1. MH-14: Germany Arrested

2. WWII: Germany Arrested: Strategic Overview
Germans restored tactical mobility with Blitzkrieg
Poland, Norway, France ( )
German tactical improvements impressive:
Applied WWI Lessons Learned effectively
1918 Weapons technology & tactics refinements
Made & adapted
Developed effective doctrine for mobile warfare:
Integrated: Infantry, artillery, aircraft, & tanks
Effective combined arms tactics
Innovative tactics & clear common doctrine to all:
Speed, exploitation, decentralized C2;
Aggressive independent leadership from the front;
Initiative with full knowledge of commander’s intent

3. The Problem Downside was also evident
(But apparently not to Hitler)
Crossbred & mismatched military organization:
80% of German Army built on WWI equipment
Horse drawn guns, supplies, & baggage
Serious potential supply & logistics problems
German poor logistics systems remained weak link
Striking victories hid ever looming logistics problems
Instead of correcting this problem, what did Germany do?

4. Limits of German Expansion
Germany tested the limits of its expansion:
Flush w/victory over France, it appeared unbeatable
Everything now seemed possible for the 3rd Reich:
From strictly tactical & operational perspective =>
Hitler may have had some bragging rights =>
But his hubris was setting him up for a fall- why?
From Political & strategic perspective =>
Trouble was just over the horizon
Initial signs should have alerted Hitler & his generals:
(Dunkirk evacuation & Churchill’s firm resolve)
Conclusion to be drawn: ?______ ______ war likely ahead =>
and… Germany had better get ready for it - soon

5. Hitler’s Slow Reaction
Germany should have recognized the signs & their implications:
Should have concluded: time was essential=>
Need to start preparations now:
Exploit industrial resources of West/Central Europe
Address its glaring industrial & logistic shortfalls
Consolidate Germany’s position in Europe
Unfortunately for Germany => Hitler slow to react:
After Battle of Britain failed (w/high costs): =>
(Pilots, 1200 A/C, & expended limited industrial assets)
What did Hitler do instead?

6. ?_____ Front War- again!
Hitler turned German Army East to start a new front!
Operation Barbarossa:
Strategic blunder of the first order - (why?)
(Remember WW1?)
Compounded this mistake by wasted men & material =>
Propping up ?_____________and his 3rd rate army:
Italian troops were poorly trained & led worse!
Tend to retreat or surrender after sharp engagement
The only worst mistake that could be made... he made!
What major strategic blunder was even worse than launching Operation ?________________?
He declared war on the ?_____ ______following Pearl Harbor

7. Early Success vs. Long Term Weakness
NTL: German tactics & Operational Art proved superior early on:
But Germany was weak in key areas where it counted –
Particularly unprepared for a prolonged war – why?
German strategy and logistics - seriously flawed
In contrast theses areas were a key US strength vs.
Significant weakness for German Army
Several of Hitler’s & his army’s miscalculations about enemy’s resolve were demonstrated in:
Battle of Britain:
“The Blitz,” Churchill, and the “ Never so few…”

8. Battle of Britain- lead up
Churchill’s role:
Transform Britain from… ?
To Churchill’s determined & inspiring warrior spirit
Royal Navy’s role:
Command of the ?___________
British resolve
Demonstrated by destruction of French Fleet under Vichy control
Chamberlain’s ?__________

9. Hitler’s response Hitler’s response to British resolve:
2 related but separate plans:
Luftwaffe’s Air Offensive to be followed by Sea Lion
Assessment Germany’s invasion plan?
?_____________________________________________

10. Initial Target Priorities
Luftwaffe ‘s initial target priorities:
1. Establish Air ?________________
2. Attack Ground support & Britain’s ?_________ industry
3. Attack RAF in general
4. Conduct ?___________ bombing (cities), and...
5. Protect Sea Lion ?___________ landings
Goering was convinced Luftwaffe could do it all without need of other service
German Navy thus expected no realistic air support from the Luftwaffe
Worse: treated Channel crossing like a simple river crossing- only a little bigger

11. German Order of Battle
Luftflotte 2nd & 3rd deploy to Calais in northern France
FM Kesselring commands 2600 A/C
Soon assigned more
Comprised main portion of German air striking force
Luftflotte 5 to Norway
(300 A/C)
Long range constrains strikes & makes them vulnerable to Fighters due to tactical shortfalls

