(3/12)Battlefield I The Battle for Russia Episode 10 (GDH)

[DouglasEdward84]

I'm almost positive at 0:42 it's Schoerner pointing at the map and not Paulus.

[ThugCologne]

Stalin did not place his strategic resources near to the border with Germany without reason, he also wanted to attack and ordered his Generals to work out plans for an invasion of Germany and therefore they would need resources near to Germany, Airfields, Roads and Fuel and Munition Depots were also build near the border... and why do you think could the Wehrmacht take Millions of prisioners in the first weeks, caus they all were stationed near to the border, preparing for attack...

[chernwei5784]

How did u manage to get past the copyright?? Please reply!

[CaseyLupepc323]

hiya ich hab was unanständiges entdeckt

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@clovenrick

it is best you read:

Wages of Destruction, The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy by Adam Tooze.

You need therapy

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@clovenrick

Another dumb silly Yank! They breed them.

Germany did not want to be an economic subset of the USA. The precedence of the US stealing land and eliminating people to their west, was all Hitler needed to do the same to his east to gain a similar type of country full of resources. Read Mein Kampft

[jakrocker3]

They needed to ally with russia until britain was invaded so the germans could reinforce their troops and would cause more countries worldwide to join the nazis such as turkey and brazil or mexico

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@jakrocker3

"They needed to ally with russia until britain was invaded "

How would Britain be invaded?

Not by towed concrete barges for sure.

They would be facing British heavy armor - if they managed to reach a beach of course.

Sealion was ruse pushing for peace

Hitler needed to knock out the USSR, gaining its resources to face the coming air war with the UK, and maybe the US. The US alone announced it was to build 50,000 planes per year. The UK managed 25,000 per ann.

read Adam Tooze

[az4u100]

@NearAbbeyRoad Indeed, and besides that the USSR also had plans to invade germany and europe when germany would be bussy fighting britain and the allies, the USSR was already preparing its warmachine for the invasion, germany didnt really had time to wait or even think about launching an invasion against britain, they first had to kick the USSR warmachine out before it was fully mobilized,secure russia's vast resources and after this they would of had a chance invading britain

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@az4u100

I have read no concrete proof that the USSR intended to invade Germany.

Germany was concerned about a coming massive air war not invading the UK.

[az4u100]

@NearAbbeyRoad ''From the beginning of 1941, measures were taken for increased combat readiness in the Western boundary districts, a large part of which was to be completed by July 1. The Soviet economy approached war footing and the country had prepared for troop mobilization since 1939.'

[az4u100]

@NearAbbeyRoad And actualy hitler did plan to invade the britain (Operation Sea Lion) In fact in November 1939 the German Naval staff produced a study (on the possibility of an invasion of Britain) and concluded that it required two preconditions, air and naval superiority, neither of which Germany ever had. after the decisive british victory in the 'Battle of Britain' germany abandoned the plan for an invasion of britain.

[gettincrazywithit]

@NearAbbeyRoad Yeah they just magically beat the most powerful army in the world because they were caught "off guard." Of course they were going to attack Germany, otherwise they would have been defeated in late 41'...

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@gettincrazywithit

No proof whatsoever that the USSR was to attack Germany. Stalin wanted the west powers to grind each other down - and watch it happen.

[Bazrak1]

@NearAbbeyRoad Agree ! Russia was more like ... watch the big game happening till it ends and maybe fucking up a weekenend Germany or the weekenend winner of the War .... till it got attacked by Hitler ( cuz Hitler was a fucktard dumbass at military tactics )

But it is for sure that Russia was willing to rule at least Europe , as they declared. To bring socialist revolution ... well but we will never know for sure today what wouldhave happened if or if not

[KapitKyk]

1 deslike. Hitler please log in.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

"the USSR, in 1942 managed to outproduce Germany in every category of weapons. The margin for small arms and artillery was 3:1. For tanks it was a staggering 4:1, a difference compounded by the vastly superior quality if the T34 tank. Even in combat aircraft it was 2:1"

- Wages of Destruction

[NearAbbeyRoad]

To avoid misunderstandings, this was emphatically a story of Soviet success not German failure.

the USSR in 1942, which produced twice as many infantry weapons, as many artillery pieces and almost as many combat aircraft and tanks as the USA

- Wages of Destruction

[NearAbbeyRoad]

1. The German mentality was one of being a world economic player alongside the UK and USA.

2. The precedence of the USA's rapid rise to a world economic power, based on land acquisition by force from indigenous people and the Mexicans, and largely eliminating the indigenous populations convinced the Germans they could do the same to their east.

