The Hell Above Kursk: Forgotten MASSIVE Air Battle | World War II

[@historyatwar]

I want to address that some clips in this video may not perfectly match the narrative. However, they do relate to the overall message I am trying to convey. As a smaller history channel, it can be challenging to always source 100% relevant footage, especially given our limited budget. While some segments may not align perfectly, I assure you that the narration is entirely accurate. I am continuously working to improve the quality of my productions with each video. Thank you for your understanding and support :)

[@TrilobitesRTasty]

This is an excellent video! I only now discovered this channel, and subscribed. You are almost at 100k! Preparing these work products must take a tremendous amount of time, so it is appreciated.

[@kbtred51]

Narration perhaps learn ME fighters like BOAC jets. Young Australian would not expect us on Q.U.A.N.T.A.S

[@robertbarker4411]

😮😮die 7 n6​@@TrilobitesRTasty

[@DeepTexas]

you’re doing very well, keep going

[@MrBigstick25]

Your videos are like a breath of fresh air. They’re not a copy and paste of others that I have seen time and time again. Theres information, clips and still pics of things that I have never seen before and I’m a huge fan of war history especially during this time period. Great job and much appreciated!

[@johnaguirre9196]

Never seen this aspect of the Kursk battle before.Very intetesting.

[@robertkubicki126]

I love this kind of stuff, learning more all the time.

[@milosmevzelj5205]

Reed Black Cross - Red Star vol. 5 about Kuban and Kursk air battles. Best book of eastern airwar in 1943 by Christer Bergstrom. This is where narrative of this video is from. But book is allways better.

[@poppymyth8868]

It hurts how underrated this channel is

[@beachcomber1able]

Me too. 😆

[@TORINGENorbirdpeople]

Not everyone who posts high quality content gets high ratings views and comments...

[@IAmBeanz1]

@@Swellington_ I call it a me 262

[@neilcook9088]

@@Swellington_ Yeah it's even got a "camp" gay accent - really bloody annoying!!

[@chadhaire1711]

THis shit channel sucks...lots of these clips have NOTHING to do with the Russian Front......

[@ConradAinger]

The air battles on the Eastern Front are not forgotten in Russia, nor in Germany. It is simply that as Americans were not involved, then there are no Hollywood movies about them.

[@donaldshotts4429]

Well since Stalin received 15k American planes then we were indirectly involved. They loved P-39s

[@ConradAinger]

@donaldshotts4429 Indeed, 4773 P-39s were sent, and 3125 A-20s, these being what the Soviets found most useful. Not sure the total came to 15000 though. The British also sent many aircraft. Having said this, I'm not sure what your point is. America and Britain had to supply the Soviets with all they could, for the decisive battles were being fought on the Eastern Front.

[@donaldshotts4429]

@@ConradAinger My point is we were involved. I've found myself in many debates over the years with who wins if it's Germany vs Russia headsup? Many highly educated people take Russia, but they fail to realize the extent of Lend-lease and the massive amounts of resources the Germans devoted to air defense in the West and the Battle of the Atlantic. Not to mention probably 50 divisions between France, Norway, and the Mediterranean

[@ConradAinger]

@donaldshotts4429 When in my first post I said that Americans were not involved, I clearly meant directly involved. Eight out ten German casualties in WW2 were sustained on the Eastern Front. Actually, my own great grandfather was one of them.

[@johnking6252]

I've always known the ground battle was brutal, never considered the air supremacy aspect and the battle for it , should've! 🌍✌️🌎

[@blaze1148]

My fav. War channel atm - excellent work my friend covering little known aspects of WWII coupled with rare footage.

[@historyatwar]

Thanks !!🤝

[@Swellington_]

what? little known aspects and rare footage? 😂 😂 ok

[@blaze1148]

@@Swellington_ ...the air battle is not heard of very often in the Kursk write ups or documentaries as they mainly deal with the Tank dynamics.....is that too difficult to understand^^....I suggest you watch cat videos.

[@sintenal4078]

So look forward to each and every one of these videos, thank you!

[@george1la]

Very good view of the battle. No one looks at airpower and what happened there that effected the overall battle.

[@LordBuckhouse]

By the middle of 1943 one of the main problems for the Luftwaffe was that much of their force was stripped out of Russia and sent back to Germany to fight the air war over Germany. And for the German ground forces at Kursk most of their 88 flak guns and crews were also sent back to Germany as well. Both things work against Germany at the battle of Kursk.