12. Tactical Shortfalls
Key tactical weakness of German Operational strategy:
BF109 – very limited range
BF110 - inferior to British Spitfire
As a result any Luftwaffe missions conducted beyond London had be conducted at night – why?
In order to avoid being intercepted by superior ?___________

13. British Air Defense system
Status of British Air Defense system?
Effective tactical execution of Brit Air Defense
Key role played by Air Marshall ?___________
Designed, programmed, developed and trained all components of the system
All hardware & human components integrated effectively into full system
In contrast to his German counterpart- Goering
(noted more for unsupported assertions & bluster)

14. Operational Strategy & Tactics
German Operational Objective
During Luftwaffe strikes July – Aug 1940
Objective: RAF industrial Base
Operational strategy & tactics:
Strike RAF Fighter Command & protect Luftwaffe’s bombers
When raids attract fighters => BF109s were to attack them
German Campaign operational priorities:
1. Fighter command aircraft & bases
2. Bomber command
3. Imported (US) logistics stockpiles
4. British population centers (cities)

15. “Aldlertag” & The Blitz
On “Eagle Day” Germans attack British Radar sites:
Heavy losses both sides (148 Brits vs. 286 for Germans)
Decide (erroneously) not worth it
Germans shift to strategic bombing (London & other cities)
Impact?
Desired effect on British population?
?___________________________
RAF aggressively attacks
Poor German ?____________ contributes to failure
Contributing to successful British outcome:
German Intel failure (British Air Defense Ops)
Gross underestimates of RAF fighters’ capabilities in Northern region
Goering’s poor leadership & tactical errors
British Defense System: effective & flexible
Churchill’s & Dowding’s leadership & British resolve

16. Strategic Bombing Lessons Learned
Impact on Hitler’s Strategic objectives?
Target priorities: all fall short & in the end failure
Germany lacked adequate A/C strength, capability (range) & capacity
Day light strikes: could not protect bombers from Spitfires
What were the major Lessons Learned of “Blitz”?
Blitz (strategic bombing) Lessons Learned:
Modern economies very ?___________
Modern economies absorb great punishment & don’t give up
Strategic bombing is ?___________
Accuracy & sustained operations extremely difficult
Costly: A/C. crews, industrial resources

17. War in the Med (1941-42) British Strategic Motivation:
Protect Suez & Gibraltar=> key to India & Far East
Mussolini’s role: (Mare Nostra)
Reclaim past glory of Roman Empire
Force Brits to go around Cape of Good Hope
Instills incentive for Brits to re-open Med (Suez canal access)
Mussolini concerned Hitler may have strategic aims in Med
(Hitler in reality is focused where?)
To the ?___________________!
Italian Army’s role: wrt planning, preparation, leadership
Virtually non existent=> incompetent leadership
Untrained & undisciplined army
Only effective against unarmed 3rd class (mostly defenseless) enemy
Italian Navy versus British Navy
Italian Navy aware of its limitations=> avoids Royal Navy

18. Mediterranean Theater of Operations

19. Hitler’s Actions & Mussolini’s Reaction
Hitler’s action to protect Germany’s access to Oil:
Sends “advisors” to Romania to stabilize situation
Reality: panzer division, motorized inf. Div, etc.
Mussolini response to Germany’s deployment:
Nov 1940: launched Offensive into Greece
(Overconfident but insecure opportunist & a bully)
Italian’s Army & Air Force performance?
?_______________________________
No preparation or logistic support & poor cmdrs & leadership

20. Italy vs. Britain in North Africa
Result: Italy’s invasion upset balance of power in Balkans:
Worse for Axis: it opened the door for British & Soviet attacks
Therefore presented obvious potential Brit threat to Romanian Oil=> impact
Delay – Hitler forced to protect southern flank first
What soon ensues for Italy & its incompetent Army?
Series of ?_______ ________befall Italian Army & Navy
Taranto: British CV Torpedo A/C attack Italian Fleet
Italian battleship fleet lost half its strength in one night
Sidi dl Barrani:
Gen Wavell’s 7th Amour routed Italian defenders & sent them fleeing West

