Why Hitler invaded Russia? And why Stalin procrastinated in his counter-offensive?
Posted on: June 2, 2013
Why Hitler invaded Russia? And why Stalin procrastinated in his counter-offensive?
Stalin knew that Hitler is preparing a military aggression on Russia since February 1941, and he knew the exact date June 22 from various sources, including Churchill and Roosevelt personally.
Stalin knew that the war with Germany is inevitable: All he wanted was a delay of 6 more months to be ready and move his troops from the far eastern front.
In the meantime, Stalin signed a peace treaty with Japan: He will be able to move 400,000 troops from the eastern front.
Most of the heavy industries and military factories were relocated to the Ural, midway from both fronts
And Stalin was apprehensive that Churchill might be behind inciting Hitler to attack Russia in order to relieve England and its colonies overseas.
Thus, Stalin did his best to order his armies never to challenge any German violation of Russia air space or even to counter minor German incursions into Russia territory… In fact, the Nazi armies were already waging war deep inside Russia for three days, and the orders to the Russian officers were to retreat and not challenge the German armies: Stalin wanted to believe that Hitler will stop further incursions as he gets convinced that Stalin has no plans for any aggression against Germany…
Germany wanted more wheat and more oil for its war machine, and wanted all these increased supplies on credit, as the US was dealing with England. And the Ukraine was the grain basket and the Caucasus the main sources for all kinds of energy.
Actually, the central German armies could have easily entered Moscow byOctober, but Hitler wanted first to occupy Kiev (Ukraine) and Rostov (Caucasus) before encircling Moscow. By the time Moscow was encircled, it was too later, and the brutal Russian winter took the German armies by surprise: They were not equipped for this kind of winter and mud… and winter supplies were not forthcoming…
Hitler ultimate objective was to be the sole dominant power in Continental Europe, including Russia. England, Japan and the US can split the other parts of the world overseas.
Hitler knew that his main potential enemy is Stalin: another dictator who can single-handedly decides on invading Germany and a vast country, almost self-sufficient in all kinds of foodstuff and raw materials.
And Stalin had already massacred 30,000 of his best officers in the purge and was dealing with a disorganized army. For Hitler it was now or never.
Actually, the orders to invade Russia were set to be on May 15, but the attack was delayed till June 22 because about 700,000 German troops were forced to get engaged in Yugoslavia and ready to pounce on the Balkans countries of Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria.
The only worry of Hitler from the USA was to transforming England into a vast land airplane carrier, at striking distance of Germany…
Hitler dispatched 3 million troops and supported by 700,000 troops from Rumania and Hungary… About 120 divisions.
Two months into the war, Gen. Halder, the highest in command then, wrote:
“Back home, they loaded us with all kinds of crap. We believed the Russians could barely engage 100 divisions. By the time we wipe out 10 divisions, the Russians dispatch 10 fresh divisions… ” The Russians could engage 300 division by the time Moscow was encircled.
Stalin had to submit to the same reality when Russia attacked Mao Tse Tong armies in the early 1950’s: As one million not well armed Chinese troops were wiped out by the Soviet armies, Mao dispatched another fresh one million soldiers
Consequently, capturing Russia and exterminating the educated Russians would desist the US from entering the war alongside England. And Russia would be a vast reserve of cheap labor and raw material…
For 6 months, Hitler main concern was to train and indoctrinate entire divisions of SS to exterminate all the Russians, civilians and prisoners. As he told the high officers in the armies: ” International laws on war do not apply this time around. All the Russians under occupation have to be exterminated, villages burned…”
And the Russian counter-offensive reacted in the same manner.
A textbook war of extermination.
Note: For more details https://adonis49.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/why-hitler-invaded-russia-cycle-closing-in-again/
Adonis Diaries 
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