[@joangratzer2101]

THE COVER PHOTO IS OF HANS ULRICH RUDEL; STUKA PILOT WHO WAS ONE OF THE FEW TO RECEIVED DIAMONDS TO HIS KNIGHTS CROSS. N.Y. TIMES REPORTER TO RUDEL, "DO YOU REGRET ANYTHING?" RUDEL: "ONLY THAT WE LOST."

[@ilimes]

i thought he was the _only_ recipient of that award?

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

I heard that he received the diamond Tiara and silk Tutu?

[@joangratzer2101]

@@ilimes 27 MEN RECEIVED THE DIAMONDS TO THEIR KNIGHTS CROSSES.

[@ilimes]

@@joangratzer2101 ROGER THAT, THANKS.

[@NYG5]

Lmao what a chad

[@rafaelmartinez6784]

Thank you very much for this very informative documentary. Yes indeed, I have been studying war scenarios and never heard about this aerial campaign during the Kursk battle. Good job. 🦾🦾🦾

[@JB-rt4mx]

Erich Hartman in ME 109 G..."KAYARA 1" Black Petal nose with JG 52

[@adamjewell422]

Karaya..

[@tonyclough9844]

Eric 352 shot down, they never mention the hundreds of anti tank guns, artillery, tanks and supply lines he destroyed.

[@traxel14]

@@tonyclough9844 I doubt that he ever attacked these targets. If so, he would have mentioned it in his book!

[@jeffreymcdonald8267]

@@traxel14 Agreed. I think someone is confusing Hartmann with Rudel.

[@Beanzishere]

Loving the channel, keep it up

[@dropway9108]

This was a great video. There really is almost nothing discussed about the respective air forces on both sides and their contributions to the Citadel Battle. Thanks for putting this together. Subscribed!

[@juliusdream2683]

The Soviet Union knew that the attack was coming so it’s pretty hard to lose when you have time to prepare for an attack,no matter how powerful. Surprise is a game changer.

[@bobsakamanos4469]

The Brits were sharing Ultra intercepts even before the Germans invaded in 1941.

[@score25]

Good work. Thanks for the video! 👍

[@needap0078]

Best WW2 documentary channel on KZbin at this present time Respect 🫡

[@sharebear421]

Crazy how the soviets could lose 6,000 tanks and 4,000 aircraft and could still win. Manpower was off the charts. By this time hitler interfered way too much to salvage any type of win

[@igotfriendsinlowplaces2971]

FDR saved the Soviets. He also ruined Weimar Germany and the US economy. He was a pos cripple

[@mutlugameofhalit]

Because they were still had more than 54000 tank and 36k aircraft.

[@boanergesbezerra166]

That was about 3 months production of tanks by Soviets. Easily replaced in a few weeks. Soviet losses were huge ,in total it is estimated 28 million casualties or about 5 times more than German losses during course of war on the Eastern front. Guess Hitler didn't read about LOGISTIC PROBLEMS of FRENCH GREAT ARMY in 1812. Both France and Germany suffered logistic support and had almost the same fate at BEREZINA RIVER.

[@michaelnaven213]

I quest the overused quote”quantity has a quality in its own” is correct.👍

[@davidbros849]

The best strategy for Germany was not to attack Russia at all. Stalin was happy to divide the world between them.

[@dwightburns6699]

Excellent you come up with new content pretty regular thanks for that I appreciate it and so do so many others😊

[@historyatwar]

Thank you :)

[@skelejp9982]

THX for the great video! I play a BF42 modification called Forgotten Hope Secret Weapons, and we play a few of the Kursk maps. The Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik was one of the most armored planes that existed... Its most notable feature was the inclusion of armor in an airframe load-bearing scheme. Armor plates replaced the frame and paneling throughout the nacelle and middle part of the fuselage, and an armored hull made of riveted homogeneous armor steel AB-1 (AB-2) secured the aircraft's engine, cockpit, water and oil radiators, and fuel tanks. Underside could withstand 2 medium tank shots, kinda like a flying tank, that flies like a tractor... They had a version carrying 192x 5Kg AT bombs KV tanks also had full armor, same armor on rearside as front, and also top, very different compared to other tanks...typical Soviet.

