Germany and the Second World War Volume IV: The Attack on the Soviet Union

by Boog, Horst; Forster, Jurgen; Hoffman, Joachim; Klink, Ernst; Muller, Rolf-Dieter; Ueberschar, Gerd R.; Osers, Ewald

• ISBN13: 9780198228868
• ISBN10: 0198228864
• Edition: Map
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-02-18
• Publisher: Clarendon Press

Summary

Nine months after the beginning of the Second World War, German dominance over much of Europe seemed assured. Hitler not only stood on the pinacle of his popularity in Germany but more than ever his ideological fixations and political calculations determined German war policy. This volume, the fourth in the acclaimed Germany and the Second World War series, examines the thinking behind the decision to go to war with the Soviet Union which was to prove the undoing of the German war effort. The authors examine in revealing detail the military and political policies behind the attack on the Soviet Union and the strategic conduct of the war. They explore not only the command principles and practices, but also the expenditure and attrition of the forces, and show that by the end of 1941 it was clear that it was in the eastern theatre that the Second World War would be decided and the map of Europe redrawn. This is the fourth in the comprehensive and authoritative series, Germany and the Second World War . The six volumes so far published in German take the story to 1943, and have achieved international acclaim as a major contribution to historical study. Under the auspices of the Militärgeschichtlichtes Forschungsamt [Research Institute for Military History], a team of renowned historians has combined a full synthesis of existing material with the latest research to produce what will be the definitive history of the Second World War from the German point of view. The comprehensive analysis, based on detailed scholarly research, is underpinned by a full apparatus of maps, diagrams, and tables. Intensively researched and documented, Germany and the Second World War is an undertaking of unparalleled scope and authority. It will prove indispensable to all historians of the twentieth century.

Author Biography

Horst Boog, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History),Jurgen Forster, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History),Joachim Hoffman, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History),Ernst Klink, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History),Rolf-Dieter Muller, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History),Gerd R. Ueberschar, Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History)

Project co-ordinated by the Militargeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Research Institute for Military History), Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Table of Contents

