How Germany Experienced the First Big Defeat: the Battle of Moscow (1941)

Battle of Moscow (Operatie Taifun) was the last major German assault during Operation Barbarossa near the end of 1941. The goal was the capture of Moscow. That would end the German invasion of the Soviet Union. So the Germans thought. What was the German perspective on the Battle of Moscow? How did German soldiers experience the war? This video is part of the series about the German perspective on World War II and is about the first German defeat in WW2.
History Hustle presents: How Germany Experienced the First Big Defeat: the Battle of Moscow (1941).
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SOURCES
- The German War. A Nation under Arms, 1939-45 (Nicholas Stargardt).
- Russia's War (Richard Overy).
- A Stranger to Myself: The Inhumanity of War: Russia, 1941-1944 (Willy Peter Reese).
IMAGES
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VIDEO
Video material from:
• Operation Barbarossa 1941
Operation Barbarossa 1941
• Amazing Raw Footage of...
Amazing Raw Footage of Operation Barbarossa during WWII
• Ostfront 1942 - Heavy ...
Ostfront 1942 - Heavy Combat Footage
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MUSIC
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[@HistoryHustle]

MOLOTOV-RIBBENTROP PACT: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6a7foVuh6l5pdk MYTHS OF OPERATION BARBAROSSA: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYnEXqB4m9Jjl5Y HISTORY OF THE RED ARMY (1922 - 1941): kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKrLp6d4gpaqkNU

[@thanos_6.0]

I really love this channel ❤

[@DS-xp4jb]

One myth you advance, that the Japanese would not attack Soviet Union. But why did the Japanese decide not to attack Soviet Union. Hint.... United States Marines.

[@almacmathain6195]

@@DS-xp4jb Or perhaps the Red Army’s defeat of the Japanese attempted invasion of Mongolia in 1939.

[@DS-xp4jb]

@@almacmathain6195 ? Are you listening to yourself?

[@almacmathain6195]

@@DS-xp4jb The the Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. The Japanese despite their alliance with Germany did not join in the attack like Germany’s other allies, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Finland and Spain. Historians put this down to the defeat of the Japanese invasion of Mongolia in 1939 by the Red Army under Zhukov. In July 1941 the US seized all Japanese assets in the USA, which was quickly followed by British and the Dutch Government, this meant Japan lost 75% of its overseas trade and 88% of its imported oil supplies. The Eastern territories of the Soviet Union did not have the minerals or oil that the Japanese were looking for and would not provide markets for Japanese exports. South East Asia, French Indo-China Thailand, Malaya, Burma and the Dutch East Indies did provide both the export markets and the strategic supplies, oil, rubber and minerals that Japan needed to continue its war with China and fight a new war with the US and Britain. Plainly the USMC did not deter the Japanese from attacking the USA in December 1941, six months after the German invasion of the Soviet Union and after the Soviets had started to transfer their Far Eastern Army West to defend Moscow and start to reverse the German invasion of Russia. So what was your comment supposed to imply?

[@krisfrederick5001]

“We have only to kick in the door,” Hitler said, “and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.” Door, after door after door...

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed.

[@blackvulcan100]

Based on his assumption of the Russian defeats by Finland, his biggest mis calculation of all the war.

[@flexusmaximus4701]

But 50 years later the Russians had nuclear weapons.

[@CB-py1xh]

If he had decided to actually liberate the population instead of robbing, enslaving and massacreing them even worse than the bolsheviks it WOULD have been just that way. An easy victory. The nazis lost to their own ideology. They failed to offer "a way out" and a decent life for everyone that accepted their rule.

[@splifstar85]

And then the rotten nazi structure collapsed 🙈🤣

[@alexbowman7582]

Before the war some German staff officers including Paulus ran a war game on the possible invasion of Russia. The outcome of the exercise was that German supply lines would completely break down after 6 months. They said we’ll win in three months.

[@HistoryHustle]

A big gamble that was...

[@SuperNevile]

@@HistoryHustle A bit like Afghanistan/Iraq these days.

[@emperorpalpatine7540]

@@SuperNevile Not even close! The Americans chose the exact time to pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq. And of course the American empire still going strong. The German defeat at the battle of Moscow was a clear sign that Nazi Germany will eventually end up in ruins! Don't you forget that the clash between Hitler and Stalin was a war of total annihilation.

[@SuperNevile]

@@emperorpalpatine7540 "Not even close" LOL. The Americans were in Iraq, lets seeee ah yes, for 8 years, and in Afghanistan forrrrrrr yes, twenty years. America has found (like the British beforehand) that empire (your word) building is a massively expensive exercise in both human and material cost. Don't believe politicians who say "our troops will be home for Christmas".....there's usually "mission creep".

[@leonardwei3914]

@@SuperNevile We are still in Iraq, it just doesn't get any media attention anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.

[@HistoryOfRevolutions]

"He who fights, can lose. He who doesn't fight, has already lost" - Bertolt Brecht

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting quote.

[@larryhall2805]

Excellent quote!

[@jacobburrell613]

@History of Revolutions What I'm about to say may or may not be a quote already, I don't know. "He/She who chooses diplomacy risks being seen as weak, but will certainly be seen more highly by others than he/she who rejects diplomacy, and chooses war, and risks having less support". If that's not a quote already, I've just claimed it as mine, and one for my country: Canada.

