German invasion in Europe

in the case of Greece and Yugoslavia, the Nazis invaded to help the Italians whose own advance had been slowed. In Hitler's new world order the Balkans would become part of the Italian empire

hitler didnt really want a war with britain

That's another story. Stalin wouldn't have gained anything by attacking Germany,, only trouble with the rest of the world.

me thinks that Hitlers war in Europe had only one valid goal; to get at the french and other countries weaponry. Nothing political about it. I may be wrong here because i don't know whether Germany was still paying for the first world war at that time. I guess hitler cancelled all reparations.

French army was larger on paper than German. Germans had not enough gear to fight the Soviets and not enough resources, money and time to produce more  in short time. So it was one option only to fill the void before attacking  SU. Backing up the Atlantic coast was handy but not essential. Invasion of Britain was pointless; the English had bad tanks and nothing of worth  for the land war in the east.

he sure needed them out of the way. it's better to fight with clean back

It was not only tactics but also numbers and geography in the war with Russia. i wonder how much military equipment from the occupied countries was put to use in the east and  in Europe during the war. Statistics may answer that.

Originally posted by claymore some tanks not that many german tanks at that time mark 3 mark 4 a lot better later on in russia they used taken t34's

I always thought the T-34 was the best tank of the war. In the Russian winter the fuel of German tanks froze up and had to be heated with blowtorches

By the time the Tiger entered service the Russians had the Josef Stalin tank. Its armor protected it from the Nazis' 88s and its 122mm gun enabled it to penetrate the thickest armor. This gun was also fitted to a variant of the KV-1, the ISU-122

Operation Barbarossa cost Germany the war, Hitler should have kept all his forces concentrated on mainland Europe and Britain. Also, war with the USA was just as costly, if only Hitler had left the USA and USSR out of it.

Hitlers war was unfolding excellently until the battle of Britain. But yes, he got a little cocky and invaded the Soviet Union - his boyhood dream and ambition.

Regarding the Balkans and North Africa, that was to aid his struggling Italian allies whom were less determined and more poorly equipped than their Aryan counterparts.

Though I personally believe Hitlers mistakes in Africa, Britain and Russia could have been reversed had he not foolishly declared war on the USA following his arrogant friend Japans attack on Pearl harbour.

As for France and the rest of Europe im not sure where he was going with that, Hitler knew Britain and France would declare war if he invaded Poland so obviously he seemed sure he could beat them; which he did. 

Overall, he got a little too big for his own boots, perhaps mishandling affairs and attacking the USSR too early.