Posted on 04/30/2021 5:20:10 AM PDT by C19fan
Moscow on a midsummer’s night in 1941 was a balmy place to be. For the discerning, there was Chekhov’s Three Sisters playing to full houses, while opera lovers had a choice between Rigoletto and La Traviata.
Others fished for their suppers on the banks of the river, tended their allotments, or simply strolled through Gorky Park.
All felt safe in the knowledge that, for the past two years (give or take a few weeks), Stalin’s Soviet Union had been in a pact of friendship and non-aggression with Hitler’s Germany.
Though their fundamental political beliefs were polar opposites — one communist, the other fascist — the two biggest nations in Europe had agreed not to go to war with each other.
Until, suddenly, this cosy world turned on its head. The next morning those same Moscow streets were filled with silent, anxious crowds surrounding public loudspeakers, from which came the trembling, echoing voice of Molotov, the minister of foreign affairs.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
It would not have happened. The world was war weary and there was no stomach for more war. That was a fantasy that could not happen. The Russians would have fought and fought hard and probably have beaten us.
Moscow on a midsummer’s night in 1941 was a balmy place to be. For the discerning, there was Chekhov’s Three Sisters playing to full houses, while opera lovers had a choice between Rigoletto and La Traviata.
You could see a play or an opera and it probably only cost one ruble! Paradise! Of course one could be arrested for anything and summarily shot or sent to the gulag for twenty years too. Heck, the subway only cost a kopeck!
All felt safe in the knowledge that, for the past two years (give or take a few weeks), Stalin’s Soviet Union had been in a pact of friendship and non-aggression with Hitler’s Germany.
Their devil of a leader Stalin made a deal with another devil, Adolph Hitler. Just how much faith could one put in such an agreement?
As for the differences between Soviet communism and German national socialism.... the difference is in nomenclature only. Flip sides of the same coin.
As for the strategic mistakes made - by both sides - we could write a book on that. The Germans were counting on a quick victory as they achieved in France. Many of their troops did not even have winter gear. They started weeks late because they got sidetracked in putting down problems in the Balkans. For his part Stalin ignored intelligence warnings supplied by the British of the coming attack (he simply did not trust the Brits). As late as the May Day celebrations of 1941 they were still doing business in raw materials with the Germans.
Ah...
Our troops were already in Czechoslovakia, they could have just refused to leave.
The great Russian military leader, General Winter. That and the Soviets trading territory for time to arm up and regroup. And an almost endless manpower supply.
I’ve seen the movie “Brest Fortress” (great movie, by the way)
Anyway, at the beginning of the movie, the hero, was being questioned by the NKVD for panic-mongering by suggesting that a Nazi invasion was imminent and the Fortress wasn’t prepared for it. They were so anxious to avoid provoking the Nazis that even suggesting the Germans would invade would get you in big trouble.
I’m convinced that he was bluffing to keep them from trying something. He would have known what a bloodbath it would be.
Yes, I have always believed that if the Germans had entered as liberators rather than as oppressors even worse than Stalin and his apparatchiks it would have been a much different story. But the Nazis saw the Ukrainians and Belorussians and Latvians-Lithuanians-Estonians as untermenschen. Some of them would be spared to work as slave laborers; the rest were expendable, useless mouths to feed. Their land was the lebensraum that Hitler defined in Mein Kampf.
Pete Seeger, the old Stalinist who was also a good capitalist. Did you know he owned the rights to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight?
Basically, everything Mussolini touched turned to sh*t. Initial short-lived success in Africa yes, but everything else disastrous.
I believe we did get as far as Prague.
Many forget that Austria was divided, as Germany was, but the Soviets left when Austria pledged to not join NATO.
The deal with Austria was that it had to remain neutral, not Warsaw Pact and not NATO. Which is still in effect today (doesn't stop Western powers from buying Glocks or Steyr-Augs though...).
But, unlike Hitler, didn’t see their removal as necessary for the “perfect socialist state”-—only if they were bourgeoise Jews.
Do not forget the oil fields in Hungary...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Spring_Awakening
"The operation, initially planned for March 5, began after German units were moved in great secrecy around Lake Balaton (German: Plattensee) to secure the last significant oil reserves still available to the Axis powers and prevent the Red Army from advancing towards Vienna."
bfl
I'm inclined to believe you. For one reason the American people were probably getting weary of the war. We fought it because we had to win it.This would have been "let's start another Major WAR"!
The reason Patton was ready to go was our military was Far superior to the Soviets. We had an Air force that was better and could hit any place in the Soviet Union. Plus by this time we had Nuclear Weapons.
The History Channel had an episode a few years ago where the Brits had placed microphones in the captured German officers quarters. One general was heard to say "Only two people didn't know it got cold in Russia - one was Napoleon and the other was Hitler."
“Pete Seeger, the old Stalinist who was also a good capitalist. Did you know he owned the rights to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight?”
Yeah, read Steyn’s article. Very informative about the ol’ commie’s penchant for stealing other peoples’ intellectual property.
Despite being totally against the people owning private property (real estate), Seeger died owning 18 acres of shore on the Hudson River.
Two-faced to the bone, like all liberals.
Hitler got suckered in by how much trouble the Soviets had in Finland.
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