[@alxb2474]

Ich mag es! Klingt richtig!

[@alxb2474]

Here is a more realistic quote my grandfather had to by experience go through when he fought for the Dritte Reich which was more or less a quote of he who fights doesn’t get to be labeled or found to be a traitor therefore no execution bullet in head by refusing Hitler’s insane orders. Makes perfect sense why he went in as a medical officer saving lives including his own dodging red bullets !

[@binaway]

As a POW my father labored in the rail yards in Munich. During this winter he had to help unload train after train packed with German casualties, mostly frost byte. The German newspapers full of German victories. Dad thought this is not a victory.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. As a POW, where was he from? What else can you tell us about his experiences? Love to know.

[@lif3andthings763]

Was he a soviet pow? Because its crazy that he wasn’t killed.

[@binaway]

He was British. He witnessed a German guard set his dog, a German Shepard, on a Russian for no reason. The poor man broke the dogs jaw with his bare hands.

[@HistoryHustle]

Heavy stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[@Boyar300AV]

@@binaway British and French POWs were kind a priviliged prisoners since Slavs like Russians and Yugoslavs were threated as subhumans. Majority of Russians pows died in first two years of captivity. Germans became less cruel only after 1943 when they lost at Stalingrad and more than one hunder thousand of Germans became Soviet POWs.

[@michaelterry1000]

I remember hearing a story told by a German front line soldier returning to his unit after being on leave. He said that when he boarded the train it was standing room only but as the trip progressed other soldiers got off the train at their destinations. When the train finally got close to the front it was almost empty. That story alone tells of the supply line nightmare the Germans had.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

When the suffering of these men was told to hitler he went into a scoffing, story about when he was a boy he'd play in the snow in his lederhosen and found the cold refreshing. The fact that he could go inside to get warm never entered his mind. He was a totally self absorbed person. Meanwhile the troops froze to death in their foxholes.

[@HistoryHustle]

Crazy indeed.

[@Makeyourselfbig]

I doubt he played in the snow at minus 30 degrees.

[@helmortkuper2626]

Yeah totally real story

[@leon15776]

Because Hitler didn’t have any empathy

[@shergy1000]

A Corporal from the trenches of WW1 had no business micro managing a modern army. Why the OKH let this little man bully and dictate policy shows their own misgivings.

[@yuricosmo7775]

This channel is truley outstanding!! The subject matter is brilliantly put together and presented. My high school history teacher used to send me to sleep unlike this history teacher who makes history exciting and gripping. His students are very lucky indeed to have him as their teacher! Great work!

[@HistoryHustle]

Very nice to read, Yuri. Thank you!

[@patavinity1262]

Maybe the problem was with you and not your teacher.

[@chubbymoth5810]

@@patavinity1262 Having been at both sides of the teachers desk I am pretty sure it is always the teacher to blame. Many just can't teach despite the education they received. The key is always in empathy with the world of your students and link to that. Teaching mere facts is nonsense. It has to get context and relevance or will never be retained.

[@patavinity1262]

@@chubbymoth5810 I'm pretty sure most people in the world are stupid, and they don't benefit from their education regardless of the quality of the teachers. If you don't care about a subject, then you'll never learn about it. It's as simple as that.

[@cacampbell3654]

@@patavinity1262 Good teachers can inspire interest. It’s not as simple as that.

[@jonathangat4765]

Another interesting video. I like that you bring in less-known resources to your work.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks:)

[@bazzakeegan2243]

This is excellent Stefan.....You have brought a fresh perspective on this historic battle....It was the first major setback at Germany's attempt to defeat the Soviet Union....Please continue to share with us the titanic struggle between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.....

[@HistoryHustle]

Will do. Thank you for responding!

[@MrSlavikman]

Rostov in Nov 1941 was the first major defeat and route.

[@novabelgica518]

Excellent video. I knew a former wehrmacht officer who moved to New York after the war. He was a survivor of the eastern front. I met him when he was 90 years old and he still had the scar on his face where he had been shot. My interview with him is on my channel.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. I'll check it out!

[@nikkibaugher2427]

Awesome lecture, Professor!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@peterreinach8608]

This presentation about the struggles of the Russian and German forces during the German offensive to capture Moscow is brilliant. It presents for the first time the details about the hellish conditions that both sides encountered during the winter offensive to capture Moscow. Thanks for this excellent eye opening film.

[@HistoryHustle]

Nice to read, Peter. Thanks!

[@auroroborealis3449]

Your English is flawless. One of the reasons I like to watch and listen to your channel. Great video's 🇳🇱👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Appreciate you compliment. I do my best to improve. Glad you like it. Thanks!

[@CommanderNonna]

@@HistoryHustle cute

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@coling3957]

I visited Holland a few times and was impressed how everyone i met spoke excellent English.

[@HistoryHustle]

I hear that often 👍

[@arjanschaffer1318]

Very realistic video again, specially with the suffering of the local population mentioned as well. With their houses burned, their food taken there was almost no survival chance. My grandfather was fighting there as well. For the Germans. He died at the 22nd of February 1942 at Staraya Russa. At that day the Russian counter offensive was stopped at that specific location. But with very heavy casualties, for Germany the war was lost already. This was already the turning point. A year before Stalingrad.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hello Arjan, thanks for replying.

