Post by alwaysUnited on Nov 28, 2024 18:32:26 GMT
For instance, the fact that the Soviet Union lost more soldiers at Stalingrad than the US + British in the entire war (by some margin) surprised me. As did the fact that up to 80% of German casualties in the war were on the Eastern front, fighting the Soviet Union. I subsequently read up and confirmed this to be true. After Stalingrad, the Soviets rolled back on the Germans and defeated them again at Kursk - from then on the Germans were on a sustained retreat for the first time in the war.
Another thing that stood out, which I subsequently confirmed in my own readings, was the critical role that the Soviet Union's declaration of war (and rapid defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army in Manchuria) had on Japan's eventual surrender. It made Japan's situation totally hopeless.
Stalin had made a commitment to Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference that the Sovient Union would declare war on Japan after the defeat of Germany. He followed through on that promise.
No absolutes here, but undoubtedly the Soviet Union played a massive (if not all-important) role in the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. The modern narrative is that the tide of the war turned on the beaches of Normandy, and that the A-Bomb(s) were the knock-out punch to Japan.
None of this is wrong, of course, it's just not the full story.
Appreciate the feedback, Kobbie!
I think Hitler's biggest mistake was invading the Russians , probably thought he could blitzkrieg his way to Moscow just like he did to France.