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS	xiii	(2)
LIST OF TABLES	xv	(2)
NOTES ON THE AUTHORS	xvii	(2)
NOTE ON THE TRANSLATION	xix	(1)
ABBREVIATIONS	xx	(12)
GLOSSARY OF FOREIGN TERMS	xxxii
INTRODUCTION	1	(12)
PART I German War Policy and the Soviet Union 1940-1941	13	(512)
I. HITLER'S DECISION IN FAVOUR OF WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION	13	(39)
JURGEN FORSTER
1. The Situation after the War in the West	13	(12)
2. The Turn to the East: Hitler's Decision of 31 July 1940 and its Consequences	25	(5)
3. Programmatic Objectives vis-a-vis the Soviet Union and their Acceptance among the German Officer Corps	30	(8)
4. Euro-Asian Continental Bloc and Maritime Strategy: Alternatives to the Turn to the East?	38	(4)
5. German-Soviet Relations from Molotov's Visit to the Beginning of the War	42	(10)
II. THE SOVIET UNION UP TO THE EVE OF THE GERMAN ATTACK	52	(66)
JOACHIM HOFFMANN
1. Origin and Development of the Red Army	52	(20)
2. The Red Army until the Beginning of the German-Soviet War	72	(22)
3. Soviet Aid to Germany	94	(24)
III. FROM ECONOMIC ALLIANCE TO A WAR OF COLONIAL EXPLOITATION	118	(107)
ROLF-DIETER MULLER
1. War-economy Aspects and Consequences of the Alliance with the Soviet Union 1939-1940	118	(18)
(a) German-Soviet Trade Exchange and Hitler's War Policy up to the Summer of 1940	120	(8)
(b) The Concept of Large-space Economy and the Russian Problem	128	(8)
2. Economic Preparations for the War against the Soviet Union	136	(51)
(a) Economic Aspects of the Operational Plan	136	(6)
(b) First Preparatory Steps by the War Economy and Armaments Department	142	(8)
(c) The Thomas Memorandum and its Consequences	150	(4)
(d) The Establishment of the Economic Organization East	154	(7)
(e) The Involvement of Private Enterprise	161	(9)
(f) Economic Objectives of the Campaign	170	(17)
3. Economic Framework for Military Planning	187	(12)
(a) The German War Economy until the Spring of 1941	187	(4)
(b) Intensification of German-Soviet Trade	191	(8)
4. The Equipment of the Eastern Army	199	(26)
IV. THE MILITARY CONCEPT OF THE WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION	225	(161)
1. Land Warfare	225	(101)
ERNST KLINK
(a) The Red Army in the Judgement of the Army High Command after September 1939	226	(14)
(b) Early Phases in Planning within the Army High Command up to July 1940	240	(15)
(c) Army Group B as `Security against the East'	255	(2)
(d) The Operational Studies by Marcks and Lo(Beta)berg	257	(18)
(e) Planning by the Army General Staff and Directive No.21	275	(10)
(f) The Deployment Directive for the Army	285	(7)
(g) The Preparations of the Quartermaster-General	292	(13)
(h) The Structure of the Army in the East and Deployment	305	(15)
(i) The Assessment of the Red Army before the Attack	320	(6)
2. The German Air Force	326	(50)
HORST BOOG
(a) The Luftwaffe between the Battle of Britain and Barbarossa	326	(10)
(b) Assessment of the Soviet Air Forces 1939-1941	336	(17)
(c) Preparations for Deployment	353	(23)
3. The German Navy	376	(10)
ERNST KLINK
V. GERMANY'S ACQUISITION OF ALLIES IN SOUTH-EAST EUROPE	386	(43)
JURGEN FORSTER
1. Romania in the Political and Economic Field of Force of the Great Powers	386	(7)
2. The Vienna Arbitration Award of August 1940 and the Dispatch of a German Military Mission	393	(5)
3. Military Aspects of Romania's Inclusion in the Barbarossa Plan	398	(11)
4. The Position of Hungary and Slovakia in the Preparatory Phase of Barbarossa	409	(20)
(a) Hungary	409	(15)
(b) Slovakia	424	(5)
VI. THE INVOLVEMENT OF SCANDINAVIA IN THE PLANS FOR BARBAROSSA	429	(52)
GERD R. UEBERSCHAR
1. Finland's Place in Hitler's Calculations at the Time of the Resumption of his `Eastern Programme' in the Summer of 1940	429	(7)
2. Finland as a Political and Economic Sphere of Interest between Stalin and Hitler	436	(7)
3. Military Aspects of Finland's Inclusion in the Plans for Barbarossa	443	(12)