[@arjanschaffer1318]

@@HistoryHustle keeps up the good work! Always a great time when a new video is uploaded.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@HiTechOilCo]

@Arjan Schäffer - Nazi Germany lost W.W.II before the first shot was fired. They never had the industrial capacity to sustain and win that horrible war. More importantly, they never had enough fuel to keep their war machine running. It was pure insanity for them to think they could ever win.

[@davidtanslow3584]

It should be in the back of all soldiers minds, how will the enemy treat them if they are defeated? The very fact that none of the soldiers considered such a dilemma is the very reason why such atrocities were and are committed.

[@HistoryHustle]

Combine that with the hateful ideology both sides had.

[@keithehredt753]

GREAT topic brother. Appreciate all the research & time you do. Thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Keith!

[@xvsj5833]

Thank you for sharing your inspiring research of history Stephon 👍✌️

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@eugenebolo7625]

Thank you very much for the work you've done. If the team worked on this topic, then it was done at a high professional level, but if everything was done by you, then you are just a genius.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Eugene, many thanks for your reply!

[@robertm.8653]

Great video as always Stefan! Thanks for the content ❤️

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@thomasweatherford5125]

When I heard you quoting the book The German War, I went online and bought it immediately. Cannot wait to read about WW2 from that perspective.

[@HistoryHustle]

It's a good book!

[@HiTechOilCo]

@Thomas Weatherford - Just goes to show that when some say, "The victor writes the history", that comment is totally bogus and inaccurate.

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

Excellent work Stefan! Probably one of my favourite videos on your channel!

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome thanks! 🇳🇱♥️🇱🇺

[@danielgreen3715]

Great video Stefan you explain it all so easily and include anecdotes that are relevant and interesting brilliant

[@HistoryHustle]

Dank Daniel! 👍

[@LBG-cf8gu]

Yank, Boomer, Vet here. great history, real insight. Your students are lucky to have someone who teaches history & not rote memorization. i find it incredible that our high school teachers could make history so unengaging & uninteresting. thanks

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@kampfgruppepeiper501]

Great video! I really enjoy the way you put together your videos. Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

[@HistoryHustle]

Great to read, thank you!

[@michaelmorgan9601]

Thanks for the upload and hard work!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@nikkibaugher2427]

Ditto

[@HistoryHustle]

Great 👌

[@noldo3837]

I remember in the 1970's World at war series, in the episode abou Stalingrad, 1942, there are read letters from one German soldier... and as they were approaching Stalingrad and geting stuck in there, he was describing the utter terror of realizing they will have to survive another russian winter.

[@HistoryHustle]

Sounds interesting!

[@henryottis295]

My dad loved that series. I remember watching it with him. It was accurate and so well made.

[@DavidJones-oc3up]

Another well researched and presented video. I enjoy watching these. Thanks again

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you, David!

[@craigvoigt5798]

First time I've listened to Stephan. Excellent commentary. Letters powerful, moving. I will be checking the History Hustle videos out more...

[@HistoryHustle]

That's great to read Craig! Here's the full playlist of the German perspective series: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoXPfKmAapeHkM0

[@craigvoigt5798]

@@HistoryHustle Thank you!!

[@lynxrazor1494]

I Learnt More History from Stephan Than From My School lol. Thank You Stephan!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome, nice to read!

[@robertbruce1887]

Good documentary Stefan!

[@vearkenstone2670]

Thank you for the history lesson. So interesting, great presentation. 🐎

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for replying.

[@jesterflight8593]

I was a grad student that began teaching in 93, but if I had seen your lectures, I would have rather taught WW2 history. I retire from a large university in 6 months, only now I realised how boring, our professors were while proceeding through graduate school, this is why I took a teaching job at a university, across the country. Thanks for your passion in teaching, I realise, how inept I was teaching my discipline, only we didn’t even have the WWW when I completed graduate school, yet still I never experienced passion in teaching ,until I viewed your videos. God Speed & God Bless you, my young colleague, you deserve everything.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hey Jester, many thanks for writing this reply. All the best!

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

One of your finest. BZ. Zhukov had learned valuable lessons from the victory over Japan in 39, luckily the Germans didn't.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed. Thanks again for replying!

[@vanlendl1]

Zhukov had unlimited supply of soldiers to lose. How many red armists did desert to the germans and how many germans did desert to the red army?

[@logon235]

@@vanlendl1 no, he did not have an unlimited supply, but he did have veteran Eastern armies, new equipment, and some help from the Western Allies.

[@domelxx8379]

As usually grate documentary Thank you Stefan all the best from Toronto ON

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@j.a.emmanueltemplemann5627]

This is a great informative video. Thank you so much.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for your reply.

[@billyrock8305]

Incredibly historically accurate and factual channel. 🇳🇱 The perfect history teacher every teenager should have. 🇨🇦

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you, Billy 👍

[@samuelreese6357]

The mud and the cold were just as tough on the attackers as they were on the defenders.

[@HistoryHustle]

It's what I said in the video. But this is about the German perspective on the battle.

[@alexmuenster2102]

Excellent, intense delivery and fairly good enunciation (despite apparent difficulties stemming from childhood problems?). Emphasis properly placed upon the most important words. Keep up the good work!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Alex!

[@johnparsons1573]

Fantastic video. Very informative. Thank you for your work. I look forward to new videos

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome, here is the follow-up: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpfZd51oadiDY6s

[@vincentkosik403]

Love History...you bring a vivid expression 😊 to the story. Too bad the winter was one of the worst in Russian memory. Suppose that couldn't be factor in the military planning.. The fog of war They were pretty close to Victory but the Siberian troops surprised them..ouch

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for replying, Vincent.

