* Soviet World War II Trends: Red Army Victory--Analysis








Soviet World War II Trends: Red Arny Victory: Anaylsis (1941-45)


Figure 1.--Hitler launched Opperatiomn Barabarossa June 1941, mit would be the kargest invadion in history. It began a war unlike no other in modern history. Hitler ordered his commanders to wage a ‘war of annihilation’. And they proceeded to vigorously do just that. Here German troops occupy and burn a Russian village during summer 1941. Civilians suffered incredably and none more so than Soviet Jews, men, women, and children, were rounded up and shot without mercy. At first it looked like the Soviet Union would be one nore in a series of German victories. But ultimately, the Red Army surprised many and held. It not only held, but when on to tear the heart out of the Wehrmacht. Just how the Red Arny accomplished this, military histotians still debate.

We constantly see internet posts from thise benefitting from the perspective of history, claiming with ansolite certainty that the Wehrmacht could have never defeated the Red Army -- it was simply beyond their capacity. The eventual total collapse of the Wehrmacht lends strengthg to this view, but in fact the Germans came very close to winning the War in 1941. Stalin's pesonal train was at the statiion ready to depart Moscow. It is simply absurd to say that an army that had reached Moscow in only 5 months and desroyed whole Soviet armies in the provess had no chance of defearing the Soviet Union. The Germans inflicted more casualties on the Red Army than any army has suffered in all of history and all in only 5 months. It was cerainly not the view that military experts held at the time, incliding both the Allies and the Germans. The Germans thought that they had won the War. Allied commanders thought the Red Arny would collapse under the German assailt. And there was good reason for this view. Since launching the War, Hitler's armies had surged east, north, west, and south sweeping aside all oppsition with only light casualties. In one camapign after another, the Germans smashed all opposdition, including the highly regarded and well armed French Army. The only failure was the Battle of Britain where the Channel had stopped the Pansers. The British did not only evacuate at Dunkirk, but on five other occassions. The Red Army in contrast had endured Stalin's bloody purgesm decimateing its professional leadership core. And it performed very badly in both Poland and Finland. But to the surprise of many the Red Army nor only held before Moscow, but staged a massive Winter Offensive that inflicted the first serious casualties on the Germans. So the question arises, just how did the Red Army defeat the vaunted German Wehrmacht. The defeated German Generals after the War wrote memoirs and they offered explantions that were remarkably consistent, basically blaming: 1) Hitler, 2) weather, and 3) Soviet hordes. They avoiding any personal responsibility. Soviet sources point out that it was no secret that it gets cold in Russia during the War and the tempeature was the same for the German and Soviet soldiers as well as the obligarory paens to glorify Comrad Stalin's leadership. The Soviets were especiually intent on minimizing the Western contributiion to their victory. Western historians have primarily bought the German view, in part becaise of the Cold War. Many German generals wrote menoirs (Guderian, Halder, Manstrein, Palus, ect.) wrote menoours. Many were rehbilitated and pakyec imnpoortanbt roles in the new German Army. The Soviets closed their archives to Western histoirians. Wstern historians have generally accrpted the German view as well as the Soviet (and now Russian) asertion that the Western Allies played only a minor role in the defeat of the Germans.

NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty (August 1939)

NAZI Foreign Minister Ribbentrop and newly appointed Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov on August 23, 1939, signed the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. At the time of the signing, British and French delegations were in Moscow trying to reach an understanding with Stalin. Hewas convinced, however, that they were tring to draw him into a war with Hitler. The two countries which until that time had been bitter foes, pledged not attack each other. Any problems developing between the two countries were to be delt with amicably. It was last for 10 years. The Pact shocked the world and the purpose was immedietly apparent. It meant that Germany could attack Poland without fear of Soviet intervention. Thus after defeating Poland, Germany did not have to fear a full-scale European war on two fronts. What was not known at the time was that there was a secret protocol to the pact which in effect divided Eastern Europe betwen the two countries. This protocol was discoered after the end of the World War II in 1945. The Soviets continued to deny this protocol until 1989. The NAZIs 8 days after signing the Pact invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, launching World War II. Britain and France declared war September 3. Poland's fate was sealed on September 17, when the Soviets invaded Poland from the east. Although the Soviet's did not enter the War against Britain and France, the Soviets were virtual NAZI allies as they provided large quantaies of strategic materials, especially oil. Communist parties in Britainand France opposedthe war effort. The Communst Party in America opposed President Roosevelt's efforts to expand defense spending and assist Britain and France.