[@vindobonaification]

This is amazing. I have never seen such footage of the german/soviet air war of WW2.

[@PecosChico]

"You cannot turn a handkerchief into a bedspread." ~ Adolf Galland

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

"You can turn many handkerchiefs into a bedspread." ~ Doo Doo Patrol

[@PecosChico]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol Thanks for your input, but I'll stick with Galland.

[@Doo_Doo_Patrol]

@@PecosChico You should stick with me. I am more resourceful than he.

[@PecosChico]

@@Doo_Doo_Patrol Do you even know who Adolf Galland was?

[@SerbanOprescu]

I knew that the air battle existed, and I knew the outcome, but I never knew of the battle itself. Nor did I know of the nerve-racking, nail-biting details and prelude of this struggle. Excellent video, detailed and insightful report. Thank you.

[@paytonmcnatt8830]

Excellent content as usual! The narrator does take away from the epic nature of this stuff somewhat though. I think it’s all AI but the the voices used originally seemed to fit the content much better. Still great stuff

[@loganlangley8401]

Fantastic video as always 💪

[@tb7771]

I have been an avid WW2 buff since the 70's. This is by far the best Kursk air power documentary I have seen. 😊

[@historyatwar]

Wow, thank you!!

[@SuperNoname17]

Congrats, nicely done! Videos like this are bringing info,data,etc ! Bravo !!!

[@oscarmadison8530]

Excellent work on this one.

[@timesly1]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@christopherthrawn1333]

Excellent work. Nobody has done a documentary about the airbattle of the battle field.

[@deanjericevic8912]

A battleship, cruiser, how many destroyers?; 517 tanks, 19 in one day; all credited to his kills! Hans-Ulrich Rudel who flew a stuka was Germany’s most decorated pilot who flew more missions than any other pilot in WW2. “You are only lost when you give up on yourself”. A Finish remarked of him as "a one man air force".

[@ryan2580]

Awesome video! On a topic very rarely covered. Well done as usual!! Keep up the amazing work you're doing! Please!

[@markdean1984]

Excellent documentary. Thank you

[@tomperkins5657]

"ME-262" Sigh. Almost had me there.

[@PanzerdivisionWiking]

Your channel is so good and well put together, another full video out already?! Thank you for your dedication to presenting historical uploads!

[@derek6579]

Pictures used are from all over the place, including Joachim Marseilles in the western desert. Not good production at all!

[@loganpollock1689]

At 18:25 is a photo of a captured P-47.

[@ronbell7920]

good catch. I thought so!

[@rolandvoss3600]

A fascinating documentary! 👍 This channel seems to be a great find.

[@jamistyk2538]

Awesome.

[@Theearthtraveler]

That's an interesting aspect of this battle.

[@peterkin1010]

Thry had Dornier 335s flying at Kursk? That's something I never knew.

[@tekis0]

Excellent video, as usual. Suggestion: Instead of using old footage (Stuka "Anton") or ME262, your use of period-correct stills, paintings, maps, etc would be more effective. Thank-you.

[@boanergesbezerra166]

Kursk was a TACTICAL VICTORY for GERMANY, MARSHAL ZHUKOV wanted to end the war, with huge number of tanks, airplanes and men's superiority. Zhukov had to use his tank reserves at PROKHOROVA, when they were decimated by superior new Tanks like quantum leap TIGER . But time was on Soviet's hands as new divisions were formed and tank production , plus airplanes were times over Germany's (just mention about 80 000 T34 tanks were produced),as STALIN noted QUANTITY HAS A QUALITY ON ITSELF. THANKS FOR VERY INTERESTING VIDEO.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

And then Hitler cancelled Citadel, in favour of Italy

[@nickmitsialis]

not just that, but the Germans were able to mount HIGHLY effective night raids against the large industrial cities that they could reach (Per 'Blitz Over The Volga' by Degtev and Zubov) that really put a dent in Soviet production==but The USSR had weeks worth of materiel stocked up before hand. Meanwhile, I have been waiting for over 6 months for 'Aces At Kursk' by Christopher Lawrence to be FINALLY released.

