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The Battle of Kursk |
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rommel 
Immortal Guard 
Joined: 07-Jun-2007 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 0 |
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 Topic: The Battle of KurskPosted: 07-Jun-2007 at 20:15 |
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Why did hitler launch operation citadel, why didnt he retreat build up his reserves and wear the enemy down. Because the Germans losing the battle meant that they would not be able to launch an offensive again in the east, they would always be on the defensive. pretty daft wasnt it. |
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d murray
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Sarmat
Caliph 
Joined: 31-May-2007 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 3113 |
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Posted: 07-Jun-2007 at 20:24 |
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How could Hitler wear the enemy down? USSR has much more resources. Germany didn't have enough oil and the Western Allied were planning to invade Europe. Time was working against Germany. The only chance was to break Russian front as soon as possible and get the Russian oil resources or at least achieve a stronger position for the possible peace negotiations. The defence was doomed for failure anyway. Hitler new it. Kursk was his last chance..
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Σαυρομάτης
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Jonathan4290
Pretorian 
Joined: 03-Mar-2008 Location: Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 185 |
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Posted: 06-Mar-2008 at 04:09 |
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It's weird to think that in early 1943, there were 4 million Germans opposing 5 million Russians, not the ratio you'd think of.
Then you think of the ridiculous material advantage and the fact that Russia could replace each of their soldiers a few times over . . .
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p,c,ma
Samurai 
Joined: 08-Sep-2010 Location: Tennessee Online Status: Offline Posts: 119 |
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Posted: 21-Nov-2010 at 12:32 |
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Theres also the fact that Hitler thought he was unbeatable.
IE the olympics.
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Nenonen
Immortal Guard
Joined: 27-Jan-2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
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Posted: 27-Jan-2011 at 06:57 |
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More likely we should ask - why Hitler stopped that offensive when Germans, especially in the southern sector (Mannstein) were smashing Soviet armies very brutally.
The answer is - western allies and Italy. Hitler made the right decision, however he was too "clever "and especially too FAST. Allies were coming to Italy but those topclass german armoured units couldn't have got there before allie landing. One thing is sure, without that decision Germans would have mauled Soviets very badly. From july 43 to June 1944 30% of German armoured power was pulled off from east. Especially there top ranking Abteilungen units. The manpower was also cut off by about 500 000 soldiers (3,1 million in july 1943, 2,6 million in early June 1944). That decision made by Hitler was propably the worst he made during the whole war. It's controversial to claim that Barbarossa was his worst decision, coz there was danger looming behind the corner that Stalin was planning also to launch huge offensive against Germans sooner or later. < ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">
Edited by Nenonen - 27-Jan-2011 at 07:02 |
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"Military history is nothing but a tissue of fictions and legends, only a form of literary invention; reality counts for very little in such an affair."
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