Page 293 - The Chief Culprit

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A Blitzkrieg against Russia?

e first endless columns of Russian prisoners began to file into Germany. From that mo-
ment, the flow did not stop. Endless transports of Russian prisoners moved through roads
and railroads all the time. But it was of little use. In the place of each vanquished army,
the Russians raised another one. e endless lands of the tsars seemed to have unending
human resources. How much longer could Germany stand against such competition? Will
there not be a day, when Germany, regardless of the fact that it just achieved yet another
victory, will be left without new troops, while the Russian command will again and again
move new armies to the front? What will happen then?

—A H, MEIN KAMPF

e are so accustomed to thinking of Hitler and his armies as remarkably superior
that we accept without question that Stalin was afraid of Germany. However,
Wwhy should Stalin have feared Hitler? Everyone, including Hitler himself and
his generals, knew that Germany lacked the resources to fight a prolonged war. Hitler’s only
chance was a lightning war, a blitzkrieg. But a blitzkrieg against the Soviet Union was im-
possible, because it stretched more than ten thousand kilometers from west to east. If Hitler
could seize even one thousand kilometers per month, which was impossible, even then he
would have to count on a year of war. In addition, a regular European army could carry out
a successful offensive on Soviet territory only four out of the twelve months of the year, from
May 15 to September 15 (if there was no rain). Even if it was possible to take over the entire
country during these four months, then what would an aggressor do with this territory when
fall and winter came? It was easy to enter Russia, but hard to exit. Also, in June 1941 the
peacetime Red Army counted 5.5 million soldiers and commanders. If every month Hitler
killed and imprisoned one million Soviet soldiers, even then the war would last at least half a
year, and the last phase would occur in December. He would have to overcome frost, snow,
and blizzards. He would have to prepare for winter.

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