Oh there's no doubt that Hitler hated Russia and everything it stood for - but that's the fight he ought to have picked last. I firmly believe that Britain would never have surrendered, but we would have lost the war, had he not concentrated on the Bismark and Scharnhorst instead of building an extra 50 U-Boats like his generals advised him to. If he'd done that he'd have starved us out - but I don't think for one second we'd have surrendered. We would though have lost, and millions of people slaughtered in the process.
He was comfortable, if not in control on the western front and he has the Italians watching his south side, so why on earth did he go and invade Russia when he did? The timing of it was all wrong as well, he left his troops exposed to the elements at crucial times of the campaign. If you was in Hitler's position, what would possess you to go after the Russians first? Why not wait until the obstinate but struggling British were starved out of the picture?
I seem to remember being aware that Stalin was expecting Hitler to turn on him at some point, but I bet not even he was concerned it would happen so soon into the war.
