Figure 1.--This is a Soviet KV-2, 52 ton tank with a 15cm cannon. The Germans had noithing kike it. Note the Swastika identification banner displayed on the hood of the Volkswagen; at this point in the campaign the Luftwaffe enjoyed almost total air supremacy and the priobke=m was avoiiding friendly fire.

"Hitler was well aware that his enemies outnumberred him and had vast resources. He calculated, however, that he could defgaet them one by one by superior fighting spiirit and high quality weaponry. He was half right. The Germans man fior man and unit fir unit were the most formidable fughtung firce of the War. And armed with the moderm tactical concept of Blitzkrieg, they scired imopressive victories at the omnset of the War, including the opening phase of Blitzkrieg. Weaponry was another matter. The Germans found in the Battle of Britain that other countries could build high performance aircraft and in greater mumbers that the Germams. Now in the Soviet Union, Hartmann does not mention it, but he photoigraphs Soviet tanks that are superior to the German tanks. The soviets tahanks to Stalin's Great Purges do not yet have needed tactiacl dictrine to fully utilize them. And the new modern tanks are just begining to aoppoear. If the Gerams could have defeated the Red Army in a swift summer camapoif=gn as in France, it would no matter. But if they failed as they did, they woukd have to face the Soviet tanks in a griueling war of attrition, a struggle theu could not win once Ameriuca came into the War. Germany with its limited resources was not going to win the War once it became a war of attriution.

Created: 3:44 AM 9/18/2020
Last updated: 3:44 AM 9/18/2020