4. German-Finnish Arrangements and Measures for Finland's Participation in the War against the Soviet Union	455	(16)
5. Sweden's Position during the Preparatory Phase of the War against the Soviet Union	471	(10)
VII. OPERATION BARBAROSSA AS A WAR OF CONQUEST AND ANNIHILATION	481	(44)
JURGEN FORSTER
1. Plans and Preparations for Securing `Living-space'	481	(10)
2. Hitler's Ideological Intentions Translated into Orders	491	(22)
(a) The Regulation of SS Activity in the Operations Area of the Army	491	(5)
(b) The Limitation of Military Jurisdiction	496	(11)
(c) The `Commissar Order'	507	(6)
3. Propaganda Preparations for the War of Annihilation and the Attitude of the Military Leaders	513	(12)
PART II The War against the Soviet Union until the Turn of 1941/1942	525	(731)
1. THE CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS	525	(308)
1. The Army and Navy	525	(238)
ERNST KLINK
(a) The Opening of the Campaign	525	(1)
(i) The offensive of Army Group Centre until the capture of the `land-bridge' between Vitebsk and Smolensk	525	(12)
(ii) The offensive of Army Group North	537	(9)
(iii) The battles at the frontier in the sector of Army Group South and the German advance into the Ukraine	546	(23)
(b) Disputes about the Further Conduct of Operations	569	(1)
(i) The question of the deployment of forces for the second phase of the campaign	569	(3)
(ii) Vacillation in the directives for the conduct of the war from 19 July until the end of the month	572	(9)
(iii) The assessment of the enemy at the beginning of August	581	(7)
(iv) Hitler's acceptance of the need to eliminate Moscow	588	(6)
(c) The Battle of the Ukraine and the Crimea	594	(17)
(i) The advance to the Crimea	611	(2)
(ii) The advance to the Don	613	(14)
(iii) The conquest of the Crimea	627	(4)
(d) The Attack on Leningrad	631	(23)
(e) The Actions of German Naval Forces in the Baltic until the End of 1941	654	(10)
(f) The Attack on Moscow	664	(8)
(i) The double battle of Bryansk and Vyazma	672	(12)
(ii) Plans for the resumption of the offensive	684	(9)
(iii) The failure of the second offensive	693	(9)
(g) The Repulse of the Winter Offensive of the Red Army	702	(1)
(i) Assessment of the situation and directives for the winter war	702	(5)
(ii) The crises in Army Group Centre and their effects on the command of the army	707	(18)
(iii) The fighting retreat of Army Group Centre until the stabilization of the front	725	(9)
(iv) Winter fighting in the area of Army Group North until the re-establishment of a solid front	734	(17)
(v) The defensive battles of Army Group South	751	(12)
2. The Luftwaffe	763	(70)
HORST BOOG
(a) The Surprise Attack against the Soviet Air Force	763	(5)
(b) Ground Support	768	(1)
(i) II and VIII Air Corps and the battles of encirclement of encirclement of Bialystok and Minsk	768	(2)
(ii) The battle of encirclement at Smolensk	770	(3)
(iii) II Air Corps in the area of Gomel, Bryansk, and Roslavl	773	(1)
(iv) The use of the anti-aircraft units	774	(1)
(v) The conduct of the air war in the Baltic until the beginning of August	775	(1)
(vi) The thrust towards Leningrad	776	(2)
(vii) V Air Corps support for Armoured Group I and Sixth Army to the Stalin line	778	(1)
(viii) The breakthrough of the Stalin line	778	(1)
(ix) IV Air Corps on the right wing of Army Group South	779	(1)
(x) The Luftwaffe in the battle of encirclement at Uman	780	(1)
(xi) The repulse of the Soviet thrust at Boguslav and Kanev	781	(1)
(xii) Mopping-up operations in the southern Dnieper bend	781	(2)
(xiii) Anti-aircraft units in the south	783	(1)
(xiv) The battle of encirclement at Kiev (28 August-26 September)	783	(2)
(xv) Support for the advance of Seventeenth and Sixth Armies by V Air Corps	785	(1)
(xvi) IV Air Corps and the conquest of the Crimea	786	(1)
(xvii) The setback at Rostov	787	(2)
(xviii) The Luftwaffe on the Volkhov and at Tikhvin	789	(1)
(xix) Air Fleet 2 and preparations for the attack on Moscow	790	(3)
(xx) The double battle of Bryansk and Vyazma	793	(1)