[@pushpenderrana6190]

The reserves make all the difference especially if theyre adapted to the hostile weather

[@sergantDon]

Also, nearly total German air superiority needs to be mentioned. It had a continuous devastating effect on Soviet forces up until late 1943.

[@HistoryHustle]

Believe so.

[@sergantDon]

@@HistoryHustle BTW, how come Moscow hasn't been bombed into a stone age, if German Luftwaffe was in control of the skies and they came as close as 20 km from outskirts of the city? 2 factors - a layered antiaircraft defense and a unique camouflage campaign that made the Kremlin and all other tall and significant buildings virtually disappear. It's a fascinating story actually, many details are still classified to these days.

[@annoyingbstard9407]

Though this air superiority is only a German claim through Goebbel’s ministry.

[@cellardoor9882]

​@@sergantDonwhere u got that info from?

[@andrewruddy962]

Excellent presentation , thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@fredazcarate4818]

Thank you lad for producing another brilliant video. Kudos!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Fred!

[@EL20078]

5:40 No mass units were moved from Eastern 'Russia' to Moscow, the Siberian divisions were a myth. Most Soviet reserves were raised from a mass mobilization via internal military districts. Only one or two divisions were 'siberian' (78th rifle division). Good video though , thanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

I have my sources, lemme know about yours. Thanks.

[@EL20078]

@@HistoryHustle David Glantz, and also Nigel Askey, here is Askey's link regarding the 'Siberians' and Glantz also wrote about it in the journal of slavic military studies. Here is the title 'The Impact of Intelligence Provided to the Soviet Union by Richard Zorge on Soviet Force Deployments from the Far East to the West in 1941 and 1942'. If you want I have the full document. Happy to assist. Thanks

[@trafalgarlaw7109]

Interesting video as always :) When you mentioned the troops being available due to the information of a spy I thought "how many times did Japan and Germany "harmed" each other ?" Maybe this would be an interesting topic for the future. I know that the neutrality pact between the soviet union and Japan in April 1941 was not very good for the nazis. On the other hand the chinese army was supplied by germany for some time. Maybe there were even more things that were not done on purpose but turned out to be bad for the other

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply and yes, perhaps a topic for somewhere in the future.

[@badbotchdown9845]

The name of that spy was Richard Sorge living in Japan Stalin was reluctant to give credit to him, he was finally arrested then executed by Japaneses.

[@christopherfriend7402]

I'm hustling history - for you! Love that.

[@HistoryHustle]

:D

[@carlmorris6744]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Carl!

[@alexanderzaitsev9746]

Thank you for remembering that battle- it was first one where German soldiers were defeated so badly. Special thank you for not putting weather conditions as a main reason for Red Army victory. Yes,weather was helping, but without courage and sacrificing of simple Russian soldiers ,it wouldn't happen.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for replying!

[@MrSlavikman]

First major defeat was Rostov in Nov 1941.

[@Neil-yg5gm]

@@MrSlavikman I thought the German Army suffered its first defeat at Tobruk Easter 1941??? Rommel was the German General

[@aesop8694]

@@Neil-yg5gm Tobruk was not even a sideshow in the scheme of things.

[@alawesy]

@@Neil-yg5gm They suffered a defeat but it wasn’t major in comparison to Moscow. Plus the bulk of the Axis Army in North Africa was Italian. The Axis didn’t really suffer “major” defeats in North Africa on anything like the scale of the Eastern Front until El Alamein and the surrender in Tunisia.

[@yangold2007]

History Hustle - Can you make a video on the same topic but from the Russian viewpoint? My wife's grandfather voluntarily joined the Moscow People's Militia and was killed in battle near Moscow.

[@HistoryHustle]

The Russian perspective is something I hope to cover more in the future.

[@j.dragon651]

Very good video. No distracting music or CGI or whatever it is. Reading the letters was just the right touch.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Jerome. Soon more on this!

[@markusrobinson3858]

Very fine video. Congratulations & thank you!

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks!

[@yorky9585]

Got a new subscriber pal . 👍 I wish more people learnt about the past to avoid making the same mistakes in the future . So many people are so uneducated about ww2 and often make outrageously wrong statements , and they do not take into account subtle nuances that made the ally victory possible .

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel, my friend. Actually, if you haven't seen all the German perspective on WWII vids, I have a playlist for you in case you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoXPfKmAapeHkM0

[@yorky9585]

@@HistoryHustle brilliant stuff . Keep up the good work bud .

[@HistoryHustle]

Will do 👍

[@fazole]

Great photo! I've read stories of panzers invading into the city where the trams are still running, but I've never seen an actual photo of this!

[@HistoryHustle]

Not sure if that was the real thing. Could be another city. But it is representative.

[@harcovanhees394]

They didn’t reach Moscow but got close. See here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khimki?wprov=sfti1

[@michaelochido3244]

The German wehrmacht actually reached about 14 miles from Moscow and could see the towers of the Kremlin..check Mark Feltons productions on this topic.

[@chuckhendrix4053]

@@michaelochido3244 according to MF they couldn't see the towers of the Kremlin, these had been camouflaged. They probably mistook other towers for those of the Kremlin. They where close though.