It is quite simple.

[hailholyghost]

@gnarbotz The Italians invaded Greece from Albania, but were losing and so called on their German allies for help. The Yugoslavian gov't gave the Germans permission to enter, but they were overthrown (with British help) and the new gov't didn't let the Germans in, that's why the Wehrmacht invaded.

[germany2010ful]

hitler was not enough smart to fight with ussr

[specops24th]

See...Too many chiefs...The Germans was trickin' like crazy. Infantry Commanders/Generals running panzers operations? HUH! Panzer Commanders NOT able to do what they do best. They was messing up ALL AROUND the board. You know the Army Generals meddle with the SS units too, calling them to fight the most brutal fights, all because Hitler didn't want to anger the Generals,so the SS fought under the command, but, separate. But,when did infantry conduct armor operations? Another reason why they LOSE

[OutlawedSpank]

i love hitlers plan, even though it failed horribly, its still a very awesome plan

[chtovimenitebemojem]

it was USSR not Russia/ Russia is Russia. it just like England and Britain. spell country name correct please

[geneius324]

in the game arsenal of democracy; i always use op. otto battle plan, and always get to Moscow within 50 days of the campaign,

[tjhoenecke]

Stalin was a poor politician, but he knew enough to listen to his generals; Hitler was a political genius, but did not listen to his generals. The original Army plan was a sound one, but in fact so was Hitler's proposal! The mistake was switching horses in midstream once he saw how close Moscow was getting. But Guderian's plan may well have been the best of all. Still, it is amazing how doomed this invasion was -- and how close it could have come to working as well!

[nycterrana]

Thank God Hitler did not listen to his generals.

[cwilliams3567]

I think the eventual downfall in Russia was due to the initial success's that the German Army achieved. They had swept through MASSIVE territory. The logistics of keeping them supplied was a nightmare. They overran their own supply lines, had problems with food, fuel ammunition and coordination. Not too mention the amount of resources spent on the final solution and the "Actions". The men and material needed to murder the Jews and civilians should of been used to fight the war. It wasn't.

[toffanful]

cthulu54...You are absolutely right. Germany needed a psychological, social, military and political collapse ofver the Soviets. This was never going to happen. Russians are extremely patriotic and have been empire builders since the 12th century. hitler was doomed right from the start. His pseudo scientific bias against Slavs condemned him from the outset. Racism defeated Hitler!

[Cthulu54]

I think the Germans were simply outfought and beaten in the field by the Red Army. The Soviets carried the war against the Germans until 1944 with only a handful of Wermacht divisions tied down in the west. The Russians cowed the Germans in spite of the horrendous defeats and losses of men and materials in 1941.

[punkjock26]

@feichen1997 i agree that hitler would have had the resources but you miss the most important resource; MEN! Hitler woudl have lost millions more beating the red army and the occupation force would require more. that would not leave him with the man power to continue the war and he would have seeked peace even if that ment he gave up france and the low counties.In Mein kempf he stated that greater germany was centered in russia and he would have completed his goal. Thus peace would make sense.

[punkjock26]

While no one wants to admit this had Hitler not stalin won WWII there would be about 1 billion more people on earth. the british empire would not have collapsed and the communist revolutions in china and southeast asia never would have taken place. Many people talk about the 6 million jews that died in the holicost but what about the 6 million buddist in tibet that died because the russians won and the rise of communist china.

