Quote:
Originally Posted by von Rundstedt
Had the "Marckes Plans" been used Operation Barbarossa would have started eight weeks earlier than 22/6/41, if we overlay that with the surrender of the Vyazma Pocket then German forces would have attacked Moscow by mid to late August.
But the "Marckes Plan" insisted that Army Group Centre would attack Moscow in it's entiriety, Army Group South and Antonescu would attack Stalingrad in their entiriety, while Army Group North and Finnish forces would attack Leningrad. Above all in the "Marckes Plan" there were to be no deviation from those objectives.
If the "Marckes Plan" had been used then i would say casualty figures would be different.
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If we look on Axis strategy on the Easter front it is clear that they prefered to incircle big cities rather then trying to take them directly. One of a few exeptions was Stalingrad. We all know what good come out of it.
Finns refused to have anything to do with Leningrad or advance furder then those territories they lost to Soviet in Winter War. That actually annoyed Hitler alot.
So, Axis did incircle Leningrad. It was blokaded for more then 2 years?
Axis failed to incircle Moscow simply coz they run out of strengh.
Let's play " What If".
What If Axis did entered Moscow? Fearsome, bloody street fighting from house to house AKA Stalingrad. Casualties would've been roughly the same for both sides.
Wich is unacceptable for Germans. Soviets coming with Sibirian reservs. The End.
What If Axis did surround Moscow? Front line stretches even more, wich i don't think is in favor of Germans. Spreading Axis forces even thinner. Soviets coming with Sibirian reservs. The End.
Does't matter how you look at it. Simply put: In case with Soviets, Axis had bite more then they could swallow.