[@Adrian-ju7cm]

Thanks for the video

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@johngates3844]

Well done. Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@ericscottstevens]

The earlier German envelopments at Smolensk were enough to slow themselves down, and later not reaching Moscow. Yet Moscow had little tactical significance if captured. Possibly seizing the railroad junctions and threatening the northern Volga (422.2 km away to the east). The Moskva-Volga Cana could have been somewhat useful.. Even if the Germans had captured Moscow they were in significant danger to a Soviet counter offensive to the south at Tula.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your insights on this.

[@pyellard3013]

I have read that as Moscow was the central railway hub for Russia, its capture would have posed significant logistics problems for the USSR...? Aldiosciw a major manufacturing area?

[@vojkankostic1869]

It is funny how some people still think that Russian winter and bad roads only affected German army and not Soviet.

[@MrKakibuy]

Another thing constantly being said is that they won only because of the American land lease, but the USSR didn't receive any major aid by the time the Battle of Moscow happend, only mere weeks after Barbarossa began

[@stanleyrogouski]

That view is a legacy of the Cold War where nobody in the United States would give the Soviet Union credit for anything.

[@yxada1998]

It's absolutely affected both sides, anyone who says otherwise is delusional. That being said, the Siberian troops were well equipped and well trained for winter operations. Many German units were still wearing summer gear ( and would continue to do so for some time ). For this particular battle and setting , the advantage went to the Soviet's. Still, the battle had to be fought by both sides. One last point when it comes to roads. The Soviet supply lines to Moscow were excellent ( Even in poor weather ) Germany was stretched perilously thin even before the weather turned foul. I still stress the battle had to be won by the soldiers present. Germany clearly were routed and turned back ( Doesn't matter what they were wearing or how well trained for the winter they were/were not )

[@stanleyrogouski]

@@yxada1998 It was also partly won by Soviet intelligence (who I think passed word onto Stalin that the Japanese were going to attack the United States). That allowed Stalin to move the Siberian troops west. As for the scale of Russia becoming a force in and of itself nobody is better at conveying it than Tolstoy in War and Peace. He makes it very clear that it was distance, not winter, that defeated Napoleon. I'm sure there was a German translation in 1941. Too bad for Hitler he never read it.

[@yxada1998]

@@stanleyrogouski Agree completely. Stalin's spy reported back with certainty that Japan's focus was elsewhere. The German blitzkrieg was incredible ( despite the losses ) during Barbarossa. In the end the vast distances involved became a logistical nightmare. My point above was only to demonstrate an advantage for that particular battle. People can make of it what they will. The supply issue across the long distance was something they would/could never address. Personal opinion here. Why attack Moscow anyway? Even if it fell Stalin and the red army would not have folded. It made far more sense to go straight for the oil ( Which Germany was always on the verge of running out ) in the caucuses. Even with that scenario the logistical nightmare would begin anew. Doomed from the start.

[@zulubeatz1]

Very good feature. Ive seen many videos on this time and this is one of the best.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! 👍👍

[@azoniarnl3362]

Very good video, I really like the personal touch with the letters.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! Find it also very interesting myself.

[@HiTechOilCo]

In any realistic scenario, Nazi Germany never stood a chance of winning that horrible, unnecessary war. They never had the industrial capacity to sustain and win it. More importantly, they never had enough fuel to keep their war machine going. Consequently, Nazi Germany lost that war before the first shot was fired. Over 65 million people died in that horrific war over an evil cause that was doomed to failure from the very beginning. It's very important to understand why Nazi Germany lost W.W.II, or those same mistakes could be repeated all over again, with millions more people dying.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@ericgrace9995]

To be fair, everyone expected a Russian collapse. The sheer scale of Russian losses and early German victories led most observers to think that German victory was inevitable. It was incomprehensible to them that a country could continue to resist after the losses they had endured.

[@nickymatthews2465]

MacArthur didn't. Using China as the example he said, in October 1940, "a people with sufficient numbers, sufficient morale and sufficient space to retreat into simply can't be conquered by any Blitz. On the base of China's defense I venture to predict that the German offensive against Russia will fail. Sooner or later, at this spot or that, it will bog down and peter out".

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed, some were critical of Hitler's plans to attack the USSR.

[@JDDC-tq7qm]

This is why Russia will go down in history as one of the greatest army that ever existed

[@coala2001]

geez, i love this channel! much love from Brazil, professor!

[@HistoryHustle]

Awesome, thank you for your reply!

[@HiTechOilCo]

"geez'?

[@davidhuber9418]

thank you! that was awesome!

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers!

[@zanzao-1ps318]

Here are some video suggestionts that may be interesting: Operation Weserübung and the German D-DAY in Norway: How did the Germans take out two nations so quickly?(Denmark capitulated in 6 hours) The forgotten desert war-The Italian Ottoman War of 1911 The Irish war of independence- Guerrilla and skirmishes Thailand in WW2- Japan's forgotten ally?

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps in the future. Cannot tell when or promise anything.

[@zanzao-1ps318]

@@HistoryHustle Sure!

[@forgetandy9]

Final photo is striking. Compelling work

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks!

[@balancedactguy]

Enjoyed your Video Stefan!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Great!