21. Germany to the Rescue Germany to the rescue:
Hitler then sends in “1st string” under command of whom?
Hitler’s motivation & strategic aim?
1. Motive: Stabilize situation & restore status quo
2. Prevent ?______’s collapse & secure ?____________ flank
3. Protect German South Flank during ?____________

22. Afrika Corps & the “Desert Fox”
Rommel: considered by many to be best armored general of war
(Patton might disagree)
Rommel’s philosophy of war:
Operational & tactical offense
Flexibility & initiative
And… he doesn’t always follow orders
Many times to his benefit (Ultra* intercepts)
Soon chased Brits out of Libya =>
Back to their starting point

23. Enigma & Ultra British captured U-Boat & its onboard Enigma
Enigma was used to encrypt message traffic from & to higher headquarters
Impact: Brits were able to read enemy’s plans
Bletchley Park’s & the puzzle solvers:
Advantage afforded to Allies by decrypted operational directives
Decrypted product (SIGNINT) was called: Ultra

24. Germany in the Balkans Serb officers overthrew Yugoslav gov’t:
Hitler ordered a punitive Operation Punish
Germany’s Balkan Campaign:
2 separate operations: Yugoslavia & Greece:
1st Luftwaffe bombed Belgrade & 17K die:
Yugoslavia failed to mobilize
Attempted to defend everything= > nothing
Collapsed in five days
OKH quickly re-deployed for Barbarossa- impact?
Tito’s guerillas continued to fight as ?____________
A similar situation then ensued in Greece:
XXXX Panzer Corps outflanked Greeks & Allies
Key support provided by Luftwaffe
Greek Army collapsed & Allies retreated to South:
Brits withdrew by sea under heavy fire from Luftwaffe
Germany soon occupied Athens & other cities
Greek resistance then commenced guerilla warfare

25. Fall of Crete Crete offered a key strategic position in the Med (Map):
RAF posed a threat to Balkans & Romanian oil for the Germans
Germany finally realized strategic significance of Crete
Decided to act to preclude Brit potential threat to its oil
Plan’s Concept of Operations:
German Airborne Assault:
Gen Student’s 7th ABN division
7th ABN was tasked to take key operational objectives & hold (Map):
Then await relief by 5th Mountain Division deployed by air & sea:
Transported by JU-52 to secured airhead
Any problem with plan?

26. Friction Obstacles complicating German attack: British problems:
Bad intelligence on allied situation in Crete
Brit intercept & Ultra’s decryption of Enigma forewarns British
Royal Navy able to lay in wait for German transports
Hostile local population
But Friction is an equal opportunity phenomenon…
British problems:
Commander’s focus on attack from the sea:
(few defenders concentrated at airfields)
Defenders on Crete recently retreated from Balkans
Defeated British, Australian, & New Zealand troops (morale)
Luftwaffe controls air in the MED & is ready to attack Royal Navy

27. Battle of Crete - Execution
Murphy’s law runs amuck on both sides
7th Airborne Div. Commander’s glider toll rope snaps
German paratroops land directly on enemy positions & taken under fire
No C3 between ABN troops at Meleme & their support in Greece
Reinforcements await word in Greece
(Student’s HQ)
Time lost by Allies during fragile early phase of airborne assault:
Timely counter-attack would have precluded German foothold
Allies do manage to evade & escape
Results: very high casualties
(Critical moments- Map legend):
German Operational victory at very high costs
Hitler now down on risky airborne ops
But Allies very impressed (Normandy)

28. German Successes: Libya & Egypt (1941-42)
Rommel’s mission was accomplished:
Libya situation restored as directed
Balkan’s now also stabilized & Crete captured:
Royal Navy driven out of Med by Luftwaffe
Long-term Downside:
Greek & Yugoslavian resistance continue to war’s end
Germans unable to exploit their success in Med
Italian liability:
Hitler determined to keep Italy in war- Why?
Protect Germany’s ?____________ flank

29. Rommel Continues to Prevail
Rommel is left to fend for himself:
Long, tenuous & vulnerable LOCs across Med
Fought & won against larger British numbers
RAF provides superior combat air support
Ultra alerts allies of tactical ops & re-supply efforts:
(but Rommel often ignored orders=> and confused the Brits)
Rommel able to take prevail over superior numbers
Rommel defeats a series of British Cmdrs pitted against him
British are forced to retreat back to Egypt:
Defeats Gen Wavell who is too cautious & inflexible
Outflanks Brits attempt to relieve Tobruk in Operation Battleaxe
Wavell essentially defeated and lose 91tanks to Rommel’s 12)
FM Auchinleck appointed to replace Wavell
Auchinleck builds up his supply & equipment
While Germans unable to get much thru to Rommel

