The landings on Sicily weren't just coincidental with the raging battle at Kursk, the Soviets were clamoring for an invasion of western europe for a long time and since overlord wasn't ready, the invasion of europe thru sicily was also a way to temporarily appease Stalin by drawing German forces from Russia. which is just what he wanted.
Of course Hitler could have avoided all this by simply withdrawing Axis forces from N Africa and use the highly skilled forces in southern europe instead of draining eastern europe of badly needed divisions on that front instead of transferring them to Italy.
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:45 am Post subject: Rommel and Guderian
Rommel knew the landings would be at Normandy and not Calais, he was not listened to. He also had 2 crack Panzer divisions waiting by Normandy to throw the 8 infantry divisions that landed back to the sea, yet he was not allowed to. If Rommel and Guderian were allowed to commandeer the direction of the war many many things would have went differently.
If Rommel had his way D-Day would have not succeeded and that alone would have been an enormous turn around.
Rommel's original plan before Barbarossa was to push his armies into the oil fields of Asia minor and beyond. If Barbarossa would have been delayed and full support given to Rommel he could have overtaken the British commonwealth and all allied countries in Asia Minor and beyond squeezing the British empire dry. There would have been a single front and the Germans would have presided from France to the Himalayas. They could basically have stopped right there and consolidated their empire and just built up a Western wall and not launch Barbarossa.
Thankfully, Rommel and Guderian were not listened to an this dreary scenario did not occur.
Actually this is a good question bacause the winner of the battle of Kursk would have the strategic initiative in the Soviet Union, so if Hitler would allowed Manstein to continue his offensive coupled with the Soviets commiting their strategic tank reserve, then the Germans would have had the upper hand from that point and with their newer and better tanks coming into play they at least might have had a chance to force Russia out of the war.
Another question conerning Kursk would be, what if the Germans had allowed the Soviets to launch their own spring offensive, then when it had ran out of steam then the Germans launch their own counter offensive?
Success at Kursk for the Germans also would have allowed forces to be redeployed to France for the anticipated invasion of Europe by the americans and british.
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:07 am Post subject: Re: kursk,if hitler had kept his nerve
A German victory at Kursk would have have bought time and not changed the course of the war. Russian losses were already higher than the Germans. The reserves and production capacity of the Russian's would have made good the losses with time.
Definitely agree with pz_Meyer that the Germans sending reserves to N Africa was a mistake as they couldn't get enough supplies to the troops already there....
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: kursk,if hitler had kept his nerve
It was a trap...the Red Army wanted to invite the Germans into Kursk and annihilate them with AT guns, Tactical Bombers and a massive counter-attack. The Germans almost got the impossible victory in the South...but in my opinion when the grand battle for Kursk Air Supremacy was lost, it was all over for the Germans. Not to mention taking heavy losses on their new Tigers and other heavy tanks that could not be replaced. If you have no air cover, in the Summer on the plains of Russia, with no place to hide...it's over.
Rommel knew the landings would be at Normandy and not Calais, he was not listened to. He also had 2 crack Panzer divisions waiting by Normandy to throw the 8 infantry divisions that landed back to the sea, yet he was not allowed to.
oh really? what 2 crack PzD did they have by Normandy that were not allowed to throw the allies back to sea?
It was a trap...the Red Army wanted to invite the Germans into Kursk and annihilate them with AT guns, Tactical Bombers and a massive counter-attack. The Germans almost got the impossible victory in the South...but in my opinion when the grand battle for Kursk Air Supremacy was lost, it was all over for the Germans. Not to mention taking heavy losses on their new Tigers and other heavy tanks that could not be replaced. If you have no air cover, in the Summer on the plains of Russia, with no place to hide...it's over.
hmm, when did the Germans loose Air Supremace at Kursk?
that were the RKKA units in the South Salient who got the impossible victory against all odds ruining Zitadelle time schedule from the very beginning.
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