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Das Versagen von der Fuehrer
(The Failure of the Fuehrer) |
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John F Medio |
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Poland and substantially reinforce Rommel in Africa. Russia would not be able to attack in Europe without being driven back and Rommel would control Egypt, turning the Mediterranean in to a "German Lake." Control of the Mediterranean would deprive the Allies of an overseas base from which to attack (Fuller, "The Blunder..." 35).
General Anders describes Hitler’s fault in choosing annihilation simply,
In the war between Germany and Russia, the use of the strategy of annihilation by the Germans was limited by two factors. First, the Soviets forces outnumbered the German Wehrmacht. Second, Russia’s vital areas of operations were beyond the reach of the German thrust. (16)
Ideally, the proper course of action in any war is to rely on exhaustion until one’s armies are within quick striking distance of the opponent’s vital areas and they are able to capture these areas in one continuos attack. The Wehrmacht lacked the ability to do and had no hopes of preventing the Red Army from retreating into the vastness of Russia, the only other alternative. The problem with Hitler’s reaction in Russia was that he failed to change his strategy when his forces were threatened (Anders 27).
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