I remember being told at one time he was a brilliant millitary tactician. But that's not even true. He made many serious blunders in the 40s. All he really did was take advantage of countries with lesser millitary. When faced with legitimate opposition (other than France), he just buckled.
Hitler wasn't a brilliant tactician, he was an idiot. His generals were brilliant though, most German military blunders during WW2 can be attributed to Hilter's over interference in the affairs of the OKW (German high command)
And he seriously underestimated the value of air supremacy and put all his faith in his tanks. Which do work well, when you're fighting against men on horseback...
Hitler didn't underestimate the power of air supremacy, if you look at the Blitzkrieg military doctrine, air power is emphasised at all stages of the offensive.
Because there is strong evidence that Russia was actually going to attack Germany. Why do you think the Germans captured so many Russian soldiers, material and tanks so early into operation Barbarossa? it was because the Russians were massing their forces on the borders.
I disagree.
The Soviet army in June 1941 was under equipped, under manned and resourced. Logistically speaking, the Red Army was in a shambles. Radio communication was so primitive and non-exsistant that commanders could not properly relay orders to soldiers on the field.
Commanders were also inexperienced and younger compared to their German counterparts, as a result, Soviet commanders basically threw their troops at the Germans in the early stages of the conflict (Soviet offensive doctrine encouraged launching offensives on the operational - tactical level)
Soviet 'armies' positioned along the Eastern front were highly dispersed and unprepared for any attack. After 1940 Soviet military doctrine was changing from more of a 'linear defence' to a 'defence in depth' strategy, but at the time of the German invasion, it had only begun to be implemented, as a result, most of the Soviet forces were massed along the border with Germany. Not being used on a war footing.
