[Leaning Right]

As to your question #1, I don't think it would have made much difference, one way or the other. By late 1942, many German generals on the Eastern Front had privately realized that they were in a war of attrition with the Soviets, and that was a war Germany could not win.

So here's my question instead: Suppose that in the fall of 1941 Hitler had chosen to drive straight for Moscow, instead of just advancing in that direction, and then later turning south?

Stalin had refused to leave the capital, so the Germans might have bagged Uncle Joe himself.

[TBP]

What if the assassination attempt on Hitler had succeeded?