Soviet Aggressions (1939-40)

Although it is the NAZI aggressions that are most commonly addressed in World War II histories, the Soviet Union compiled nearly as long a list of aggressions as the NAZIs. Operating within secret protocols to the Non-agression Pact, Hitler and Stalin were in fact close partners in the waging of aggressive war. The Great Patriotic War fought against the NAZIs after the 1941 German invasion came to be an icon in Soviet history. Left unsaid was the fact that Hitler and Stalin were partners in the virtul partition of Europe. After Poland, the first target was Finland, but Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania were also targets. The oviet invasion of Finland had significant repercussions. The Allies for a time considered actively aidinging Finland, but the Germans offensoives in the West soon made that impossible. The poor performance of the Red Army in Finland was a factor in Hitler'd decission to attack the Soviet Union before Britain had been defeated.

Great Patriotic War (1941-45)

Hitler launched the most imense military campaign in human history with te invasion of the Soviet Union--Operation Barbarossa (June 1941). It is estimated that on the eve of battle, 6.25 million men faced each other in the East. The Soviets were surprised and devestated. Stalin ignored warnings from the British who as a result of Ultra had details on the German preparations. Stalin was convinced that they were trying to draw him into the War and until the actual attack could not believe that Hitle would attack him. The attack was an enormous tactical success. The Red Air Force was virtually destroyed. Soviets cities fell and whole Soviet armies were engulfed in sweeping pincer movements spearheaded by German panzers. Many military analysts question whether the Soviets could resist the NAZI blitzkrieg. The Soviets did hold, in part because Germany's Axis ally Japan struck America rather than the Soviets. This allowed the Soviets to bring Siberian troops west to spearhead a devestating surprise Winter offensuve before Moscow (December 1941). The German Army Group Center suffered devestating losses from which they never fully recovered. As a result, the German offensive in 1942 was restricted to the southin an rffort to fully seize the Ukraine as well as the Caucasian oil fields. Again the NAZIs gained great success and wre on the verge of seizing Stalingrad when a second surrose Winter offensive destroyed Germany's most fowerful formation--the Sixth Army. Germany's final great Eastern offensive came in 1943. This time the WeEhrmacht was capable of striking in only a small section of the front--the Kursk salient. THe battle was the largest tank engagement in history and destroyed the Whrmacht as an offensive force. The Soviets seized the ininitive with Operation Operation Bagration which shatered Army Group Center (June-July 1944). This was the most devestating German defeat of the War. It essentially destroyed NAZI Germany's defensive capacity, opening the way to western Poland and the Reich itself.

German Prospects

We constantly see internet posts from thise benefitting from the perspective of history, claiming with ansolite certainty that the Wehrmacht could have never defeated the Red Army -- it was simply beyond their capacity. In internt duscussion sires we see vommnts like this. "Sorry, I must chime in here. Anyone who believes that Germany could have defeated the USSR are simply ignorant Western apologists. I suppose some, time machine type of fantasy, could be brought into play like bringing Abrams tanks or F-16´s, attack and ballistic missile submarines or aliens from outer space. The FACTS of the matter are GERMANY LOST! Most kindly Eduardo, you need to stick with polymath. World War II is most definitely not your long suite. Going back and fourth in history to explain away what actually happened is delusional. It´s 5 AM and I need some sleep. I be at it with a vengeance after I catch some shuteye. First off, to blame everything on Hitler is a straw man argument. He made no more mistakes than any allied commander made during WWII. Oh, if only, if only this, if only that. If I only had a brain, I wouldn´t be a scarecrow." There are enymeravle posts like this on the internet. The eventual total collapse of the Wehrmacht lends strengthg to this view, but in fact the Germans came very close to winning the War in 1941. Stalin's pesonal train was at the statiion ready to depart Moscow. It is simply absurd to say that an army that had reached Moscow in only 5 months and desroyed whole Soviet armies in the provess had no chance of defearing the Soviet Union. The Germans inflicted more casualties on the Red Army than any army has suffered in all of history and all in only 5 months. It was cerainly not the view that military experts held at the time, incliding both the Allies and the Germans. The Germans thought that they had won the War. Allied commanders thought the Red Arny would collapse under the German assailt. And there was good reason for this view.