30. Operation Crusader (11 Nov’41)
Auchinleck attempted to flank Rommel
But he splits his force & begins his execution too slow
XXX Corps is isolated by Rommel’s anti-tank guns:
Auchinleck also commits his armor in piecemeal fashion
This allows Rommel to defeat XXX Corps in detail
NTL Brit superior #s & Rommel’s lack of supplies=>
Tip balance & force Rommel’s retreat to El Agheila Line

31. Recurring Theme- Dynamics of LOCs
As Rommel falls back on LOC - what happens?
Afrika Corps strength versus British strength
Jan’42: Rommel attacks the 1st Armored Div (just arrived )
Employed superior tactics (leapfrog) w/Panzers & anti-tank 88s
Destroyed 3 green British cavalry Regiments in detail;
Pushed Brits back to Gazala Line & Rommel occupies Benghazi

32. British Retreat to El Alamein
By Spring’42: Churchill was very unhappy =>
Pushes his commanders for counter-attack:
Ultra intelligence indicated huge Brit numerical lead
(What doesn’t Ultra tell Churchill on the match-up?)
Gazala Line, 8th Army, & Rommel’s readiness to ?________ ____:
26 May’42: Despite inferior OB, Rommel attacks British left flank
Led attack off by a diversion to Brit center - what happened?
Brits retreat 30 miles East of ?_____ Line & soon surrender Tobruk
Rommel continues to press & forces Brits back to El Alamein (Brits will hold)

33. Superior Tactic & Leadership Defeats Numbers
Rommel wins despite superior Brit numbers & new tanks
Major reasons why Brits lose?
Lack of aggressive ?____________________
(Auchinleck tentative & too cautious)
No Common Doctrine among disparate allied forces
Inferior Tactics & execution
Rommel forced Brits to retreat back to Egypt:
But his attempt to drive Auchinleck out of Egypt failed
Brits established Defense line at El Alamein & held it
Churchill concluded it was time for a change again:
He would replace FM Auchinleck with yet another commander
Next time => an inspired choice takes command of 8th Army
Meanwhile => Eastern Front heats up…

34. Operation Barbarossa Hitler’s Strategic & ideological aims:
As laid out in Mein Kampf
Conquer & enslave Soviet Union –reasons why?
Raw materials & perceived need for ?____________
Destroy “hated” Bolsheviks & Jews
Enslave “inferior” Slavs
Role of German SS?
?____________ Hitler’s ideological campaign in wake of German Army
What was Hitler’s strategy & the German plan?
Short campaign w/attack focused near ?____________
(Germany’s logistics & re-supply considerations)
Why? (Prevent Russia from trading what for what?)
?____________ for ?____________! (Hint: look at a map of Russia)

35. Conflicting Operational Objectives
Germans pursued conflicting Operational objectives:
OKH: take Moscow
OKW: secure flanks- (clear Baltic& occupy Ukraine)
Who else favored what operational objective? – and as a result…
Operational Plan- OKH avoided clearly defined objectives
Army Group North (von Leeb)=> aims to clear Baltic states
Army Group Center (von Bock)=> moves to Smolensk
Army Group South (Rundstedt)=> heads to Kiev - then Dnieper
11th Army => sent to secure Romania & Germany’s oil needs
Leningrad, Ukraine, & Moscow were all potential objects
Problem w/ no clearly defined operational objectives?
No clear ?____________ – opened to conflicting appraisals:
Each cmdr could follow his own preference (…and they did)

36. German Army Weaknesses
Generally, German Army well trained, tested & led
NTL => it did have certain serious weaknesses
What were the Army’s major weaknesses?*
German Army in Russia major weaknesses included:
Equipment ?____________
Logistic & supply ?____________
Russia’s vast geographic distances=>
Stretched out German Army’s LOCs
Faulty intelligence =>especially on enemy capabilities
Usually grossly underestimated enemy capabilities & intent

