The Nazi Blunder of the Eastern Front

The Nazi Blunder of the Eastern Front

World War II was one of the most horrific and tragic wars in human existence, and it was arguably decided on many fronts. Historians have often debated which event caused the downfall of the Axis powers. It is difficult to pick just one aspect that lead to the downfall of the Axis due to the complexity of the war for the Axis and Allied forces alike. Many deciding battles took place on the Pacific front, in the air above Britain, the waters of the Atlantic, and through an extensive North African campaign. In a war which Germany was fighting the formidable British in the West, Hitler effectively waged war on two fronts, a mistake that the Axis could not overcome. In this essay, I will examine the strategic importance of the Eastern front and how it lead to the Axis’ downfall. The theatre of war that contributed most to the defeat of the Axis was the Eastern Front because it was caused by a radical racial policy, created irreversible logistical constraints, and the power of the Soviet Union was vastly underestimated.

By examining the topic of the Eastern front, the question that begs to be asked is: “Was it necessary?” Historians often agree that the Soviet Union, while rich in oil to supply the fuel-starved Nazi army, did not warrant opening a war on two fronts. Thus, the war on the Eastern Front was not that of a strategic war, but one driven through an insane and cruel racial policy which had been determined many years before World War II began. In Richard Weikart’s book “Hitler’s Ethic”, he states “In Mein Kampf Hitler criticized earlier German German diplomats for maintaining an alliance with Austria-Hungary before World War I. The problem with this alliance was not merely that Austria-Hungary had become progressively weaker and thus less valuable as an ally, but this weakness was linked to its racial composition”. The stage was set for an Eastern invasion, with Hitler...