[feichen1997]

@punkjock26 If Hitler won, then there would be more people? The Communist rebellion in China was already happening before WWII was even official. Given the resources that Hitler might of gained, he could of produced his airforce and tanks far more easily, and Germany would be given the capabilities to take care of Britain and even USA with those kinds of resources.

[carrotsRgood4you]

wow... didn't realize hitler was such a fanatical idiot. one wonders why he had a generals staff since he only kept disagreeing with them and change their plans... it's unfortunate russia took on most of the brunt (as far as deaths in ww2 are concerned) and having to live in dictatorship AFTER the war... damn ...

[god4488]

Hitler had to much BAD influence on the Plans to defeat Russia... so in the end the soldiers died.. sensless.

[pizzaman147]

i agree with every ones opinion if hitler would have let manstien run the operation instead of changing the whole plan then russia would have eventually collapse but stalin was smarter he move all factories to the east of the urals but as in agreement they should have waited and mot invade yuogslavia the germans would have had a better plan at taking the cacusas

[P1B1U1H1]

@pizzaman147 The military failings of the other side deserve comment as well. Consider the westward Red army movement: the Maginot line failed because Germany circumabulated, something not possible with the Stalin line; had the Russians stayed put, they might have held off the monsters long enough to have winter really crush them sans millions of dead civilians & soldiers.

[randy95023]

The "good guys" won the war at great cost. All the admirers of the Nazis conveniently forget that the leader of Germany was an uneducated, Methamphetamine addicted, Austrian Corporal. All the talk of Hitler's "genius" are simply not true. He was a VERY gifted speaker that stirred people's emotions, but he knew less about war fighting than a C+ student who graduated any major military academy. I don't believe Hitler even had the intelligence to even be admitted to West Point or VMI...

[kristianleader]

russia 4 ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[southerndandy89]

To truly defeat the Soviet's, you have take the people's spirit to fight away. Like in WW1, Russia is to vast, but if the people's will to fight is taken away then a victory is actually quite practical. Hitler enters the Soviet Union as a liberator from Stalin, im sure large parts of the population would of turned on Stalin. A Blitzkreig campign, coupled with toning down the massacer of the population, even some sort of Jap threat to attack, a German victory becomes realistic

[Artas1984]

Stalin applauses himself...

'everybody must applause to me now or be purged'.

[mikeduplantier]

Can any historian help name the army high command around Hitler shown beginning at 3:31? Thanks.

[HoustonGD]

@mikeduplantier Keitel is the officer pointing the most. Jodl is the other bald headed officer and the younger officer is Warlimont

[mikeduplantier]

@HoustonGD Thanks a lot.

[Devsfan202]

@HoustonGD Who is the white bearded guy next t Stalin at 9:22? See him in alot of the scenes w Stalin..

[gettincrazywithit]

@HoustonGD @ 0:42 is that Paulus pointing at the map table?

[ABhaim]

@HoustonGD

not meaning to doubt you but i think i recognized Paulus (please correct me if i'm wrong)

[gettincrazywithit]

@ABhaim Do you know if thats Paulus at 0:42 pointing at the map table?

[marsaxod]

@mikeduplantier

watch?v=9ach-DjYmpQ

[RENEBACON]

1:15 Wenceslas square, Praha

[txm7721]

Thankfully the army did as Hitler demanded.

Thank God for that winter in Russia.

All great comments here :)

[oldgringo2001]

There have been a hell of a lot of "if onlys" proposed for Hitler winning the war, but any that don't involve Hitler dying before he made a hopeless mess of things fail. He may have started the war itself simply because he wanted to live long enough to see victory.

[randy95023]

@oldgringo2001- You are absolutely right. Any "alternate" histories I've ever read had to eliminate Hitler from the picture for the Germans to Win WW2. Most alternate histories simply use a plane crash to eliminate Hitler so they don't have to devise any far-flung "Plots" to assassinate the (at the time) very popular dictator. Hitler's meddling pretty much eliminates any hope of a German victory against the combined might, and long odds they already faced. -Peace-

[mrceebees14]

D-Day would have never happened if the Nazis had defeated the Soviets.

