Germany

• Germany : Ineffective Command Structure


  1. Hitler made himself Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and had his generals constantly report to him

  2. Hitler was inexperienced yet regularly intervened in military decisions

  3. Hitler also made several costly strategic errors against the advice of more experienced generals

  
  

  Examples :

  Stalingrad 1942 :

  → Refused to withdraw from Stalingrad, led to loss of an entire field army

  Battle of Britain 1941 :

  → Changed tactics from focusing on destroying RAF to bombing cities, allowed RAF to recover

  Declaring war on USA 1941 :

  → Brought formidable enemy into the war in Europe, USA was very powerful
• Germany : War on 2 fronts


  1. When Hitler broke the Nazi-Soviet pact, put Germany into war on 2 fronts

  2. Split resources, less effective and more easily defeated by Allied forces

  3. Also had to contend with the Allied bombing campaign and defend Germany
• Germany : Poor planning & resource management


  Naval Warfare :

  → Chose to focus on building giant battleships, making them easy targets for Allied Aircraft

  
  

  Air :

  → Failed to develop heavy bombers like the British/USA, too small and could not inflict that much damage.

  → Failed to invest in radar to help them detect enemy planes

  → Shortage of fuel

  
  

  Eastern Front :

  → Thought that war with USSR would be over quickly, failed to equip soldiers with winter gear

  → Shortage of suitable weapons and equipment such as trucks and winter clothing

  → Hitler's demand for new and better weapons lead to wastage and need for spare parts, some were not tested before being sent to battle