Biggest Mistakes the Axis made iyo.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Sikander
There are numerous instances of generals complaining about the logistics and other operational limitations which made their goals in the end unrealistic. Several were sacked immediately while others were made to understand that their orders were not negotiable.

No, generals were sacked during the winter of 41-42 for not holding their ground. No generals were sacked for not attacking deep into the Soviet Union during the summer offenses.

Had the Germans advanced half as far, they still would have achieved a major victory, and they would have been in a better position to defend their lines.

The German generals were reckless and paid the price for their stupidity.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Tingkai


No Ned, you claim that the lack of heavy bombers is proof that Germany did not want to fight Britain. That is completely wrong.

The German medium-range bombers were able to hit British targets, including aircraft factories. One of the major Spitfire factories was near Birmingham which got plastered during the blitz.

More than that, if theory was right then Germany never planned to attack the Soviet Union because one of the German's great failure was not having long-range bombers to hit distant Soviet factories.

Your theory, Ned, has been pwn'd

Then, the earlier post about Germany owning Britain had the had long range bomber must be incorrect.

BTW, the Ural factories were move there in response to the German invasion. This was hardly to be "expected." So the lack of German bomber able to hit the Ural factories says nothing about Hitler's plans vis-a-vis the USSR.

[RGBVideo]

Not crushing British at Dunkirk -- > no peace treaty with the UK

[Ned]

Here is an excellent analysis of what would have happened had Germany move four divisions and an air wing to Africa in the summer of 1940. They win the war.

http://www.changingthetimes.co.uk/samples/ww2/missing_year.htm

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Ned
BTW, the Ural factories were move there in response to the German invasion. This was hardly to be "expected." So the lack of German bomber able to hit the Ural factories says nothing about Hitler's plans vis-a-vis the USSR.

You can't have it both ways Ned. You're pwn'd.

The Lancaster was developed in about a year. The Germans had time to develop long-range bombers.

The reason the Germans didn't was because they never understood the importance of strategic bombing. They never understood the importance of destroying supply lines. Instead, they focused on destorying military unit. Throughout the war, the Germans never seriously disrupted the Russian supply routes behidn the lines. Yet another example of the German stupidity during the war.

[Ned]

One year?

Well, if that is true, Germany could have had long range bombers in 1941 and could have invaded Britain that same year, or at least by 1942.

One wonders whether there was a screw loose in German strategic thinking if there was a deliberate decision to forgo developing a long range bomber early in the war.

[Fake Boris]

Originally posted by Tingkai


No Ned, you claim that the lack of heavy bombers is proof that Germany did not want to fight Britain. That is completely wrong.

The German medium-range bombers were able to hit British targets, including aircraft factories. One of the major Spitfire factories was near Birmingham which got plastered during the blitz.

More than that, if theory was right then Germany never planned to attack the Soviet Union because one of the German's great failure was not having long-range bombers to hit distant Soviet factories.

Your theory, Ned, has been pwn'd

OK, you're actually right on the bomber issue. A point remains, though: Germany didn't have any medium-range fighter to escort the bombers to Britain. If they didn't develop any, there must be a reason for it, right?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by shawnmmcc
Ned - Stalin eventually wanted to turn all of Europe into a great Commintern.

IIRC, Stalin was not interested in exporting communism. That's Trotsky.

[Alexander's Horse]

Stalin declared "Socialism in one country" but that was for tactical reason, part of an effort to end the Soviet Union's isolation in the face of the rise fascism. Then he did another backflip for similar tactical reasons - to avoid early invasion - by signing the Nazi Soviet Pact. Throughout the period Soviet agents were as active as ever spreading communism. Of course once the Red Army got into Europe every country they liberated was turned into a Soviet Satellite state.

[Bosh]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


IIRC, Stalin was not interested in exporting communism. That's Trotsky.

Stalin was interested in whatever was tactically convenient. Do some reading on Soviet involvement in the Spanish Civil War.

[Frozzy]

OK, you're actually right on the bomber issue. A point remains, though: Germany didn't have any medium-range fighter to escort the bombers to Britain. If they didn't develop any, there must be a reason for it, right?

Well, he Me109 was chosen as the main fighter of the German army back in the mid 1930s over the He100. Even then, it took around 5 years for a plane to go from prototype to the real, fully fledged fighting plane. The Me262 is an excellent example of this. They had, after roughly 3 years of development, about a half-strength fleet of Me262s. The Me109 was chosen as the be-all fighter of Luftwaffe, and as the Luftwaffe was still growing, it made sense to choose one fighter, make a huge number of them, and you'd be set.

Originally, the Me109 was chosen over the He100 mainly because it was more stable, easier to fix, and was very quick on landing. Too quick, in fact. By the time the He100 caught up, the Me109 was already in full fledged production and there simply weren't enough engines to go around at the time. It was faster, more stable and had a larger range than the Me109, but, it was too late.

Time had run out, and the Luftwaffe only had the capacity to make one choice. They merely said the Me109 was "good enough".

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


IIRC, Stalin was not interested in exporting communism. That's Trotsky.

You should read Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia' on how the Stalinist left split the anti-Franco forces in Republican Spain.

Admittedly Soviet Russia was one of the few states to send materiel to the Republic in the same way that the Nazi/Fascist states did to the Francoist side, but when you sup with the devil you should use a long spoon....

[Alexander's Horse]

Homage to Catalonia is a wonderful book.

[Dis]

I don't have the balls to taunt the mods anymore. Someone needs to make a thread titled: Biggest mistakes the neutrals made iyo.

[Frozzy]

Biggest mistakes the neutrals made iyo.

Being stuck next to Germany. And France. And water.