Because there would have been no Allied England to launch from. Hitler most likely would have bombed them into the stone age and then make a land invasion.

It would have been horrendous.

[kinggambitabc]

Hitler was a genius

[rangerbobcat]

@kinggambitabc Field Marshal William Slim said that the only way to judge a general was if he brought victory to his army. Likewise a ruler has to be judged on how they leave their country at their death, or upon leaving office. Under this standard Hilter, who left Germany in flames and occupied by four foreign armies must be judged a failure.

[kinggambitabc]

Hitler lost war against russia mainly because an un predictable "army" : the aweful 1941 winter during what he lost his best batallions, so many tanks and vehicles. German HUGE initiative was lost during that same winter, and russian huge productivity (weapons) and endless amount of men ressources made capitualte the germans

[mrceebees14]

You are being sarcastic, because by what I am seeing Hitler should have shut the hell up and gone with Operation Otto. With that operation Germany would take smaller steps so it didn't over extend itself and could resupply.

What Hitler did was take a 50-50 gamble and make it 70-30 in favor of the Soviets. He was WAY too aggressive and careless in thinking he could take that much land in that little time.

His generals must have had to bite their tongues watching this clown do this.

[LosDiomos]

No, he got some instinct for politics but in art of war he was dumb. He had great generals, and later, he didn't listen to them, an he lost.

[randy109]

The ridiculously poor showing of France against Germany and the equally poor showing of the Soviet army against tiny Finland more than encouraged Hitler to believe that he could rule ALL of Europe with his "amazing" Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. Hitler was guilty of believing his own propaganda to believe that somehow he could defeat the combined forces, and industrial might, of USA, Soviet Union and Britain. The Allies had HUGE advantages in natural resources, manpower and Industrial potential.

[randy109]

continued- Hitler was guilty of what many great sport teams have been guilty of; Underestimating His Opponents! With 60+ years to dissect and digest WW2 we can now look back and see how outrageous it was for Germany, with its small population and lack of resorces to take on the combined forces of the USA, Soviet Union and British Empires. On paper, and in sheer weight of numbers, the Germans never stood a chance, no matter how much qualitative superiority they held...

[Marzaq87]

you cannot count in United states until 1942 11dec.

and he almost won agains russia and great britain so i guess your paper is wrong

[kinggambitabc]

Hitler planned on a short campain against Russia, he knew that germany coudn't handle a long term campain on 2 fronts (western and eastern). He invaded Russia too late (june 41) and didn't have time to conqueer moscow when this aweful winter came in.

[kinggambitabc]

Ur wrong in the way that Hitler's strategy (as said Churchill) was to fight one country after one other. That's why he planned on a quick campain vs Russia (3 months) to avoid the opening of western front at the same time. But as we know, unfortunately for the 3rd Reich, the whermacht started to invade russia too late because of Mussolini's military difficulties in the Balkans. Then this aweful winter came in when german troops were about to capture Moscow.

[kinggambitabc]

Thus Italia saved moscow and saved europe from a millenium nazi's domination.

Hitler was a genius (on evil side) who chose a very bad partner : Italy

[swedo88]

invading russia was a bad move. hitler should have kept all his consentrations on brittain as he had alrade started the preparations for an invasion, fighting on several fronts is bad and germany should have known this after they got defeated in WW 1

[neozallstars21]

Only if hitler and the reich doesn't invade the U.S.S.R., they would've won or have a chance to conquer europe and other continents,sori to say this truly but,hitler and his staff had shown his stupidity.

-_They are the only people who believed that there are no strength in numbers.

This is the most highly detailed documentary about world war 2 so far.I very very very liked it.!

5 stars!.

[barkerov]

They would have run out of Oil and stuff if they didnt invade so its not surprising they did. It was the way the war against Russia was conducted that lost it for them.

[v6v10]

Stalin lost in the end and the Soviet Union and communism do not exist anymore.

