How was Germany able to do so well at the beginning of the world wars considering it was up against huge enemies?
In: 154
Germany was good, but it was also lucky.
The French commander made just about ever possible mistake – failing to press an offensive in September of 1939 against a weakly defended German western front, passivity through the spring of 1940, a failure to invest in the defenses around Sedan, and a decision to move the most mobile forces deep into Belgium when the war started and without holding any good reserves. The French literally had ample reserves near the location of the German breakthrough and moved them far away a few days before the German attack.
Against Russia, the Germans were lucky that Stalin purged so many of their best commanders and then also refused to believe intel reports about German attack preparations.
Latest Answers