The Russo-German War, LTC (Retired) Oakland McCulloch

Outline Non-Aggression Pact and Polish Deal Operation Barbarossa –The Plan and Opening Moves –Decision Points –Outside Moscow Battle for Stalingrad –Decision to Fight in the South –Splitting of Army Group South –Stalingrad Kursk Battle –A Final Throw of the Dice Battle for Berlin Brutality of the War Why the Soviet Union Won

The Russo-German War, German-Soviet Treaty of Non-Aggression Signed 23 August 1939 Set the stage for the first two years of World War II Why would the two cooperate? Both had fundamental objections to the Versailles Settlement Both wanted territory in Eastern Europe Polish Deal Germans and Soviets decided how to divide up Poland Germans occupied a little less than half of Poland, the Soviets occupied the rest plus the Baltic States Both were very brutal in their methods

The Russo-German War, Operation Barbarossa 22 June 1941 – 129 th Anniversary of Napoleon’s crossing of the Niemen Late Start Not Well Defined Strategic or Operational Plan German Forces 153 Divisions Million soldiers, 3,600 tanks, 2,700 aircraft Soviet Forces 140 Divisions plus 40 brigades – 2.9 Million soldiers, 10-15,000 tanks, 8,000 aircraft Complete tactical Surprise Minsk, Kiev, Smolensk pockets Fateful Decisions Battle for Moscow

The Russo-German War, Battle for Stalingrad Decision to Fight for Resources in the South Splitting of Army Group South The Decision to Capture Stalingrad Encirclement and Loss of 6 th Army

The Russo-German War, Battle for Kursk Decision to Eliminate Kursk Salient Decision to Delay the Attack Loss of Initiative

The Russo-German War, Battle for Berlin Allied Decision Not to Take Berlin Stalin’s Plan Hitler’s Orders Civilian Suffering The Brutality of the War Mass Execution of Civilians Take No Prisoners Scorched Earth Policy

The Russo-German War, Why the Soviets Won Delaying the start of the war allowed Mother Nature to intervene Fall rains, early winter Lack of modern logistics nodes Poor to non-existent roads Non-standard railroad gauge Poor airfields Not prepared for a long war Lack of Strategic and Operational direction from the start Indecision at key times Wrong choices made by Hitler Very poor intelligence on Soviet capabilities Tenacity of the Russian Soldier US Logistical Support (mainly trucks)

The Russo-German War, Resources Hitler’s Panzers East: World War II Reinterpreted, R.H. Stolfi Hitler Moves East, , Paul Carell Scorched Earth: The Russian-German War , Paul Carell Operation Barbarossa: Strategy and Tactics on the Eastern Front, 1941, Bryan I. Fugate The Russo-German War , Albert Seaton Deadlock Before Moscow: Army Group Center 1942/1943, Franz Kurowski Enemy At The Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad, William Craig Citadel: The Battle of Kursk, Robin Cross

Questions ? The Russo-German War