Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
We do not yet fully understand why the Germand decided on June 22 to launch Barbarossa. We do not yet have full details as to the timing of Barbarossa. Given how close the NAZIs came to taking Moscow, the timing seems critical. We are not yet sure if a firm earlier invasion date was set. Of course the Germans had to wait for good weather. It does seem they could have launched the invasion in late May or early June. Military historians generally agree that given a few more weeks of good weather that the Germans could have taken Moscow which would not only have been of propaganda impotannce, but was a critical coomunications center. Many historians point out that the need to invade the Balans to resolve the mess created by Mussolini delayed the invasion 6 critical weeks. This may have well been the case, but some historians cintend that the Germans did not really plan to invade much earlier anyway.
We do not yet fully understand why the Germand decided on June 22 to launch Barbarossa. We do not yet have full details as to the timing of Barbarossa. Given how close the NAZIs came to taking Moscow, the timing seems critical. We are not yet sure if a firm earlier invasion date was set.
Of course the Germans had to wait for good weather. The German advantage was in mobility, both air power and armored Panzer forces on the ground. Bad weather would impair both air abd ground operations, negating the German advantage. Thus the Germans had to wait until warm sunny weather arrived. (In contrast when thise advantages were with the Americans after D-Day, the Germand waited until bad weather arrived to launch their attack in the West--the Buldge--December 1944.)
It does seem they could have launched the invasion in late May or early June. Military historians generally agree that given a few more weeks of good weather that the Germans could have taken Moscow which would not only have been of propaganda impotannce, but was a critical coomunications center. A GI posted in Gwrmany on occpation duty after the War wtites, "I knew from talking with the Germans in 1947 in Germany that they were not successful against the Soviets, because of the Russian winter. They told me that Hitler was upset for going to war to save Mussoline in Albania. He wanted to invade the Soviets earlier and he was delayed, because he had to move his Armies south to the Balkans. Then in 1948 I was stationed in Vienna which was a four power city like Berlin. My work in Vienna placed me in every day contact with the Soviets Kommandtura's office. I was with the Special Investigation Section for the Provost Marshal and I was told by a number of Soviet officers that if Hitler invaded earlier, they would have defeated the Soviets. They indicated Stalin thanked the Russian winter which stalled the Germans to a halt at the gates of Moscow. It was Deja vu again, Napolean was stopped at the gates of Moscow, but the Winter was Russia greatest ally."
Many historians point out that the need to invade the Balans to resolve the mess created by Mussolini delayed the invasion 6 critical weeks. Germany and Italy had signed the Axis alliance (1939). Mussolini was piqued at Hitler's failure to consult him on his major decessions. As a result, he took decessins without consulting Hitler. After seizing Albania (1939), Mussolini invaded Greece (1940). Besides being a military failure, the invasion destabilized the Balkans from Hitler's point of view. Greece at the time was governed essentially by the Metaxas Fascist dictatorship. Although not an Axis member, Greece was neutral. Mussolini's invasion changed this and Greece accepted British aid. This thus presented a danger to Barbarossa's southern flank. The hard-pressed British could not present a serious ground threat, but from Greek bases they could threaten the Romanian oil fields around Ploesti. Oil was Germany's major weakness and without Romanian oil, Barbarossa would have been impossinle..
The Balkans campaign may have well been the case, but some historians contend that the Germans did not really plan to invade much earlier anyway. Here we are not yet sure.
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