Operation Barbarossa

Discussion in 'The Eastern Front' started by James2019, Aug 20, 2019.

  1. James2019

    James2019 Member

    im after some info regarding Operation Barbarossa, specificly the battles of stalingrad and lenningrad. Any info would be useful, im mainly looking for dates
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Germany invades France

    On both this thread and the other linked above - can I ask what research you have done to date?? - the reason I ask is that you say you are writing this essay and that "i already know a lot about WW2" and yet you are asking some very basic and broad questions, which to my mind you should have researched already.

    I am sure members of this site are very willing to help but there are limits.

    The essay you are writing is for what - school, university, .....?? some background as to what you need to write may help understand what detail of information you need otherwise you could be easily flooded with links and data

    TD
     
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  3. James2019

    James2019 Member

    if i send you my essay via email, would that help
     
  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Not really - it is you essay not mine - just describe what the details of the French under Occupation and Barbarossa are going to be used for.
    Is it a school essay - is it for a university degree - is it for ......................??

    There is enough information to be found by searching this site alone for a 300 page book, which is useless if you are only writing a 300 word essay - do you understand where I'm coming from

    TD

    Barabarossa site search - http://ww2talk.com/index.php?search/4335749/&q=barbarossa&o=relevance
     
  5. James2019

    James2019 Member

    my essay is for a uni degree
     
  6. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    I assume that will include the topic of your other thread as well? - will there be more areas/topics or are you only concerned with Germany's occupation of France and Operation Barborossa?

    I have to say that both of those topics alone have thwarted, if you dont mind me saying, better and more renowned authors than yourself, I wonder if you are biting off more than you can chew

    What research have you done to date, what books have you read, I dont know you from Adam, so have no idea of your abilities, as mentioned earlier this essay is yours and no one else's so it is up to you to find out what you need

    TD
     
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  7. James2019

    James2019 Member

  8. Juha

    Juha Junior Member

    One note, Oper Barbarossa is usually seen as covering fighting on the Eastern Front from 22 June 41 to early Dec 1941 when the big Soviet counterattack began. Stalingrad fighting belongs to the Oper Blau/Blue, i.e. the summer and autumn 1942.
     
  9. James2019

    James2019 Member

    ok thanks
     
  10. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Dan Snow's History Hit

    https://podbay.fm/p/dan-snows-history-hit/e/1624334400

    "SHOW NOTES
    On 22 June 1941 Hitler unleashed Operation Barbarossa the biggest military operation in human history. More than 3 million men of the Axis poured into the Soviet Union beginning a conflict, that even within the context of the Second World War, was unprecedented in both its scale and savagery. Operation Barbarossa began with unparalleled success for the Wehrmacht and its allies with millions of Soviet soldiers killed and captured in the opening months of this titanic struggle. But by the winter of 1941 and against all the odds the German war machine had been halted outside the gates of Moscow marking the beginning of the end for the Nazi regime. To better understand this enormous operation Dan is joined by the author and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby who has written a new book Barbarossa: How Hitler Lost the War. They discuss why Barbarossa was launched, the inhuman nature of the fighting and the horrific treatment of civilians and particularly the Jews, whether Barbarossa could have ever been successful and looking at the more human side behind the almost unbelievable scale of the fighting.
    "
     
  11. nickgrace1

    nickgrace1 Active Member

    When you dig into the areas of Barbarossa, Leningrad and Stalingrad you will see just how complex the three are. For example the fact that the soviets had very little road way covered for all weather, which meant rain slowed the Germans down. There is also the fact the Germans had just 100,000 men to police the captured territory in summer 1941, you must also remember the numbers of soviets stuck behind enemy lines. David Stahel is an excellent author on the subject and his books on the opening months are some that you should read as he goes into this detail and details that are so often overlooked.
    The Germans captured many soviets but the soviets just about managed to plug the gap, meanwhile did the Germans manage to replace all of their casualties. Not according to Dr. Stahel and his statistics. There are so many aspects to this campaign that are so fascinating but I think you need to find a focus for the essay.
    I wish you good luck.
     
  12. Herp01

    Herp01 New Member

    Historians have largely glossed over the importance of the siege of Leningrad. The siege of Leningrad almost single-handedly guaranteed the failure of operation Barbarossa. Consider that Hitler's original plan for operation Barbarossa was for the Finnish army to cross the river Neva into the heart of Leningrad to assist in it's capture. This of course did not happen because Mannerheim was not willing to sacrifice his nation on the altar of National Socialism. This was a monumental catastrophe for the operation, as Hitler was forced to redirect units from army group center to assist in the never ending siege... Hitler wrongfully operated on the assumption that the Finns would inevitably join in on the operation once they saw the success of the German army. Hitler obviously had no concept of international diplomacy as this was just not going to happen.
     
  13. I completely agree with Herps analysis regarding how crucial Leningrad was to Operation Barbarossa , once it became a siege the plan fails. The importance of Finland was advanced only after German planners lost their focus and encircled a defeated Red Army in Ukraine. On or about 2/3/41 , "army leaders accepted Hitler's emphasis on giving priority to Leningrad and the Baltic coast over Moscow. But they neglected to work out in sufficient detail the consequences of such a strategy". The author states that it was recognized that the Wehrmacht would face numerical superiority and even at this early date "the Army High Command [or OKW was faced with] a devastating overview of deficiencies in supplies." In further comments it is pointed out that "Everything depended upon rapid victories in the first days and the securing of the Baltic and the southern flank as far as Rostov. Moscow , as [Hitler] had repeatedly stressed , could wait."

    Ian Kershaw , Hitler 1936-1945 Nemesis page 344
     
  14. Herp01

    Herp01 New Member

    Likewise, Stalin knew the jig was up as well. As could be demonstrated by the herculean effort of the Red army to defend Leningrad's supply rail, and provide rations via lake Ladoga during the winters of '41,'42 and '43
     
  15. I do not entirely blame Prussian generals from shying away from a direct assault on Leningrad during the first season. The very concept of a street by street , building by building , fight for a city of over 2 million people was foreign to Wehrmacht training and doctrine.

    The Luftwaffe was exclusively a force multiplier designed to provide ground support and simply did not have the ability to project power during the Battle of Britain as required. The Luftwaffe was misused and suffered greatly in a failed effort to gain air supremacy over southern England , falsely threatening a cross channel invasion called "Operation Sealion". That was just not going to happen in spite of its grandiose code reference. This alone may have been reason enough to delay any inevitable offensive move to the East. That was not even close to preventing Hitler from launching one of the greatest gambles in military history.

    Hitler was frustrated by the Brits refusal to accept any form of surrender in the face of what he viewed as the real goal , the destruction of Communism and the Soviet Empire. Churchill was a virulent anti-Communist but he famously stated that , “If Hitler invaded hell I would make at least a favourable reference to the devil in the House of Commons.” Hitler did not expect that.

    Had the Germans managed to capture and secure the port of Leningrad during the first season and opened it up as a logistical hub during the spring or summer of 1942 , Moscow would be in great danger. Given the quite sensible view within OKW that such an objective was beyond its reach while massive engagements can capture and crush the enemy in Ukraine , it is easy to understand why a siege of Leningrad was far less imposing than a direct assault.
     

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