Spectacular German Successes

Since launching the War in coperation with Stalin, Hitler's armies had surged east (Polans), north (Denmark and Norway), west (the Netherlamds, Belgium, and France), and south (Yugoslavia and Greece) sweeping aside all oppsition with only light casualties. In one camapign after another, the Germans smashed all opposdition, including the highly regarded and well armed French Army. The only failure was the Battle of Britain where the Channel had stopped the Pansers. The British did not only evacuate at Dunkirk, but on five other occassions (Norway, Brest, Greece, Crete, and Dieppe). Although not really undersrood at the time, these victories all shared to various degrees similar characteristics. First, the German struck without a declartion of war and advanced warning. Second, most of these countries were small both in tens of population and territory. This meant that the Germans faced relativly small militaries on limited battlefields in which German forces could be concentrated to deliver a decisive blow. Third, most had small poorly prepared militaries. Fourth, the campigns were completed very quickly, note than a month. Insime cases inky a week or two. Fifth, the campaigns were conducted in Spring or Summer weather. Suxth, many of the countries were neurtrals with no poweful allies preapred to back them up. Seventh, during these camaigns, the Soviet Union was protecting Germamy's eastern frint and supplying the German war machine with oil, critical materials, and foodstuffs. Eighth, all of the countries (eccept Norway) were close to the German border ot countries like Bylgaria amd Romania coopted by the German. This mean the advancing German armies never had to move any great distance from their supply bases. And most had reasonably developed road networks. Ninth, none of these countries had effective armored or air forces. Or effective anti-tank guns. The British and French had high quality tanks and planes, but used them poorly. Looking at the list, notice than none apply to Barbarossa, exceot the first -- a surprise blow.

Red Army Capability (1939-40)

The Red Army in contrast had endured Stalin's bloody purgesm decimateing its professional leadership core. And it performed very badly in both Poland (1939) and Finland (1939-40). The failure to quickly overwealm the tiny Finnish Army in the Winter War (1939-40) in particular was noted by Hitler and Wehrmacht commanders. Largely unregonized and poorly reported was Gen. Zukov's stunning victory over the Hoanese at Khalkhin Gol (July 1939). Nor was much know about the quality of Soviet military eqiupment. The German geberals exhibited a level of arrogance even before the NAZI seisure of power (1933). NAZI racial doctrine only hightened this arrogance. The idea that the Soviets could produce high-quality weaponty that could match German weaponry was entirely alien to German military thinking as they prepared to invade the Soviet Union. Notice that we are not only talking about Hitler's amateurish attitude, but the overall attitude of the highly professional German officer corps. The Red Army T-34 tank shocked the Germans and it was hardly the only Soviet weapon that would surprise the Germans.

Red Army Offensive Before Moscow (December 1941)

Most Americans when the think of December 1941 think of the shatering Japanese carrier strike at Pearl Harbor (December 7). And this dominates American World War II histories. Pearl Harbor briufht Ameriva into the War, but the actual miliraty damage. Not inly were eight batteships sunk basically obsolete, but six were subseqientky raised. What was of hige military signifiucance was somrging that happened at the same time halfway around the world--as far away from the balmy palm fringed beaches of Oahu as you can get. In the midst of the freezing cold of the Russian Winter, the Red Army struck back--;laincung a Counter-offebsive before Moscow (Decemnber 5/6). Adjusted for the international date line, in a feat of stunning serendipity, the Red Arny offensive occurred at almost precisekly the same time as the Pearl Harbot attack. An unlike Pearl Harborm the Red Armny Counter Offenbsive before Moscow was of immense militrary imprtance--arguably the most important military svtion of the entire war. The Soviets offensive inflicted vast damage on the German Ostheer in both men and equipment. To the surprise of many the Red Army nor only held before Moscow, but staged a massive Winter Offensive that inflicted the first serious casualties on the Germans.