[lakas50]

hitler changed the objectives of the campaign two times and when he realised that the man power of the soviet union is too much for the wermacht he tried to capture vital fuel areas for an economic war against this huge army.operation barbarossa had the objective to capture the caucasus oilfields the resistance was too strong and the winter came earlier than expected.the final objective of operation barbarossa was the volga river from the north to astrakhan but that didn't happened until 1942

[wachaufeuropa]

Hitler lost but Im happy the way the war turned out : WESTERN EUROPE IS STILL THERE : FREE AND NOT COMMUNIST !

[RockinRowdyRebell]

Hitler and his Generals missed a great opportunity- to take the vital industrial oil of Baku in 1941 ! Without this the Russian war machine would have been useless. In 1942 Hitler renewed this strategy, but in fact at this point it was nearly too late....

[RockinRowdyRebell]

He wasn't able to debate and discuss with his general stuff properly so finally he had to concede and allow the further advance on Moscow. A fatal error!

So Leningrad wasn't taken, the gain in the south wasn't exploited -> all the power was concentrated on Moscow. But at this time mud and snow prevented a fast advance, the soviets had build strong defences and all their elite troops were concentrated there.

[RockinRowdyRebell]

That was due to the fact that the Red Armys High Command believed in Hitlers bluff and wasn't prepared that an attack would follow in the south instead of a direct attack on Moscow. After the war even Zhukov stated that Hitlers strategy to attack where the Red Army was unprepared was completely right. But soon after the victory at Kiev Hitler became ill.

[RockinRowdyRebell]

After that forces would be relocated to the "wings" of the German assault to strengthen the attacks at the North and at the South. Hitler was completely right when he shifted some of his forces in August to the south which led to the victory in Kiev. After this battle it would have worked to reach the Baku oilfields and Stalingrad in the fall of 1941 because there was a 400 km gap in the soviet lines.

[RockinRowdyRebell]

Hitler had other plans than his generals. His original plan in 1941 the "Urplan Barbarossa" was that the Heeresgruppe Mitte's (Army group center's) advance on Moscow should be used as a diversion to cover the main objectives.

Most important for Hitler were Leningrad (Army group north), the Ukrainian resources and the Caucasian oil (Army Group South). Therefore after Army Group Center would have reached Smolensk his plan was that the advance on the capital should be stopped.

[randy109]

Using hindsight we all have our theories on how "Hitler could defeat the Soviet Union". Looking at it with 1940 perspective you have to remember that Germany (with Austria-Hungary) had crushed the Russians just 23 years earlier. Also, just 22 years earlier Germany had been unable to defeat France. Now in 1940 Germany crushed France in a few weeks, so it would seem that crushing the Soviet Union (and it's "purged" Army) would be easily accomplished in a couple of months. Well, guess again...

[Erhabenheiten]

Why didn't Hitler use 41' to defeat Britain (and focus on defeating Britain's airforce during the Eagle offensive, and not switch to terror bombing). And then attack Russia in 42'? Would of worked out better.

[Requiredghr18]

well in 1940 they should of kept bombing british air instead of terror bombing

[DrStrangebomb1993]

@Requiredghr18 That is true. The RAF was almost beaten when Göring decided to bomb the cities rather than the military installations. For a few weeks, RAF had the time to rebuild its formations and repel the final German attack.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@DrStrangebomb1993 says

"The RAF was almost beaten when Göring decided to bomb the cities rather than the military installations."

Such fantasy.

[DrStrangebomb1993]

@NearAbbeyRoad I suppose the history pamphlet "Världens Historia" is fantasy too, because obviously a YouTube user named NearAbbeyRoad is the supreme overlord of the universe and knows such things.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@DrStrangebomb1993

It is best you do some reading by established authors. Don't go on pamphlets.

[MarineInfantry00]

if germany didnt invade yogoslavia blah blah blah, he coulda wated till next yr. Russia still wouldnt have done shit, and he coulda whiped britan out of the war permitaly.

[Clausewitzz]

It was mostly becaus Hitler kinda lost his mind arround 1941 to keep it simple.

I mean if he went on a long vacation in 1941 and left his generals with the operation i allready give Germany allot more chance of succes.

