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'General' Winter

Both in Soviet and Western sources I've read many times that the main case of the German defeat in 1941 (at Moscow) was because of to terrible Russian winter, like a 'General' Winter, who could defeat the brilliant German generals and the mysterous Russians who could fight successfully in the such conditions. Of course, they told us, weak and disposable Red Army could not stop mighty German troops, but that terrible 'General' Winter happened suddenly and caused defeat for the European conquerors. However, in favour of truth lets agree that these puny attempts undertaken only to hold prestige of the beaten German 'warriors'. Many of those 'writers' thought that the Soviet Army was disposable, indeed. Well, lets agree with their opinion and try to listen what our forefathers says:
"It is little honour for a strong army in a victory over a weak enemy, but it's a great glory when weak army defeat it's mighty enemy" - said Jelal-ed-Din.
Yes, we should not forget who won the war. So, what happened? Why the best European army has been defeated?

German panzers stuck in Russian mud. Autumn 1941.

This is well known fact, that the German army was absolutely unprepared for Russian conditions. Why? May be the German Generals simply didn't know about Russian conditions? Many people think there were poor weather conditions. No. There were poor German generals who didn't prepare their armies for the realistic war. There are many remarks in memoirs of the German officers who learned the Napoleonic campaign in Russia and major the reasons of inglorious defeat of so called "Invincible" Army. As all you know, one of the main reason was extremely poor supply of the French Army during a frosty winter and the vast Russian territories with small and bad roads. Napoleon could take Moscow, but so what? Where are his benefits? He naively thought the Moscow is a key of Russia. He was mistaken and history proved it.

Well, in the middle of the 20'th century another individual made the same mistake: he also naively thought that Russia may be conquered by simple capture the Moscow. And another big mistake was underestimation his enemy. I think that 130 years have be quite enough to understand why Napoleon failed, but the Germans did the same mistake. The German winter catastrophe adversely affected on a whole German campaign in the East.

German generals thought that their enemies are stupid and disposable. So, those generals made another serious mistake - they underestimated their enemy. As a result - Germany has been defeated. That infamous Winter wasn't a Russian General. It disturbed the Russians as well as the Germans. Snow wasn't falling on the German side only, avoiding the Russian trenches, and Soviet troops had to deal with the same difficulties during mud periods. Russian soldiers also froze to death, Russian vehicles had trouble starting too, and some other equipment also didn't function. And what about encircled Leningrad? Several million peoples died due to starvation but nobody surrended. Read memoirs of participants and citizens of the blockaded Leningrad, read children memoirs. Here you are dairy of eight-year girl:

Inside the blockaded Leningrad. Winter 1941.

"26 November. Uncle Vanya didn't come back. Mother said he died.
14 December. Today my grandmother Lena died."
And the last record in her short dairy:
"30 December. Today morning my mother did not wake up. She died today night."

That girl was still alive when she was discovered alone with the corpse of her mother. Her organizm has been heavily damaged by long emaciation and she died too... It is terrible to read such a memoirs. Anyway, nobody surrended.

The infamous Soviet action during the Wither War has been discussed and analyzed by Soviet Generals (Stalin's speech devoted to lamentable results of Winter War proves my words). And some necessary changes in Red Army have been undertaken. As a result - two successful offensive operations (at Moscow and Stalingrad) of the Red Army and two inglorious defeats for the German Army.

We may still hold the German Army as the best army, we may still treat the Red Army as disposable and weak, but we should not forget who won the war and who was defeated. When anybody says "German Army was the best army, German generals were the best generals" I may say only that "there is a little glory when a mighty army is victorious over a weak army, but it's a GREAT glory when a weak army defeat a strong enemy". Isn't it?

Written by:
Valeriy Potapov

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