[@timw5108]

The "very first major German defeat" was not in Russia. It happened in the skies over Britain. Winning the Battle of Britain, and remaining free and independent, made everything else possible on the Western Front, and also enabled supplies to be sent to the USSR. That said, I will quote Winston Churchill: "It was the Russians who tore the guts out of the German Army".

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. I don't see the Battle of Britain as the first BIG defeat. I see it more as a tie. Mostly due to the fact that the Germans didn't expect to conquer Britain, but make the country sue for peace so they could cooperate in the future. Moscow was a prime objective to capture. Most Germans expected that. However it turned out for the worst. In case you're interested: I did cover the Battle of Britain. Right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5DIY2VuoctqoqM

[@bw6524]

@@HistoryHustle hard to see it as a tie when the Luftwaffe lost more aircraft, more aircrew and failed to achieve its goal of gaining air supremacy over the Channel and southern England. The RAF only had to survive as an effective fighter force capable of defending the airspace that the Luftwaffe wanted to dominate. The RAF succeeded in its requirement, the Luftwaffe failed to achieve its objective. Of course, Germany was hoping to knock Britain out of the war easily and were planning to invade if necessary but they didn't. They failed at the first stage, see above. Germany gave up it efforts to knock out Britain and moved on to the USSR, minus the 2000 aircraft, 3500+ killed and captured aircrew, several thousand tons of ordnance, hundreds of thousands of litres of fuel and several weeks of prime fighting weather, caused by its failure to achieve victory in an operation of its own choosing. All of the aforementioned expenditure of men, materiel and time was a blessing for Russia. It all sounds like a loss to me.

[@johnthomson6507]

Thanks I just wonder how the germans though they could win with the logistical problems. The lack of roads Soviet resistance and the rasputitsa. With all that they actually did pretty well. After briansk and viazma. A Great victory seemed at hand. However as is typical of Zhukov. The counter attack while successful. Was very costly in troops. Stalin's insistence on further counter attacks cost the red army hundreds of thousands of casualties. When they would have been better training up the troops for another defense of Moscow. Or as Stalin ignored the intelligence the start of blue.

[@davidplowman6149]

I think it was a matter of them believing their own propaganda. They believed they had the superior system and were the proper race. All it would take for them to accomplish anything was the will to do it. I don’t think Germany’s leaders were idiots, but they throughly believed something that was not true. It led them to do many stupid things, like not having winter clothes just in case the war dragged into winter. I mean, they might believe it was impossible but if they were wrong they would lose a lot of veterans to frostbite.

[@aajoro]

It's a little unfair to blame Zhukov. High casualties were inevitable during the winter counteroffensive. Huge snowdrifts meant that tanks and infantry (and their logistics) were obliged to attack along roads - predictable attack routes, easily defended by the Germans, as the video suggests.

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

Zhukov gets too much blame. It was the inexperience of Field Officers who ordered suicidal infantry charges on fortified positions that caused most of the waste of life. This horrified Zhukov who even issued explicit orders NOT to launch infantry attacks across open ground and without artillery preparation. Sadly the purges had left the Red Army officer core decimated and vulnerable to undertaking futile attacks without the training and experience to adapt to local situations.

[@lif3andthings763]

@@davidplowman6149 No they were definitely idiots. Their own logistic officers said they could not realistically win and generals wanted Moscow instead of oil in the south which they needed.

[@HistoryHustle]

Ordinary Germans, but also military command were at multiple occasions convinced the Soviets were on their last legs.

[@chadczternastek]

Did anyone ever tell you that you look exactly like that dude on Das Boot, the series not the movie. The one they swap prisoners. I swore for a whole minute that was you. Great upload. Thank you. You have amazing, comprehensive content. Love it.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@maincoon6602]

Another great video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you.

[@nickpapagiorgio5056]

I absolutely loved this video Prof Stefan!!! I have always wondered what mine and my family’s thoughts would have been towards the war if we were all in Germany during this tumultuous time, if we would have been patriotic and stayed in Germany to support the war or would have tried to flee before it started. I’d like to think it would be the latter but so much lies and propaganda were fed to the Germans leading up to the war for years and I believe no one can truly say what they would have done or supported with being fed all of the nazi propaganda and knowing not much else like so many Germans did. I would also like to mention that you forgot to say my name at the end of the movie again lol I was at the top of the list of mentions tho this time! Lol!!!! Nick Terranova is my name

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic, Nick!

[@ericvonmanstein2112]

Well when you listen to the speeches of National socialists,you will realize the merit of their thoughts and that many things are happening now They were not so wrong...... It is only western propaganda which has taken control of people,s minds

[@nickpapagiorgio5056]

@@ericvonmanstein2112 I always said if Hitler never thwarted the persecution of the Jews and kept his mind on politics and rearming Germany which he did so well…. He would have been a fantastic leader. That is hard for people that aren’t historians to even fathom, but if he stopped after regaining the Sudetenland and Anschluss and put his antisemitic feelings aside he would have gone in the history books in a much different light. I don’t agree at all with the holocaust it was one of the most awful crimes ever committed. If he stuck with politics and Germany he would have been one of the best leaders in history. Of course that didn’t happen. But it’s the truth.

[@simplymadness8849]

The Second World War was such a gargantuan conflict that you could spend literal years only studying one campaign or battle. The battle of Moscow is so harrowing for me in particular because it simply feels like the only time that the Germans could have realistically achieved some kind of ultimate victory so the stakes are high as hell.