[@modero6370]

"Tactical Victory"? Shouldn't that be something like reaching your goals and getting the upper hand in the battle.? It was precisely the other way around. Germany had to break off the offensive without reaching any significant goals. All it amounted for was a gigantic waste of resources, setting the stage for a strategic withdrawal.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

@@nickmitsialis WOW, I'm getting a massive erection......dribble, dribble.

[@cirka4497]

​@@modero6370 Exactly, you right. Also videos like this take the Nazi numbers at face value.

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

Good video. But to be honest, the chances of the German attack at Kursk were pretty damn poor to begin with.

[@gregorymilla9213]

The Russian knew the German battle plans without surprise the Germans had no chance .

[@TobiKcooks]

Also it got delayed several times

[@theylivewesleep4570]

Very rare Dornier Do 335 3:00 min could've been a game changer but was overlooked until to late awesome aircraft may have been even better than the me262 twin engine power with same drag as single engine very powerful

[@TheRumbles13]

Thanks for your hard work, I enjoy your videos.

[@historyatwar]

Thank you :)

[@buckeyeranger6438]

Good video. Interesting view. Thanks for all your efforts.

[@guidomontalcini6835]

Thanks for this video. Very nice.

[@Whispsinger]

Very well done. Thanks

[@browngreen933]

Your 100% original footage is far superior than big studio documentaries with their distracting expert talking heads.

[@handy335]

Thank you for an excellent video. Well done!

[@ericscottstevens]

My Grandfather never flew with Ju87 dual 37mm as 3. StG.151 was a training unit had already transferred down to Panchevo Yugoslavia after Stalingrad concluded in February. So he missed this summer offensive on the steppe. But it can be assured his unit trained replacement pilots that flew in this particular action.

[@JakeConny12]

Keep up the work 😊

[@somefatbugger]

Wanted to say thanks for a really great channel. I enjoy your work immensly. Hi from Australia.

[@seanohare5488]

Very interesting and informative well done

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

This is another GREAT video! 👏🏽😎

[@historyatwar]

Thanks Steve🤝

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

@@historyatwar your videos are always great! The color, action, music…all fitting and good! 😎👍🏽

[@miltonturney453]

Love the video. Keep making more

[@MrNaKillshots]

HE111s and Stukas still slogging away. Ridiculous, when you think about it.

[@danteardenz2670]

Updated versions. Certainly not originals .

[@akesvensson3778]

Thank you! Really interesting and new. AND a real human speaker voice too!

[@richardgreve6112]

The Germans were blessed that the Soviet Air Force was not yet quite ready.

[@kentwilsonperry6529]

I've never seen this aspect of the Battle of Kursk either. Eye opening 😮. This was indeed a pyrrhic victory for the Soviets.

[@peterj9351]

So sad how much top quality DNA was lost on both sides. Makes you wonder if this was one of the real goals of that war.

[@shaunmcclory8117]

A war with similar numbers of lost dna of todays young generation would not be such a great loss😏

[@nickmitsialis]

@@shaunmcclory8117 today's youth would probably walk right into the gas chambers because they would be afraid to be called an 'ist' or a 'phobe' of some kind.

[@samantharay6098]

uhm im pretty sure this is a thought crime?

[@peterj9351]

@@samantharay6098 thinking generally is

[@NYG5]

Between this and the Great War. The bravest and strongest being sent into mechanical meat grinders for what? So Europe could become Sudan?

[@TacticalMania-xe1xh]

keep it up bro

[@KellyBarron-c2k]

Anthony Beevor in his most recent book, “Russia” writes in a footnote that new information gained in Russia states that the Tigers in the Waffen SS destroyed most of the 5th Guards Tank Army, during its counter attack. Technically the German’s won… but at a tremendous loss.

[@FlorinSutu]

3:00 - What is the point in showing the Do335 in flight ? Not only that it was not present at Kursk, but it may never been present in an aerial battle, not even in 1944...1945. And why a Me262 at 29:25, while the narration is about the fighting at Kursk on July 5, 1943 ? The video worth a "Like". The author is asking the viewers their opinion about this historic moment. I remind that Hitler ordered the stop of the operation because he learned that the Anglo-Americans landed in Sicily. He understood that the Western front needs reinforcements, so, there was no energy available for offensive in the East. In Kursk area, the order to stop the offensive caused consternation and rebuke from many German soldiers, from Marshall Erich von Manstein, to tank crews who still had fighting spirit left in them. Many Germans involved there believed that one final push will win the day. A Soviet inquiry performed after the end of war, seem to confirm that at the moment of operational cancellation, the Germans still had victory at Kursk in their grasp. The question is, what next? Even with victory at Kursk for Germany, Soviet Union had huge resources, huge reserves, plenty of raw materials and their industry was outproducing the German industry.

