Operation: Charlemagne (Communist World)

Operation Charlemange (French: Fonctionnement Charlemagne) was the code name for France's invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian Campaign in France (French: Campagne de Russie) and the Patriotic War of 1942 in Soviet Union (Russian: Отечественная война 1942 года), was a turning point during the Great Patriotic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces (the Imperial Grande Armée) to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe. At the same time, Vichy France former allies, at first Italy and then Romania broke their alliance with France and switched camps, which prompted the creation of the United Allied Coalition.

Operation Charlemagne was named after Charles the Great, was the King of the Franks. Planning started on 18 December 1940; the secret preparations and the military operation itself lasted from June to December 1941. The Red Army repelled the Grand Armee's strongest blow, and France did not achieve the expected victory. Tactically, the French’s won resounding victories and occupied some of the most important economic areas of the Soviet Union, mainly in Ukraine. Despite these successes, the French were pushed back from Moscow and could never again mount a simultaneous offensive along the entire strategic Soviet–French front.