(xxi) The crisis west of Moscow	794	(5)
(c) The Air War at Sea	799	(3)
(d) Attempts at an Independent Strategic Air War against the Sources of Soviet Strength	802	(12)
(e) The Situation of the Luftwaffe at the Turn of 1941-1942	814	(19)
II. THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR THROUGH SOVIET EYES	833	(108)
JOACHIM HOFFMANN
1. The Beginning of the War	833	(3)
2. The Reorganization of the Supreme Command	836	(4)
3. The `Fatherland War': Fight against Disintegration. Mobilization of Material and Manpower Reserves	840	(18)
4. The Struggle for Leningrad	858	(7)
5. The Battle of Smolensk	865	(5)
6. The Fighting for the Ukraine	870	(6)
7. The Partisan War	876	(6)
8. The Repulse of the German Autumn Offensive at Leningrad and Rostov	882	(3)
9. The Repulse of the German Attack on Moscow	885	(11)
10. The Red Army's Counter-offensive at Moscow, December 1941	896	(7)
11. The Red Army's Counter-attacks at Leningrad and in the Crimea	903	(3)
12. Methods of a War of Annihilation	906	(13)
13. The Red Army's General Offensive in the Winter of 1942	919	(9)
14. The Establishment of the Anti-Hitler Coalition	928	(13)
III. STRATEGY AND POLICY IN NORTHERN EUROPE	941	(80)
GERD R. UEBERSCHAR
1. German Operations in the `Finland Theatre'	941	(31)
(a) Operation Platinum Fox (`Platinfuchs') against Murmansk	941	(4)
(b) Operation Arctic Fox (`Polarfuchs') against the Murmansk Railway	945	(8)
(c) Problems of German Naval and Air Operations in the Far North	953	(7)
(d) Balance Sheet of Military Operations in Northern Finland to 1941-1942	960	(6)
(e) New Strategic Deliberations after the Turn of 1941-1942	966	(6)
2. Finnish Army Operations	972	(11)
(a) Recovery of the Former Finnish Territories in Ladoga-Karelia and on the Karelian Isthmus	972	(4)
(b) Conquest of East Karelia and Advance to the River Svir	976	(4)
(c) Military Result of Operations in Southern Finland and the Problem of Joint Military Planning	980	(3)
3. Political Balance Sheet of German-Finnish `Brotherhood-in-arms' to the Winter of 1941-1942	983	(10)
4. The Attitude of Sweden Following the German Invasion of the Soviet Union	993	(10)
5. The Reaction of Occupied Denmark and Norway to Hitler's Attack on the Soviet Union	1003	(18)
IV. THE DECISIONS OF THE TRIPARTITE PACT STATES	1021	(28)
JURGEN FORSTER
1. The Committed Allies	1021	(20)
(a) Romania	1021	(7)
(b) Hungary	1028	(6)
(c) Slovakia	1034	(3)
(d) Italy	1037	(4)
2. The Reluctant Allies	1041	(8)
(a) Bulgaria	1041	(2)
(b) Japan	1043	(6)
V. VOLUNTEERS FOR THE `EUROPEAN CRUSADE AGAINST BOLSHEVISM'	1049	(32)
1. The `Crusade' Aspect	1049	(4)
JURGEN FORSTER
2. Volunteers from Western and Southern Europe	1053	(17)
JURGEN FORSTER
3. Volunteers from Northern Europe at the Beginning of the War against the Soviet Union	1070	(11)
GERD R. UEBERSCHAR
VI. THE FAILURE OF THE ECONOMIC `BLITZKRIEG STRATEGY'	1081	(108)
ROLF-DIETER MULLER
1. Economic Policy in Anticipation of Victory	1081	(15)
2. First Modifications	1096	(11)
3. The Supply of the Army in the East until the Failure before Moscow	1107	(34)
(a) Army Group North	1114	(3)
(b) Army Group South	1117	(7)
(c) Army Group Centre	1124	(17)
4. The Food-supply Issue: Starvation Strategy or Pragmatism	1141	(39)
(a) Self-supply by the Wehrmacht	1150	(7)
(b) Selective Starvation Policy against the Soviet Civilian Population	1157	(15)
(c) Mass Deaths among Soviet Prisoners of War	1172	(8)
5. Economic Causes and Consequences of the Failed Blitzkrieg	1180	(9)
VII. SECURING `LIVING-SPACE'	1189	(56)
JURGEN FORSTER
1. Pacification of the Conquered Territories	1189	(36)
2. Implementation of the `Commissar Order'	1225	(10)
3. The Organization of `Living-space'	1235	(10)
OPERATION BARBAROSSA IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE	1245	(11)
JURGEN FORSTER
BIBLIOGRAPHY	1256	(97)
I. Unpublished Sources	1256	(38)
II. Service Regulations	1294	(2)
III. Published Sources	1296	(57)
INDEX OF PERSONS	1353