[@BHuang92]

Even if the city was taken, the war on the Eastern Front could realistically never end for a victory for Germany because the Russians could move further to the interior to continue the war. Overall, it was an no-win situation for Germany, even if Moscow was taken.

[@simplymadness8849]

@@BHuang92 I know what the popular opinion is right now with the benefit of around 100 years odd hindsight. I’m speaking of a perspective where you’re putting yourself in the shoes of an observer at the time and to me at least it’s absolutely nail biting.

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@@simplymadness8849 In late October 1941, in a moment of panic, Stalin approached the Bulgarian ambassador Stamenov and told him that he thought Moscow was going to be captured and that everything would fall to pieces. But Stamenov responded: “You are crazy. Even if you withdraw to the Urals, you will win in the end.”

[@HistoryHustle]

@SimplyMadness: true, the scale is gigantic.

[@larrysherk]

Extremely well done !

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@grahamrobson9292]

Excellent épisode such clear overview and use of evidence

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks.

[@matthewhuszarik4173]

The Battle of Moscow was the end of Germany’s chance of ever winning in the Soviet Union. It turned the Eastern front into a war of attrition that the Germans couldn’t win do to a lack of logistics and resources. The ease with which Germany ran through Belarus and Ukraine gave them a false illusion of an easy victory. Many in Belarus and Ukraine at first viewed the Germans as liberators from Stalinism that had killed millions of their fellow citizens in the very recent past.

[@frankieseward8667]

But then mass slaughter and after that all support went down the drain.

[@declancotter722]

Taking Moscow wouldn't have resulted in a German victory. The Soviet government had already moved further east and the germans had exhausted their fuel supplies in October. Moreover the German had made it clear to the Soviets that surrender meant death, so their choice was to die fighting or die in captivity. My view is that the germans were doomed from the start

[@frankieseward8667]

@@declancotter722 agreed. After seeing the slaughter in the early stages, Soviets decided Stalin was the better option.

[@HistoryHustle]

@ Matthew Huszarik : thanks for your reply.

[@lycaonpictus9662]

@@declancotter722 Agreed, had the Germans taken Moscow it probably wouldn't have been too dissimilar from Napoleon's capture of Moscow a century & a half earlier. The war would have continued, the front would still be thinly defended and vulnerable to counterattack in places, the German army would still be suffering from the brutal winter conditions for which they were ill-prepared, units would still be heavily depleted of manpower and equipment from the battles before and at Moscow, and the logistical situation particularly in regards to fuel would still be dire. Moreover the Red Army would in all likelihood still be capable of going over on the offensive. Had Moscow fallen we'd likely just be talking about a subsequent Soviet counterattack that recaptured it and a disastrous rout for the Germans, much like the one they actually suffered historically before Moscow.

[@greenlime1997]

Even to this day I don’t think people realize or appreciate just how vast and desolate Russia is, even if the Germans captured Moscow the government would’ve simply moved further east, and to that point even if Germany was successful at Stalingrad a year later there were still many major industrial cities along the Volga that remained in Soviet hands (Samara, Kazan, Ulyanovsk etc) and the Red Army almost certainly would’ve offered the same level of fanatical resistance there as they did at Stalingrad. Barbarossa was doomed from the start, Russia is simply too big of a country to be conquered by a foreign power.

[@HistoryHustle]

Most likely yes.

[@daviddoran3673]

The Democratic and humanitarian NATO believe they can defeat Rui.

[@brianticas7671]

Are you forgetting that the Mongols took over Russia in cold temperatures?

[@greenlime1997]

@@brianticas7671 no I'm not forgetting that, the Mongols were the notable exception which was due to a variety of factors like that Russia in the 13th century was extremely sparsely populated with the Kievan Rus being only a loose confederacy of slavic kingdoms with a weak central authority that the Mongols were easily able to conquer, nothing approaching the powerful Russian Empire or the Soviet Union

[@earitfx]

My first time here I'll be back. Good work thanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Great, welcome to the channel.

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Great presentation my man!!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@stanleyrogouski]

German soldiers thinking: "Hey we're going to take Moscow just like Napoleon did...." Just curious. Did anybody call it the "Red Army" in 1941? Or was it the "Soviet Army?"

[@CruelDwarf]

The name was Workers and Peasants Red Army, Red Army for short. Soviet Army as a designation was adopted post-war.

[@allanfifield8256]

It was the 'Red Army' at the time.

[@HistoryHustle]

Red Army indeed. Yet, I also use Soviet army, or Soviet armed forces, or Soviet soldiers to mix up the use of words.

[@stanleyrogouski]

@@HistoryHustle I was inclined to think "red" army was an informal term that came out of the civil war. "Reds" against "Whites."

[@F.R.E.D.D2986]

The biggest loss of ww2 for Germany were the logistics having a stroke and dying

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes.

[@TheBorg01]

and glorius red army counterattack !!

[@F.R.E.D.D2986]

@@TheBorg01 no, mostly logostics. The soviets actually only launched 3 counterattacks by august

[@TheBorg01]

@@F.R.E.D.D2986 nobody really cares about the number of them , your downplay doesnt work , even the hustle dude had to mention counter offensive in the video as it was the Red Army's winter counter-offensive that drove the Wehrmacht from Moscow by mostly bringing their most elite winter troops and reserve from Siberia !