Differing Assessments

So the question arises, just how did the Red Army defeat the vaunted German Wehrmacht. The defeated German Generals after the War wrote memoirs and they offered explantions that were remarkably consistent, basically blaming: 1) Hitler, 2) weather, and 3) Soviet hordes. And weaving many myths such as Hitler was responsibke fpr it all, the Clean Whermacht, the weather was resomdibkle, and the Soviet hordes. The generals of course denied any personal responsibility for the German defeat and war crimes. Soviet sources point out that it was no secret that it gets cold in Russia during the War and the tempeature was the same for the German and Soviet soldiers as well as the obligarory paens to glorify Comrad Stalin's leadership. The Soviets were especially intent on minimizing the Western contribution to their victory. Western historians have primarily bought the German view, in part because of the Cold War. Many German generals wrote menoirs (Guderian, Halder, Manstein, Manteuffel, Palus, ect.) wrote memoirs. Many were rehabilitated and played important roles in the new post-War German Army. Manstein's war memoir, Verlorene Siege (Lost Victories), was typical. The title speeks volumes. The Soviets in contrast closed their archives to Western histoirians. So Western historians who wanted to write about the Soviets were severely restricted in their avility to do so. Western historians have generally accepted the German view as well as the Soviet (and now Russian) asertion that the Western Allies played only a minor role in the defeat of the Germans.

German Industrial Effort

Germany was a major industrial country, but not the world's dominant or even largest industrial power. Thus German industrial allocations had to be carefully calculated if they were to win the War. Fortunately for mankind, they were not. And this was especially true of the war in the East with the Soviet Union--the Ostkrieg. The Ostkrieg was certainly the decisive engagemnent of World War II. Whoever prevailed there was going to win the War. The Allied Strategic Bombing Campaign did far more than damage German war industry, it forced the NAZIs to devote the majority of Gernany's potent, but limited industrial power on the war in the West instead of where it was most needed--the Ostheer. Contrary to popular conceptions, the German economy was not effectively harnessed for war. Civilian consumption was not drastically curtailed as was the case in Britain. Women were not further mobilized for war work, especially married women. Industrial production was not totally directed at the War effort. Only when the War began to go against Germany and Albert Speer was appointed Armaments Minister (1942) did German industry begin to take needed steps to maximize production and reach some of its potential. [Speer] The Germans, as a result, despite the bombing were able to expand war production. This was the case through 1943. Only in late 1944 and the full force of the strategic bombing force was released from D-Day support did the German economy begin to collapse under the weight of Allied bombing. Some have used this to charge that the Allied bombing campaign was ineffective and a misallocation of resources. This is not the case. Without the bombing, the Germans could have substantially increased war production in 1942 and 43. Some time ago I notice a comment in an important book on World War II. The author states that the German war economy was oriented to the war in the West, and not the Ostkrieg. [Weinberg] That rather surprised us at the time, but we have since come to conclusion that he was absolutely correct. It took a huge industrial effort to support operatiins in the West (the West Wall the Air War, the Battle of the Atlantic, the Atlantic Wall, the V-Weapons, etc.). In contrast the Ostheer was mostly unmotorized infantry using horse-drawn carts. We are always amazed that when authors describe the Ostkrieg, they almost always phrase the importance in terms of manpower (German deployment and casualties), never in terms of industrial power. Manopower is important, but as any military historian knows, it is only one factir in warfare, and not alwaysd themost important. Our contention is that the War in the West forced Hitler to send the Ostheer into the Soviet Union largely on foot and once there without the industrial support needed for the decisive engagement of the War.

Our Assessment

We are developing an assessment as to why the Red Army defeated the Wehrmanchr on the Eastern Front. The very term Eastern Front is interesting. Normally the victors get to name the war. The Eastern Frint is the German name--Ostkrieg. And reflects the degree to which the post-War German narrtive has inflienced the Western view of the conflict cimplete with many of the nyths that the German generals popularized after the War. It is not unlike how the Confederate Lost Cause narrative domimated American historigraphy on the Civil War. We certainly do not dismiss eithrt the German or Soviet narrative about the conflict. They were both correct about some aspects of the Conflict. And it must be understood that most major myths have an element of truth or believability. Thus even the nyths are important to consider. Generally speaking the comptence of Soibiet commanders and the bravery and devotion of the Soviet soldier has been underappreciated. The same is trur of the Siviet scientists whi created extrenely effective weaponry. And we thinkj that Hitler 's resomsibility is oiver states. It rerinds me of commedian Flip Wilson whose tag line was -- "The Devil made me do it." Makje no mistake about it. Hitkler was a homocidal maniac. he was not the only persin respomsible for what happened. In fact the major genbman commanders supported the invasiuon of the Siviet Unuin, some even incouraged Hitler to invade the Soviet Union. And it was nit j=just the SS that committed war crimes. The most enduring myth of the cinflivt is that the Siviets did it all by themselves and the Western Front was of only minor importance. .






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Created: 8:44 AM 7/14/2020
Last updated: 8:44 AM 7/14/2020