German Military Able To Succeed With Operation Barbarossa - Essay Example

Explain how, in spite of the odds against them, the German military was able to succeed with Operation Barbarossa. Research professionals and historians have always showed their willingness to consider Operation Barbarossa as a great turning point in the history of World War II. Operation Barbarossa is recorded as the codename of German incursion of the Soviet Union during World War II. The operation got its name from Emperor Frederic Barbarossa of the Roman Empire. Hitler had failed to achieve the victory he had anticipated.

However, even in the presence of many negative factors, German’s had won some reverberating victories against Soviet Union and conquered some of the most crucial economic areas of the country. One should also bear in mind the fact that it was the adverse effects of operation Barbarossa that prompted Soviet Union to step down as the unchallenged world super power. The preparation for Operation Barbarossa had been on track on December 18, 1940 and Hitler had made all the stealthy arrangements of the operation and the military maneuver lasted from the year of 1941.

The operational goal of the attack was the quick conquest of the European part of the Russia which connects the cities of Arkhangelsk and Astrakhan and Germans had acquired a number of remarkable initial victory against Soviet Union. Their planned military operation against Soviet forces reveals their intention. On June 22nd 1941, “Adolf Hitler launched the greatest land-air attack in the history of war – Operation Barbarossa. The assault comprised of 3 million troops, 3,500 tanks, and 1,800 aircraft” (Focus on World War II: Operation Barbarossa).

Hitler met with initial success as his strategies, German Blitzkrieg tactics, and operations were well-planned and well-executed. One can find that the Axis had performed mobility and obliteration, efficient communication and confidence in battlefield. In contrast Soviet forces had suffered with lack of confidences and war strategies. Successive implementation of effective war strategies has helped Germans to gain initial victories against Soviet Union. Tactical errors and technical problems of the Soviet armed Force had helped the Axis to ensure their victory.

Availability of trained soldiers, experienced mechanical corps, and availability of spare parts became the contributory factors in German victory. German forces defeated the Russians and almost 2.4 million soldiers had been taken prisoners by the end of December, 1941. On the other hand, the Germans could not anticipate many negative factors such as the adverse weather, shortage of food supply and the German troop ran short of ammunition and fuel. There was also confusion between Hitler and his generals whether the Southern oilfields or Moscow to be captured first.

Similarly, after the initial breakdown Soviet armed forces had engaged in counter attack without losing its territories and political stability. Throughout the season Soviet Union progressively developed their frontier forces to warfront. Because of economic difficulties and unexpected climate changes German Forces had faced difficulties. As Murray et al rightly remark; “A series of war games from December 1940 to January 1941 suggested vulnerabilities to a German invasion” (Murray and Millett 113).

One can thus conclude that in spite of such odds against them as economic crisis, scarcity of armed forces, modern war strategies, and climate variations the Germans reached at the verge of defeating the Soviet Union. Even though Stalin’s tactical efficiency in warfront helped the Soviet forces to defeat Germans in frequent intervals, the German troops made remarkable achievements in the Operation Barbarossa and the operation thoroughly destroyed the Soviet forces just as it did harm to the Germans.

Bibliography Focus on World War II: Operation Barbarossa. Discovery Communications, Inc, 2010, http://www.yourdiscovery.com/web/world-war-2/ww2-focus/flashpoints/operation-barbarossa/ (accessed 27 January, 2011). Murray, Williamson and Allan R. Millett. A war to be won: fighting the Second World War. Illustrated ed: Harvard University Press, 2001.