[Hermann the Cherusker]

Reminds me of Hitler and Operation Barbarossa. Had that idiot persisted with Operation SeaLion, instead of opening a front against Russia, history could have been different.

Stalin was planning an invasion of Europe on 7/6/1941. His own generals were writing about this in their diaries. Had Hitler not punched first, history would have been different. The forward position of the Red Army for the attack was why the Wehrmacht captured so many immediately, and made such impressive progress in 8 short weeks, nearly wrpapping up the whole campaign before the fateful decision to turn south in mid-August. The Red Army could not go on the defensive when they were posied for attack.

[razoroccam]

Interesting perspective. None of the books on WWII that I have read mention it.