But his generals became more and more limitted in their actions cause things didnt go as Hitler wanted it in Russia, dispite that he had some of the best generals in the world.

[Requiredghr18]

Russia would be industrialy too strong by 1942 (According to his advisors)

[hailholyghost]

why do these "neo-historians" discredit it?

There a lot of things that the Germans could have done differently

1) focus on UK and not sign the Tripartite Pact with Japan the U.S. would never have fought Germany.

2) Japan could have focused on the USSR at the same time as Germany, along with Finland/Romania/Bulgaria/Italy­/Finland in Europe, along with the extra troops saved from NOT invading Yugoslavia

with Manstein at the helm, I think they could have won situation 2

[HoustonGD]

well your starting to stray into diplomacy. I really don't think Japan really wanted to invade USSR. More assets in the Pacific. They to embroilled in China

[Requiredghr18]

besides There is nothing to gain for japan if he invaded russia, siberia had minimal useful resources that japan needed.

[suspicious35]

@hailholyghost Also not invading Norway would have helped. Plus the Luftwaffe should worked with the U-boats in supply interdiction of Britain not on RAF suppression or the Blitz. Germany's main problem in Russia during 1941 was that their logistics just couldn't come up with the bullets and gas their armies needed. There just couldn't haul it all.

[hailholyghost]

I keep wondering how the Germans could have won that. I've heard that if they hadn't invaded Yugoslavia they would have had 5 extra weeks to invade the USSR and a bunch of extra material to do it with

[HoustonGD]

That's one factor that many Neo-historians now discredit. However. I'm not one of them. Like with many campaigns in war, leaders and nations suffer victory desease. Hitler did not keep to a game plan. If a general like Manstein had been at the helm, the USSR would have probably collasped.

[dmacid]

@hailholyghost By not attacking USSR until Britain fell. USSR's army was large but sluggish. It had no capabilities of being a factor in the war for years to come. However, its sheer numbers and resources allowed it to take huge losses and keep on coming at Germans. This made the German army exhaust its men, tanks, planes and supplies. And by the end of 1943 there was no way for Germany to win the war. If Hitler would've waited another year and focused on Britain in that time he couldve won.

[hailholyghost]

@dmacid

In all honesty, Hitler should never have invaded Poland :)

But if he had to invade Poland, he should have waited until his Navy and Luftwaffe were ready to take on the RAF and Royal Navy. That way he could have starved the UK into submission just like the Brits did to them in WWI.

Germany could have won in 1941, but they invaded too late in the year, left their armies too spread out, and failed to prepare for the winter. After Kursk in July '43 the Germans had no chance, I agree.

[dmacid]

@hailholyghost It was a fundamental mistake made by Hitler. He believed that Russian army was in no shape to fight a war. In some ways he was right but the sheer numbers and resources that USSR had in its disposal allowed it to fight a long, grinding war. German army's success depended on quick, decisive victories. And there simply was no way for Germans to do anything other but fight a long, grinding war in Russia due to terrain, weather and the numerically superior enemy.

[P1B1U1H1]

@hailholyghost The Germans could never have taken the whole country because of their inferior logistics. Had they concentrated on reaching the Black Sea, they most likely could have acquired the materials they needed.

[hailholyghost]

@P1B1U1H1 They should have focused on Moscow. Chopping off the snake's head at the source, kill their nerve center, and THEN focus on the Black Sea. Also recruit the non-Russian Soviets into their ranks, e.g. Ukrainians, Lithuanians, etc. instead of alienating them. Stalingrad would never have happened.

They should have smashed the British army in May 1940 but let them go instead. El Alamein would never have happened. Hopefully UK would've ended the war without the Battle of Britain.

[NearAbbeyRoad]

@hailholyghost says

"They should have smashed the British army in May 1940 but let them go instead"

Only 1/3 of the British Army was in France. In Dec 1940 the UK was poised to take all the southern Med coast.

[fulansujin]

Thanks ^_^

[MuzeecX]

wow the otto plan sounds so much better.

[101Dobermanns]

Another great upload GD. Excellent video resolution and sound.