1941 (A book Review)

The Year Germany Lost the War By; Andrew Nagorski Reliving the war is always interesting to me. I was old enough to understand what was happening and payed intense attention as the war progressed. It has left me with strong memories. This book starts before the attack on Poland and ends in January 1942. The author concludes at this point the overwhelming advantage that was transferred to the Allies with the entrance of America as a result of being attacked by Japan followed shortly thereafter with a Declaration of War by Germany and Italy. Before the war started Germany and Russia signed a non-aggression pact which included the two countries dividing Poland between them. In addition Russia was allowed to take the Baltic States. Once Germany attacked Poland, Russia did also. Russia also invaded Finland. After a hard fight they finally prevailed. As the war started Germany was invincible. Every country attacked was quickly overrun During 1940 Britain stood alone only due to the fortitude of Winston Churchill. His cabinet was willing to accept terms with Germany. He overcame their pessimism with his oratory and determination. When Hitler realized that England would fight on, the Battle of Britain began. This was heavy bombing first of airfields and industry but then became a bombing of civilians in London and other cities hoping to demoralize the people. The RAF fought magnificently destroying many bombers. Hitler was preparing to land troops but finally had to call it off as the fall weather began which would have made landings difficult. The U-Boat campaign was devastating to England. Everywhere England was fighting Germany; in Norway, Greece and Africa they were on the losing end, suffering defeats. Americans were isolationists. Very few wanted to get into another World War in Europe. Gradually, as respect for the heroic resistance of the English people, attitudes started to change. The brutality of Hitler’s forces toward prisoners, civilians and Jews added to the change. FDR believed that we must come to their aid and did so with lend-lease, 50 old destroyers, bases for equipment. This aid helped immensely. The first major mistake Hitler made was to abandon the war with England with an attack on Russia. Although warned many times about an impending invasion Stalin refused to believe it. As a result when over 3 million soldiers attacked the Russians were overwhelmed suffering millions of deaths. Hitler considered them sub-human and starved or shot prisoners. At first the people of Ukraine and other satellite countries welcomed the Germans as saviors but they quickly learned the truth. This is the second mistake made. They could have been allies but his brutality turned them into partisans. The third mistake was spreading his forces over the entire front instead of making Moscow the objective. Winter came early and the German troops were not supplied with winter clothing while the Russians were. Hitler wanted Japan to attack Russia from the East. Had they done so Russia would have fallen? When they didn’t Stalin was able to bring 500,000 soldiers to Moscow. That is why Moscow survived. Instead Japan attacked America at Pearl Harbor. Once America was fully in the war the overwhelming superiority in manpower and weapons meant that it was only a matter of time before Germany would lose. Hitler’s obsession with killing every Jew also contributed to his defeat as the trains would better have been used to supply the troops. As is my custom I want to add my two cents. If Hitler had kept the peace with Stalin and instead continued subduing nations to the South he could have maintained the initiative and in 1942 finished off England. The entire continent would have been controlled by the two Dictators. Japan could have overrun the Pacific nations without declaring war on America. We might still have been drawn in but by then most of the world except the Americas would have been lost. A good thing he did it his way. I recommend reading by all history buffs. I found it at the Tucson Library.