Russia wants to take a lot of the credit for victory in the east, which should be laid at the feet of the Russian winter, which decimated the Germans as they advanced on Stalingrad, etc.
Did that winter last from June of 41 to May or 45?
The winter weather played a major role in the defeat of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front, but the brutality and sacrifice of the Russian soldier cannot be overlooked nor can the fight or be killed behavior of the commissars, which forced them to fight enough to resist the initial assault combined with Hitler’s stupidity.
Once the Russian Army was fully mobilized the end of the Wehrmacht was certain. Hitler’s idiotic blitzkrieg to the east failed miserably. They did not have the numbers or the logistical train to win so when Hitler chose to divert his forces from Moscow to capture irrelevant cities he assured himself defeat.
What happened afterwards was brutal. The subjugation of the Eastern Bloc countries was a stain on the history of humanity. However, you must give a hat tip to the Soviet soldier for their battlefield performance. The Army that entered Berlin was likely one of the most battle-hardened armies in the history of mankind. They would accept almost any loss to achieve the objective by sheer will and weight.
Victor Davis Hanson’s recent book on WWII is worth a read. Excellent book that will change your view from “the battles” to the much larger picture.
Russia should take a lot of credit for victory in the east.
Poor strategy doomed the Germans at Stalingrad. The winter didn't help, but it wasn't the primary reason they defeated the Germans.