[@stanleylaham8932]

I can’t conceive that German soldiers were sorry that the offensive was called off. As a matter of fact, because of all of the delays in starting Citadel, Von Manstein and German intelligence had advised Hitler to give it up due to the observed Soviet preparations. It was an unnecessary meat grinder when many smaller tactical victories would have accomplished much more with much less losses.

[@historyatwar]

I want to address that some clips in this video may not perfectly match the narrative. However, they do relate to the overall message I am trying to convey. As a smaller history channel, it can be challenging to always source 100% relevant footage, especially given our limited budget.

[@diamondcityrebel2571]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@brealistic3542]

The video is great but the producers didn't know this. Now they do. Still a great video.

[@brianblais2667]

Great Doc

[@Plentymuch12]

Thanks brother 👍🏼

[@LightLumin]

NICE

[@maxbench3089]

tank you so much

[@cavetroll666]

Salute from Toronto 🦝

[@hereigoagain5050]

I did not know about the massive air battle.

[@bettyschnauber8238]

First time i cought the channel. Good length and great narration. Im not concerned about the video matching

[@IAmBeanz1]

LETS GO

[@patricklemire9278]

People can talk about fuel all they want but Germany needed a printer that could produce trained pilots, tankers and infantry. The Russians could absorb anything the Germans dished out and keep sending it.

[@jmi5969]

Why forgotten?! Back in my school days, early 1980s, we took lengthy guided tours of the area. We didn't make it from the north side to the Prokhorovka field, but we've heard a lot on the air side of the battle.

[@andrecharlier2555]

The Germans had the Freya field radar and the Russians did know yet that they must fly "under the radar..." to approach their targets.

[@fliegeroh]

Great video.

[@edwardd9702]

Molders was killed long before Kursk.

[@seanohare5488]

True like by two years

[@stanleylaham8932]

Throughout this historical account of this momentous battle, Stalin is periodically bad mouthed. Yet it is acknowledged that the Soviet victory is mainly attributed by its incredible industrial production delivering tens of thousands of aircraft, T-34s, artillery pieces and hundreds of millions of munitions for all services. All of these accomplishments were only possible thanks to the iron will and implacable leadership of the “man of steel “. In 20 years he led a backward agricultural Soviet Union into an industrial power house. Then on top of this after the greatest most devastating offensive (Barbarossa) the world has ever seen, Stalin did not panic and guided the greatest movement of whole industries the world had ever seen beyond the Urals. Without these incredible achievements under the leadership of Stalin, Operation Barbarossa would have overwhelmed the Soviet Union. So in a way, despite his detestable purges, Stalin was responsible for ultimate victory.

[@livincincy4498]

Thanks !

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

A P-47 w/ German markings at the 18:15 mark! 😳

[@rm5902]

Great eyes

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

@@rm5902 it’s right there, I wonder why it’s got German insignia…🤔 a bit of a mystery, that!

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

@@SteveBrownRocks2023 They captured some that came down intact. That or they could put them together or repair them from pieces of different wrecks. They had a whole experimental unit of captured planes. So did the Allies. .

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

@@BobSmith-dk8nw yes but I’ve never seen a P-47 w/ German insignias. It just seems strange. It’s hard to tell if the man next to it’s wearing an American or German helmet too. I’m betting there’s some odd story behind this particular plane.

[@draganjagodic4056]

Soviet recruiting for air force was indeed ludicrious: a commissar would approach an infantry unit and order: "First row to aviation!". In this "first row" were also such ones, who may not have had electricity in their village, for whom a tractor was "high technology". And Zhukov, a criminal, when being asked why is he sacrifying so many infantry, answered: "Russian mother will give birth to new ones". In RuZZia one thig has changed though: Russian mothers do not give births any more.

[@gregorymilla9213]

A win is a win Zhukovs tactics were tame compared to what the Germans would do to them if they won

[@stingingmetal9648]

Ukroid propaganda

[@keithad6485]

An image of the Do 335 Pfeil? over Kursk? is this right? Were the Do 335s at Kursk?

