Defeating Nazi Germany: Strategy in Total War, Assignments of History

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Table of Contents

• Introduction...........................................................................................................................................
• Section I: Eastern Front.........................................................................................................................
• Section II: Normandy............................................................................................................................
• Section III: The Mediterranean..............................................................................................................
• Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................
• Reference...............................................................................................................................................

due to their size but also because they represented strategic shifts that heavily influenced the outcome of the war. The battle of Stalingrad (August 1942 to February 1943) is often viewed as the turning point on the Eastern Front. It resulted in the encirclement and surrender of the German 6th Army, leading to catastrophic losses for Germany with about 147,000 killed and 91,000 captured, including 24 generals (Glantz & House, 1995). This battle highlighted the overstretching of German logistics and the fatal flaws in Hitler’s strategy of no retreat, significantly diminishing German offensive capabilities. The subsequent Battle of Kursk in July 1943 reinforced the strategic advantage gained by the Soviets at Stalingrad. As the largest tank battle in history, Kursk was primarily a defensive victory for the Soviets who, forewarned by intelligence, had fortified their positions and amassed a substantial reserve. The Germans, underestimating Soviet preparedness, suffered severe losses, with 54,000 troops killed and substantial losses in tanks and aircraft (Glantz & House, 1995). Kursk not only halted German advances but also showcased the effective Soviet strategy of utilizing depth, intelligence, and reserves. These battles illustrate critical strategic errors by the German command, particularly underestimating Soviet resilience and logistical challenges. In contrast, Soviet strategies of deep defense and attrition warfare proved decisive. The Soviet ability to mobilize and redirect forces rapidly and to utilize the harsh winter conditions played a critical role in diminishing the Wehrmacht's offensive capabilities. 4 Figure 2: The Eastern Front | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans

The losses at Stalingrad and Kursk were instrumental in depleting German manpower and material, leading to a significant decline in their ability to sustain offensive operations on the Eastern Front. This shift in the balance of power was crucial for the subsequent Soviet advances towards Berlin, shaping the course of the war. In essence, the decisive moments on the Eastern Front were shaped by effective Soviet strategy against German strategic miscalculations. The fact that the huge battles of the Soviet troops were determinative in the final outcome of WW II demonstrates the flexibility and strength of the Red Army that differed greatly from the Golden Battalion’s unwarranted claim.

Section II: Normandy

A noteworthy clarification of events was that the Stonewall and D-Day cases were condonable as resource imbalance was a decisive factor in Allied success in the West during World War II (Waddell, 2020). It was precisely this close involvement of both tactical expertise and what was also a comprehensive logistical preparation and material superiority that was essential for the success of The Operation. Preparations for D-Day were monumental; by June's end in 1944, the Allies had landed over 850,000 men and 150, Figure 3: D-Day: The Normandy Invasion - Operation Overlord - The Defining Battle of 5 World War 2 - June 6, 1944

prepared Allied defense, bolstered by superior numbers and resources. The Allies, under the command of General Bernard Montgomery, had amassed over 195,000 troops and more than 1,000 tanks, in stark contrast to Rommel's dwindling supplies and reinforcements (Bierman & Smith, 2002). The strategic location of El Alamein, being the gateway to the Suez Canal, meant its loss was a significant strategic blow to the Axis, hampering their access to oil supplies vital for continued military operations (Analisis Operasi et al., 2023). Naval power in the Mediterranean also highlights the strategic shortcomings of the Axis. Control of Mediterranean sea routes was crucial for securing supply lines and supporting ground operations (Dale, 2023). However, the Axis naval strategy was hampered by the persistent presence of the British Royal Navy, which maintained superior control over key maritime chokepoints. The effectiveness of the Royal Navy, combined with increasing air support from the Allies, severely restricted Axis logistical operations, exemplified by the disastrous outcomes of the convoys to supply Axis forces in North Africa (O'Hara, 2009). Strategically, the Axis powers also suffered from a lack of coherent long-term planning and coordination between their forces. The division of command and conflicting objectives between German and Italian forces often resulted in inefficient resource allocation. For example, while Rommel pushed for more resources to be allocated to North Africa to secure Egypt, strategic resources were often diverted to other fronts deemed more critical by Hitler and Mussolini (Ciano, 1946). This disunity in strategic priorities led to a chronic shortage of supplies and reinforcements necessary for sustaining operations in the Mediterranean. Axis powers misjudged the affect of the strategic significance of the seascape across Mediterranean assistance in achieving their victory. They had difficulty with obtaining supplies in time while Allied air and naval forces made it difficult to bring medications from the warzone, which culminated into high losses of incidents that seriously delayed their further operations (Dale, 2023). In the end, the devastating consequence of all these tactical mistakes by the enemy is that their strategic advances are now thwarted and their ultimate goal of winning the war against the region is no longer possible. The reasons, behind the failure of the Axis powers to convert their tactical and operational upper hand at the end of the Mediterranean theater, into positive results of strategic nature are as a result of a mixture of the errors at a level of strategy plus the niggardly allocation to the available resources and overlooking of the importance of naval power. These factors combined and thwarted their military undertaking; and it was through these collective efforts that the Allied efforts achieved the decisive victories of the war in this significant theater of World War II.

Conclusion:

The study of key battles in the Eastern Front, Normandy, and the Mediterranean as such allowed us to see how the tactical battle, operational planning, and strategy are closely intertwined. The Eastern Front and Normandy implied the fact that the depth affects the results promptly and determining quality of power can be the turning point (Waddell, 2020). On the contrary, the Mediterranean operations illustrated the traps involved in isolated victories, which are often too insignificant to bring an overall result. These cases show that integrated military strategies should be utilized on every level of engagement, and the way to achieve all-comprehensive project success in the complex war zones become the guidance and the best practice for both military doctrine and strategic studies.

Reference :

Analisis Operasi, Pendaratan Normandi, Pada Perang, Dua, D., Dalam Perspektif, Perbandingan Sumber, Daya Alutsista, Pasukan Sekutu, Jerman, dan, Tsaniyah Wulandari, Novky Asmoro, Analisis, Operasi Pendaratan, Pada, N., Perang Dunia, Dua Dalam, Perspektif Perbandingan, Daya, S., Alutsista Pasukan and Sekutu dan Jerman (2023). Analysis of the normandy landings operation in the second world war from the perspective of comparative military resources between the allied and germany. [online] Santhet (Jurnal Sejarah Pendidikan Dan Humaniora). Available at: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:264991635. Baig, M.A. (2020). Hitler’s Downfall and the Collapse of the Thousand Years Reich: Multi Fronts and Incapable Allies. Open Military Studies , 1(1), pp.11–23. Dale, L. (2023). D-Day: The Normandy Invasion - Operation Overlord - The Defining Battle of World War 2 - June 6, 1944. [online] www.storytel.com. Available at: https://www.storytel.com/in/books/d-day-the-normandy-invasion-operation-overlord-the- defining-battle-of-world-war-2-june-6-1944-2642338 [Accessed 23 Apr. 2024]. Herman, G. (2006). Rescued from the Reich: How One of Hitler’s Soldiers Saved the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies , 24(3), pp.168–

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