You have it, yes indeed. Perhaps if Hitler hadn't had to pull Mussolini's chestnuts out of the fire in the Balkans and had invaded in late May as originally planned, they might have gotten to Moscow in time. I don't think that even if Moscow had been taken, that the USSR would have surrendered.
You have it, yes indeed. Perhaps if Hitler hadn't had to pull Mussolini's chestnuts out of the fire in the Balkans and had invaded in late May as originally planned, they might have gotten to Moscow in time. I don't think that even if Moscow had been taken, that the USSR would have surrendered.
What I do NOT understand is why Stalin would not allow the Red Army which was concentrated near the Polish border to go on the defensive. It virtually guaranteed the loss of millions of soldiers, many of whom simply starved in German compounds. The USSR (Russia) seems almost proud of their 27 million deaths so many of which were Ukrainians (see Bloodlands). They should be ashamed as it was a result of Stalin's intransigence and Russian tactics which seemed to be mainly headlong charges.
After they attacked, it was "Ni shagu nazad!" ("Not one step back!") enforced by NKVD units ordered to summarily execute anyone trying to retreat, which meant units didn't have ability to act in a situation, which led to disaster. Hitler had the same policy after the Russian counter-offensives began, with similar disastrous results for the Wehrmacht.
On reading We Were There, by Basil Liddell Hart on German generals about WW II, I got the impression that Hitler "revenged" his generals for, as a corporal in WW I, receiving orders to stay on taken ground "to the last drop of blood". The generals meant they could have won the war if they had been allowed to arrange for orderly defence battles with a retreat on time.
Allen, I'm back on TAFM as you can see. Have you read today's piece 'NI SHAGU NAZAD??' It's a summary of how the Russian military is still stumbling. I am eager to know at least some of what you know. I hope Tanya has had a good Mother's Day or a good day, period, and that goes for you, too.
You have it, yes indeed. Perhaps if Hitler hadn't had to pull Mussolini's chestnuts out of the fire in the Balkans and had invaded in late May as originally planned, they might have gotten to Moscow in time. I don't think that even if Moscow had been taken, that the USSR would have surrendered.
What I do NOT understand is why Stalin would not allow the Red Army which was concentrated near the Polish border to go on the defensive. It virtually guaranteed the loss of millions of soldiers, many of whom simply starved in German compounds. The USSR (Russia) seems almost proud of their 27 million deaths so many of which were Ukrainians (see Bloodlands). They should be ashamed as it was a result of Stalin's intransigence and Russian tactics which seemed to be mainly headlong charges.
Because he was convinced the Germans were not going to attack and he did not want to be seen as "threatening."
I meant after they attacked
After they attacked, it was "Ni shagu nazad!" ("Not one step back!") enforced by NKVD units ordered to summarily execute anyone trying to retreat, which meant units didn't have ability to act in a situation, which led to disaster. Hitler had the same policy after the Russian counter-offensives began, with similar disastrous results for the Wehrmacht.
On reading We Were There, by Basil Liddell Hart on German generals about WW II, I got the impression that Hitler "revenged" his generals for, as a corporal in WW I, receiving orders to stay on taken ground "to the last drop of blood". The generals meant they could have won the war if they had been allowed to arrange for orderly defence battles with a retreat on time.
Allen, I'm back on TAFM as you can see. Have you read today's piece 'NI SHAGU NAZAD??' It's a summary of how the Russian military is still stumbling. I am eager to know at least some of what you know. I hope Tanya has had a good Mother's Day or a good day, period, and that goes for you, too.
We had a good day. Tomorrow Tanya starts English class
тАжand then there is you. I wonder if it will be anything like when the husband teaches the wife how to drive...nah! Have fun and be well. Cheers!
wasn't Stalin sort of AWOL for the first few weeks of the German invasion? I mean emotionally.