Barbarossa - Hitler's big mistake -

[Observer II]

Operation Barbarossa  22nd June 1941, the biggest assembly of military forces in history, was the German invasion of the USSR.   Despite numerous warnings from his spy networks, Stalin refused to believe that an invasion was imminent, and is said to have had a breakdown when it happened.   Three huge Army Groups headed for Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev, in a blitzkrieg that surrounded over a million Russian troops, in various pockets.  Alas, with the Soviets trading space for time, the Germans were finally stopped by the onset of Autumn rains turning the ground into muddy swamps, and later the Winter cold that solidified the oil in vehicle engines and inflicted frost bite on poorly clothed Germans.  Having been told by his spy in Japan, that they had no intention of attacking the Soviet far east, Stalin ordered his 40 Siberian Divisions to the Moscow front, under the command of Marshal Zhukov, which counter attacked the Germans, ending their attack on Moscow. The huge sacrifice of the Soviets can be measured in their losses, over 13 million soldiers and over 20 million civilians.  It took further defeats at Stalingrad and Kursk, to finally begin the unstoppable Soviet drive to Berlin and Hitler's demise.       

[Latchford Locks]

In Mien Kampf  Hitler states a war must never ever be fought on two fronts at once.

What happened did he have a brain seizure or something ?

Managed to lose the war with one crazy decision 😳

[Observer II]

It's quite amazing in retrospect that World Leaders didn't read or absorb the ravings in Mein Kampf;  as it was made clear of his intent to capture Liebensroam  in the East; so as early as the German occupation of the Rhineland, the Allies should have checked him.  Alas, the distaste for military action in the wake of WW1,  gave rise to Chamberlain's appeasement.   But overall, Hitler was bound to lose once the Soviets became involved, and this was made certain once the US joined in.    

[Latchford Locks]

44 minutes ago, Observer II said:

 ,  But overall, Hitler was bound to lose once the Soviets became involved, and this was made certain once the US joined in.    

And lets not forget our lads in the merchant navy on the Liverpool-Murmansk run who suffered unbearable conditions getting aid to the USSR my father in law was on them and so he told me first hand how bad things were.

 Once they docked they were not even allowed onshore to have a walk and maybe a beer.

Just ordered to help with unloading and then confined to the ship until departure.

[Latchford Locks]

And if the conditions didn't kill you the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe would have a good attempt.