this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2024
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[–] TSG_Asmodeus@lemmy.world 142 points 3 months ago (18 children)

I just want to say, for all the discussion of 'could they have...' it's important to remember that Germany was never going to conquer Russia, it was a stupid (racist) idea to get Hitlers 'lebensraum' and take out Stalin's 'Jewish Bolshevist' nation (heavy on the eye-roll there). Keep in mind that Germany didn't even get Moscow, which Napoleon had actually managed to (mostly) do, and Napoleon still lost for the same reason that Germany would have regardless -- they did not have the logistical ability to support an army in an area the size of Russia. Partisan/army elements would absolutely pick apart a logistical train that long, which Germany couldn't have done any way. We have to remember Germany wasn't an actual mechanized army, it was entirely dependent on horses, and to try to use horses to haul ammunition/food/clothes/medical supplies/artillery shells/etc ~1500 kilometres from Germany to Moscow alone would be insane, especially with the millions of men and women the Soviet union had constantly attacking you.

The entire invasion was never going to work, and people give the idea it could have worked way too much credit. And this is all assuming no other nation would step in either; it's entirely on the 'nobody is in an alliance anymore' sort of fantasy world. This failed for the exact same reason that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has -- they planned for a short, easy war, because their entire ideology requires that they underestimate their foes at every available opportunity.

[–] Junkhead@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Also yes the eastern front was absolutely a hell death grinding machine for the soldiers of the red army its wayyyyy overblown how they just used soldiers as cannon fodder and with no sense of tactic. Probably a result of anti communist propaganda after the war

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The "meat grinder" narrative was intentionally pushed forward by the west, as they were only strategic allies with the USSR. In an ideal scenario (for the west), the USSR would have collapsed alongside Nazi Germany. As a result, the "orc horde" narrative was based in racism.

In reality, the Soviets and the Nazis hated each other far more than any other side (with the exception being the Chinese, Koreans, and other Asian countries against Imperial Japan), the fighting was far more brutal and on a much grander scale.

[–] Junkhead@slrpnk.net 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

exactly, alot of people dont know also that stalin approached the allies asking for help before ww2 and when they refused he pretended to make nice with hitler all the while preparing for war. The whole stalin was caught off guard by hitlers blitz is also a false narrative

[–] Live_your_lives@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

"In the first few days of the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Luftwaffe destroyed some 2,000 Soviet aircraft, most on the ground, at a loss of only 35 (of which 15 were non-combat-related)." Wiki. How did this happen if they weren't caught off guard?

[–] Junkhead@slrpnk.net 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

oh yes the soviets where completely suprised by the blitz but the reason they havent their pants down completely and fall like France. Soviets very much knew a war was coming they just didnt know when.

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