37. Soviet Army Weaknesses
Too many ineffectual leaders & officer corps
Stalin’s purges eliminated most competent officers
Soviet Army unprepared & out of date
No defense preparations made in defense against a potential invasion
(and all preparations were forbidden by Stalin)
Soviets even continued to provide Germany with raw materials on the very day of invasion

38. Operation Barbarossa- Execution
22 June 1941: Germans launch offensive on broad front:
Russian forces surprised, overwhelmed & routed
Resistant pockets surrounded & bypassed (as per tactical doctrine)
Germans press on toward Operational objectives:
Army Group North (von Leeb) clear Baltic states
Army Group Center (von Bock) move to Smolensk
Army Group South (Rundstedt)=> Kiev - then Dnieper
11th Army => to secure Romania & Germany’s oil needs
All would gain initial tactical & operational objectives

39. Problems Emerge But as German advance proceeds, problems emerge:
1. Logistics strained as LOCs stretched as advance moved fwd
2. Group Cmdrs become unclear of next priority =>
Advance IAW their own tactical considerations
3. Russians refuse to surrender & instead trade space for time
4. Then Germans overextend LOCs & reveal stress of logistics shortfalls+
5. Intel underestimates of Soviet OOB=>
(USSR still has 5.3 Million man strategic reserve)
Soviets make fierce (but disjointed) counterattacks
Force Germans to halt advance– casualties mount
Equipment & all ammo/supplies consumed daily

40. Stalin Interferes
Stalin interferes at tactical level– no failure (or initiative):
NKVD shoots slackers (no good deed goes unpunished);
All requests for tactical withdrawal (from cities) denied
Stalin orders: “hold to the last” (and pays the price);
NTL: Germans suffer heavy casualties (440K of 3.78M):
By 1 Sept 1941, Germans short of 200K replacements
Army Group Center halts just outside Moscow:
Debate rages over operational objectives argued again:
OKH: Moscow vs. Hitler: Leningrad & Ukraine:
Accordingly=>Army complies w/limited success
Hitler then concluded that USSR about to collapse:
AG North had almost entirely encircled Leningrad & start siege
AG South had destroyed 4 Soviet Armies in Kiev pocket
So Hitler finally approved the advance on Moscow
(now believed Soviet’s center of gravity)

41. Battle of Moscow (late Sept 1941)
Operation Typhoon – Army Group Center:
Mission: destroy remainder of Red Army +
Capture Moscow:
Strategic Objective: fall of Soviet Gov.
But Warning signs of trouble for Germans emerge:
Winter rapidly approaching
German Army =>
“hand to mouth” supplies consumption evident
No margin for unexpected or additional tasking
Von Bock (Army Group Center) orders attack on Moscow to begin in late Sept
By Dec 4: Germans at Moscow suburbs
But also too exhausted to fight further & now are stalled

42. Soviet Counter-Attack
Then Zhukov takes command of Moscow’s defense:
Establishes forward defense:
Builds growing Reserve from vast manpower
Awaits opportunity to attack;
German intelligence analysis of changing situation: (oblivious)
6 Dec: Zhukov counter-attacks Von Bock as temp. falls -25F:
Plans limited offense against Army to Moscow’s front
Stalin orders general offensive on broad front
German Army appears desperate

43. Luck Runs Out Elsewhere other Army Group commanders order withdrawal:
Hitler countermands his generals & fires most of them
Names himself as CINC
Takes over operational command & control:
Orders everyone to hold every inch gained at great costs
Precluded orderly withdrawal (and high casualties result)
Situation rapidly deteriorated for Germans:
NTL Hitler remained firm: hold every inch taken
(And Hitler was probably right to prevent panic=> rout)

44. Situation Stabilizes Gradually German’s situation slowly stabilized:
Stalin’s broad offensive was too ambitious to begin with
Offensive soon became overextended:
NTL: saved Moscow & frustrated German Objective
Inflicted huge casualties – Germans Unable to recover
Germans now suspend operations & await spring thaw:
Must invest another year trying to conquer Russia
Germans prepare for upcoming Battles of 1942
Battle of Stalingrad is next…

