oh well...i don't have the best knowledge of this theater. However i am reading a book called "The Forgotten Soldier" in which he writes about his own expierences during the war in the East. Details that i noticed was the horrible supply system of the germans (greatly hampered by the weather), The large amount of training on the soldiers, and the unending supply of men by the russians.
But also...if the germans were that prepared for the winter...then why did SO many men die of the cold and of starvation?
I think they realized the weather...i just think they underestimated the effect it would have...