Quote:
Originally Posted by dobbles
Question for those that know more than me:
Would there have been an advantage to waiting to attack Russia? More specifically, could they have shored up the Western front and been better able to mobilize to the East? I have always wondered if fighting on both fronts was really what doomed them to failure. That had Hitler been more patient they could have had more success. Or is it the case that they needed to weaken Russia so Japan could be more aggressive against them in Asia?
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In the end after a initial success, Hitler and the German high command started shifting objectives and assets on a whim, that gave the Russians the time to fortify themselves.
This was also the start of the Soviet tactic of kill bags. You allow the enemy into the bag, let them slam into a fortified defense, and then tie the knot of the back end and kill whatever is inside.
This happened at Stalingrad. Kursk etc.
The smart move would have been not to invade Russia ever. Or instead of a three army group with three objectives, just pick one objective and take it. For example the southern Oil fields. You are never going to conquor all of Russia and your going to bleed to do it.
I'm of the mind set that no amount of fortification was going to save Germany forever, the Allies were coming up through the southern front, and American industrialization alone was going to outstrip Germany, especially with the bombing campaigns.
I would expect that the best strategy would have been fortification, and then a negotiated peace with the allies.