45. Assessment Germany failed to immediately exploit victory over France:
Instead of exploiting Europe’s industrial potential=>
By immediately preparing for pro-longed war =>
Hitler focused Wehrmacht on invading Britain
With no realistic chance of success
Op Sea Lion lacked required doctrine & train for ALCON:
German Navy had no viable Amphibious capability (ships)
Luftwaffe overestimated its capability to support it
Intelligence collection and analysis total failure
Brits w/RAF defended themselves well=>
German air offensive operationally & strategically ineffective
Germans not able to solve emerging problems of Battle of Britain
Gross Intel failure with regard to strategic impact of Air
Lesson that should have already been learned during Spanish Civil War

46. Assessment- 2
Italian incompetence created more drain on Ger resources:
Even with Ger assistance limited to mere prop-up Mussolini
Aim: protect German Southern Flank (Barbarossa & Balkans)
German major Political & strategic mistakes of 1941:
1. Failure to consolidate & mobilize Europe for long haul
2. Invasion of Russia (open another Front- stretch army)
3. Declare war on US! (major industrial power added to fight)
In contrast, situation for Allies was very different in 1941:
Only need to hang on & defend until mobilized & industrial resources kick in =>
Reverse German success & the current tactical & operational course of war

47. Assessment- 3 Germany’s major weakness was Allied key strength:
i.e. (long term strategy & logistics/industrial resources)
Germany fights Operations & tactical battles well=>
but => extremely vulnerable as war’s grows longer in duration:
With time => more strain on its limited resources & logistics
For WWII => ultimate victory would depend more on=>
Nation’s economic and industrial capacity for long term
(Much like it did in WW1!)
Bottom line:
Germans learned tactical & operational lessons of WWI
But failed to learned strategic & logistical lessons

48. Back-up Slides

49. Faulty Intelligence
Major problem: faulty intelligence about comparative aircraft capabilities & Brit defenses:
Spitfire & Hurricanes estimated to be inferior to BF-109 & BF-110 Messerschmitts
German Intel also failed to appreciate effect of Radar & British Ground control system – impact?
Unrealistic operational Intelligence estimates:
Poor German Intelligence analysis:
Only 4 day strikes required defeat Brit fighter command
Only 4 weeks required to destroy rest of RAF & A/C industry

50. “Aldlertag” - 13 August 1940
On Eagle Day Germans attack British Radar sites:
Heavy losses both sides (148 vs. 286 for Germans)
Decide (erroneously) not worth it
Goering’s role mostly negative:
Lack of leadership, focus & direction=>
Conducts piecemeal attacks
Tactical errors: tie BF109s to Stukas
(no flexibility afforded to fighter pilots)
British air defense flexibility:
Adjust strategy as required =>
Focus on bombers
Still suffer significant attrition –
Desperately need break

51. Germany in the Balkans Serbia: following political confusion
Serbian officers’ overthrow of Yugoslavia government:
Hitler orders punitive action: Operation Punish
Germany’s Balkan Campaign:
Two separate operations: Yugoslavia & Greece:
Luftwaffe bombs Belgrade, Yugoslavia (17K die):
Yugoslavia fails to mobilize & attempt to defend all
(Defense too thin to matter) =>
Collapse in five days follows
OKH quickly re-deploy forces for Barbarossa- impact?
Tito’s guerillas continue to fight in the hills as insurgency

52. Greece A similar situation then ensues:
XXXX Panzer Corps outflanks Greeks & its Allies
Key support provided by Luftwaffe
Greek Army collapse & Allies retreat South:
Brits withdraw by sea while under heavy attack by Luftwaffe
Royal Navy able to withdraw 51K of 62K troops
Large majority evacuate to Crete
Soon Germany occupies Athens & other major cities
Greek resistance commences guerilla warfare campaign

53. Operation Typhoon- Execution
Von Bock (Army Group Center) orders attack on Moscow to begin in late Sept
General Hoepner (4th Panzer Grp) leads attack
Germans encircle & capture 2 huge Army Groups:
600K Russian POWs =>
Moscow citizens in panic
Then Russia’s historic ally comes to rescue – who?
Rains => mud=> impassable roads =>
Germans literally stuck in mud & advance stalls
Severe strain on German logistics escalates w/each mile forward:
No rations, re-supply, or winter uniforms
By Dec 4: Germans at Moscow suburbs
But troops too exhausted to continue fight