[@jasonmussett2129]

Excellent as always 👍👍👍

[@JaimeBalanon-ry5er]

As mao tse tung said . . 'The determining factor in all wars is the human factor' . . Weapons are only to assist the combatants

[@brealistic3542]

The Germans actually brought up a very advanced radar system and had plenty of warning to counter the Soviet airfield attacks.

[@ddjay1363]

Good vid. 🙂

[@chipwalker231]

The Soviet Union was a bridge too far

[@JohnMcDevitt-f4o]

Excellent presentation. All you ever hear about Kursk is "world's greatest tank battle!!" Fascinating aspect about air support. Keep finding something unique like this and report on it. Could the Germans have won the battle and/or the war? Well, you'd have to understand that line from the movie, War Games: the only way to win is not to play. Germany had NO chance to win against the Soviets, even if they somehow avoided declaring war on the US. They didn't have the manpower or the fuel. With respect to Kursk, the Germans knowingly charged into the teeth of well-prepared Soviet defenses. Why? Dunno, but it was a disaster. Their Wehrmacht reserves were completely eaten up by November 1941 and they never captured the oil in the Caucuses. Fritz Todt, German minister of war production (or whatever it was called) visited Hitler in October of '41 and told him that they couldn't win the war of production -- and this was before they declared war on the U.S. The fools were doomed from the start.

[@raywhitehead730]

The Dornier 335 pictured at 304 and 305 wasn't delivered from the Factory till May 1944. That is well after Kursk. And it is doubtful any Do 335 ever went into combat.

[@giovannirusso8853]

Air superiority and more tanks perhaps had can changed the war, but the increase of production in Germany was impossible.

[@AmericasChoice]

In fact, German wartime production did increase every year up until May 1945. The problem was moving the war material from the production facility to where it was needed. Allied bombing of marshaling yards and fuel depots had a catastrophic effect on the ability of Germany to supply the front lines.

[@cliffdeane9711]

Excellent presentation. German forces had no chance of victory after the several delays as Hitler insisted the Tiger tanks be a major part of the battle. This gave the Russians much more time to increase and improve defenses.

[@bsaintnyc]

Weharboos: " Germany had the best technology" History at war : "German aircraft , particularly their fighters , had fallen behind technologically . The delays in introducing new equipment had been catastrophic." Germany's airforce was mainly composed of pre war aircraft designs. The allies constantly developed increasingly technologically advanced aircraft during the war as well as making huge improvements to radar and avionics . Obsolete aircraft like the stuka and bf109 should have been phased out but never were.

[@Slaktrax]

Anyone notice the captured P-47 Thunderbolt @17:57?

[@brianmaitai7685]

1:41...WERNER MOLDERS...Wasn't at Kursk. Died 22nd Nov 1941 after shooting 100 planes-All British.

[@vadimpm1290]

Stukas weren't equipped with syrens in summer 1943.

[@franktreppiedi2208]

Was that a P-47 in German markings at 18:22?

[@pgolpa4829]

Another great content and By the way the sound track is amazing Pick one U want be at Stalingrad or be on u boat ? What a nightmare but I think I boat tops all the battles just a nightmare been on it for more than 3 mounts in a oven with no shower shitty food no sun freezing waters and been hunted down and die in. Tube beneath the sea. No thanks

[@orakelgottes]

technological and numerical aspects are big factors but there is one thing bigger than those two which is determination, if you are small and rudimental but are completely determined to fight you will defeat the giant. Look at Afghanistan vs Russia, and USA vs Vietnam, who won?

[@RingworldTyrant]

Those examples aren't really comparable as they concern different force types competing, ostensibly domestic guerrilla and irregular forces against a conventional military force supported primarily from foreign states. You can argue the North Vietnamese were a crack force but they still fought somewhat irregularly compared to the US. The Germans and Russians were two conventional militaries slugging it out, both were highly determined, the Germans arguably were more disciplined while the Russians had sheer tenacity. The Germans were whittled down in their invasion, no amount of additional tenacity and determination was going to save them, they needed manpower, materiel, and energy to sustain the push. The Soviets, meanwhile, could absorb the losses, albeit brutally, and had foreign states backing up their domestic production.