Page 18 - History of War - Issue 29-16

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HEAD HEAD
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F
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Frontline
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TO TO TO TO TO
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m
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9
4
9
t a
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In 1941 the German and Soviet armies
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were the largest in Europe, but neither was
s
u
o
h
adequately prepared for the apocalypse of
a de q u a t e l y p r e p a r e d f o r t h e a p o c a l y p s e o f
l
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Operation Barbarossa. Victory would come
r
sa
m
p
o
s
down to survival…
WEHRMACHT
I
RD
TIME PERIOD: JUNE-DECEMBER 1941 LOYALTY: THIRD REICHCH
H
I
RE
T
B
IL
S
V
UR
I
NUMBERS SURVIVABILITY
A
T
V
I
Y
✯ ✯ ✯
r
r
s ex
m
t c
n
i
h
e
e G
a
n
a
t
c
g
h
a
e
m
o
p
e
p
The Axis invasion force consisted of T The Germans expected a short campaign
d a s
3.8 million men in four armies along and mostly fought in summer uniforms,
and mostly fought in summer uniforms,
so they lacked proper clothing during the
an 820-mile front, from Finland to so they lacked proper clothing during the
Romania. 3.2 million of the troops were winter when the temperature plunged to a
winter when the temperature plunged to a
record -41 degrees Celsius. Consequently,
German but there were also 300,000 record -41 degrees Celsius. Consequently,
by 1942, 113,000 German had been
Finns, 250,000 Romanians and 50,000 by 1942, 113,000 German had been
Slovakian soldiers. killed or incapacitated by frostbite.
killed or incapacitated by frostbite.
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT
EQUIPMENT L O G IS T IC A L SU P P O R T
✯ ✯ ✯
e
r
r
ev
e
t
e
y w
h
y h
e
r
p
r
T
n
e i
l
e s
a
m
f
n
e
Arguably the best machine gun in The infantry were severely hampered
a
d
by the Russian winter and short-sighted
its class, the MG 34 was speci cally by the Russian winter and short-sighted
planning. Guns and the lubricant in
designed for uid infantry tactics with a planning. Guns and the lubricant in
engines froze, while basic supplies
lighter belt feed and a tripod. The Walter engines froze, while basic supplies
P 38 was a simple yet robust sidearm as became severely stretched. Inability to
became severely stretched. Inability to
replace damanged vehicles saw over
was the Wehrmact’s standard ri e, the replace damanged vehicles saw over
bolt-action Karabiner 98k. 625,000 horses put into the eld.
625,000 horses put into the eld.
✯
✯

✯
German battle eld prowess was no match TOTAL
for Mother Nature in Mother Russia ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
E
AC
AC
ATA
ATA
L
L
N
P
E
N
P
L
F F
C
FATAL COMPLACENCY
M
C
C
M
O
O
Y
C
Y
L
N N
a
s
s
Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union was
a
o
o
a
n o
o
i
o
s
n w
n o
s
i
n
a
n
a
i
n w
a
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s i
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’
e S
e S
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s i
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o
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r
y
y
e
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e
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r
m
z
a
z
n
n
t U
a
v
t U
v
f t
e
f t
i
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i G
i G
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g
o
e
r
o
t t
h
e o
p
h
o
u
n.
u
a
r
i
t
r
e
a
marred by complacency throughout the operation.
n
marred by complacency throughout the operation.
m
l
a
y c
c
e
p
r
o
c
d b
y t
m
t
c
l
a
n
a
y h
f H
r p
l
e
e
o k
r
o
d
k i
i
e o
i
c
m
Adolf Hitler proclaimed: “We only have to kick in the
A
i
l
e t
e
d
n t
v
Adolf Hitler proclaimed: “We only have to kick in the
l
h
: “
W
o
o
i
r
n
e
l
n R
r a
o
u
ill
i
n
o
d
h
f
e w
h
s
c
n e
e w
front door and the whole rotten Russian edi ce will
o
t d
s
e r
a
d t

t

t
o
front door and the whole rotten Russian edi ce will
m
e t
l
e
m
s h
n
s
a
u
o
d o
n
e
g d
come tumbling down.” The Germans held on to this
c
li
come tumbling down.” The Germans held on to this
n t
i
n.
h
h
” T
o t
o
w
e G
b
r
m
e
y h
c
m
i
a
view even in the face of the infamously harsh winter.
a
r
h
w e
.
n
r
f t
t
s
n i
l
v
e o
f
a
n
n t
i
e
v
e
o
view even in the face of the infamously harsh winter.
e f
h
s
e i
u
h w
e
d, t
When supply lines became overstretched, the
h
When supply lines became overstretched, the
h
W
h
e
m
e
e
l
e
e o
n s
p
p
s
t
u
r
r
s b
n
t
e
e
y li
a
c
c
v
v
r
n. W
p priority was given to arms and ammunition. Winter
m
e
i
d a
n t
s g
n
i
a
priority was given to arms and ammunition. Winter
r
r
e
i
t
i
o
i
n
u
r
m
o
y w
s a
n
o a
t
i
t
m
re
n
y
d
i
wa
ne
i
n
r
uniforms remained in warehouses in Germany
r
m
f
G
i
e
o
n
o
u
ma
h
i
n
u uniforms remained in warehouses in Germany
ma
s
se
re
s
o
r
h
e h
s t
h
s
e
a
n
and even the horses that the Wehrmacht used as
and even the horses that the Wehrmacht used as
e
n t
d e
v
h
t u
a
c
d a
s
s
e
a
e W
h
t t
r
m
e
h
draught animals proved unable to cope with the
draught animals proved unable to cope with the
cold. Eventually nearly one million soldiers were
cold. Eventually nearly one million soldiers were
killed, wounded or missing by early 1942.
killed, wounded or missing by early 1942.
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