When Hitler decided to launch his (1) of Russia, he thought that nothing could (2) of his armies. (3) , it seemed, was inevitable. He had surprise on his side, (4) Stalin by (5) his attack without a (6) of war. Hitler expected the (7) to last only a few months. In the event, it was to (8) for much longer. Like Napoleon before him, he had made a fatal mistake in failing to (9) the severity of the Russian weather. Many German soldiers were to (10) the cold as winter set in, (11) the German advance .