Hitler had to attack when he did, Stalin was only getting stronger by the day, and many think Stalin would have attacked by 1943.
I would have gone straight to Moscow, and tried to get the Soviet government to collapse. Had Stalin been taken out, there might have even been a civil war between the Soviets, then the Germans could have divided and conquered.
> I would have gone straight to Moscow, and tried to get the Soviet government to collapse. <
That’s what Napoleon did when he invaded Russia in 1812. And Napoleon got badly beaten. Hitler was determined not to make that same mistake. So he pretty much ignored Moscow in 1941, and concentrated instead on destroying Soviet armies.
What Hitler didn’t understand (but you did) was that Moscow was way more important in 1941 than it was in 1812. In 1941 Moscow was not only a political prize. It was also major industrial area and a railway hub.
While I’m rambling here, I’m going to give Stalin a bit of credit. When Hitler did get around to moving on Moscow, Stalin’s advisers urged him to flee eastward. Stalin refused, and remained in the capital. That did a lot for Russian morale.