in the countries allied to Germany. All over Europe, millions were occasionally involved in protecting a Jew or at least in not reporting him or her to the authorities. The long-term goal of the resistance was to liberate at least a part of the homeland with its own forces in order to establish a native government before the arrival of the liberating armies.