[@TheBorg01]

@@HistoryHustle Wtf mr History hustler it was not only German logistics failing and heroic stubborn Soviet defence, but also counteroffensives that pushed the exhausted and freezing German armies back 100 to 250 km from Moscow. This victory provided an important boost for Soviet morale, with the Wehrmacht suffering its first defeat. Having failed to vanquish the Soviet Union in one quick strike, Germany now had to prepare for a prolonged struggle. The blitzkrieg on Moscow had failed.

[@PankajKumar-tq4jl]

Excellent analysis 👍👍👍👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you for replying.

[@totallymightybykrisameryck6711]

#Mighty #KZbin #channel. Explained very clearly + I like the perspective you use: perspective of the soldiers at the front! #Splendid #Work. Best regards from nearby Brussels, Belgium, Kris

[@HistoryHustle]

Great to read. Thanks for replying!

[@surinfarmwest6645]

Whoops, time to get a cup of cocoa ..... is it Saturday? Always good to hear your lessons Stefan. "Long, thin supply lines, Russian winter, student did not thoroughly read the homework textbook - Napoleon's Trip To Moscow and receives E- for achievement and D- for effort " Herr Schmitt - A. Hitlers history teacher.

[@HistoryHustle]

In the future you'll see two new vids a week: one on Wednesday, one on Saturday (if all goes well).

[@Arigator2]

It's good that he's a schoolteacher because this is child level history.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks kiddo.

[@thomasknobbe2108]

And it is through "child level history," told well as done here, that children and those who are new to the story become interested and learn more, maybe even beginning a lifelong interest or possible career. If you are not informed by these videos, I am certain that you can find other sources for your research. For myself, the quotations from the German soldiers of the fights for the villages gave me a new understanding of how the actual fighting around Moscow took place.

[@bazzakeegan2243]

Who are you? Richard Overy? Laurence Rees? Perhaps Max Hastings? What a short sighted, mundane comment!

[@charlessoper4355]

Very impressed with his great knowledge , and love of history!,

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you, Charles!

[@georgeurbanski16]

Just discovered it... Really nice narration, full of facts.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very nice to read, George. Thanks and welcome to the channel. If you're interested: here is the full playlist of vids about the German viewpoint on WW2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoXPfKmAapeHkM0

[@georgeurbanski16]

I have historical background too 🙂 (although do work in the field)

[@54032Zepol]

I think its funny how some people are like "it took 43 nations to defeat nations germany! Thats how superior they were!" And I'm like Germany had European allies too they didn't invade Russia by themselves. Also if naxi Germany was that superior why didn't they win? Why did hundreds of the upper echelon "superior" germans commit suicide?

[@stanleyrogouski]

I think the Germans held out for as long as they did partly because the Anglo Americans and Soviets didn't really trust each other. Had Eisenhower opened up a second front in 1943, the German Army probably would have collapsed a lot more quickly as it became obvious that the choice was either "be occupied by the Soviets or be occupied by the Americans and the British."

[@HistoryHustle]

Oil shortage was the main reason Germany lost WW2.

[@stanleyrogouski]

@@HistoryHustle Well the United States Navy had a bad oil shortage in the Pacific (mainly because of a shortage of long range oil tankers) and still managed to beat the Japanese at Midway and take the offensive at Guadalcanal in 1942.

[@novadhd]

Great content on Barbarossa! Things would have turned out differently if they focused on Moscow and not the oil fields.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@stephenbinion6348]

Without the oil the Germans were doomed. They should have ignored Leningrad, Stalingrad, and Moscow.

[@tsarbomba01]

@@stephenbinion6348 wrong, if Leningrad was ignored, Russians could move on Germany via Finland and Norway. The mistake was Army Group Center. Plan to win: - rush to Leningrad and Baku/ Stalingrad - Pincer to Moscow only after that (preferably before November)

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting thoughts.

[@HiTechOilCo]

In any realistic scenario, Nazi Germany never stood a chance of winning that horrible, unnecessary war. They never had the industrial capacity to sustain and win that war. More importantly, they never had enough fuel to keep their war machine going. Consequently, Nazi Germany lost that war before the first shot was fired. Over 65 million people died in that horrific war over an evil cause that was doomed to failure from the very beginning.

[@BunkersBPV]

Weer erg interessant en prachtig en duidelijk verteld. Top

[@HistoryHustle]

Super!

[@mikearchambeau5640]

I recently happened upon your channel. I want to commend you on your efforts.Your presentations are excellent. I greatly appreciate the extensive information contained therein and clean method of presentation. Good luck in your future efforts.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks Mike. Welcome to this channel!

[@MjrCarnyx]

Toffe video weer! Goed gemaakt. Dank voor het delen

[@HistoryHustle]

Dank voor je bericht 👍

[@vaidyasantosh8559]

Thks 4 video

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@johnparsons1573]

Great site. Glad I found it. I love world war two stuff.

[@HistoryHustle]

Welcome to the channel 👍

[@davidraper5798]

Nicely presented.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@3HOCFRESKO]

Good historical content!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks.

[@kaleneet0109]

Wederom weer een mega interessante video!

[@HistoryHustle]

Bedankt, Jesse!

[@home2039]

Stephan, what can I say, you are awesome!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! :)

[@schweinhund7966]

Excellent video!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks 👍

[@panchorancho643]

Wie meistens top! Bravo steve

[@HistoryHustle]

Danke!