COMO O EXÉRCITO ALEMÃO TEVE TANTO SUCESSO NO INÍCIO DA 2ª GUERRA CONTRA NÚMEROS TÃO SUPERIORES?

Summary

This video script delves into the German military strategy during World War II, focusing on the 'Blitzkrieg' tactic that led to rapid victories in the early years of the war. It explores the historical context, the limitations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, and how Germany circumvented these to rebuild its military might. The script also examines the operational and strategic thinking of the German military, the role of technology and training, and the eventual challenges faced as the war progressed, highlighting the complexity and the ultimate limitations of the German approach to warfare.

Takeaways

• 😀 The concept of decisively defeating the enemy on the battlefield has been a longstanding strategy, with historical figures like Machiavelli and Napoleon advocating for swift and decisive warfare.
• 🏰 Between 1939 and 1941, the German military surprised the world with a series of rapid and impressive victories against various nations, occupying nine countries in record time and forcing the British expeditionary force off the European continent.
• 🚜 The success of the German military cannot be attributed to a single factor; it involved a complex interplay of tactics, technology, and operational capabilities.
• 🤔 British and American military figures have repeatedly questioned why the German army was so successful for a significant period during the World Wars, despite material and personnel inferiority.
• 🎖️ The German military's success was rooted in its operational capabilities, with a focus on well-planned maneuver warfare and clear main effort points, which were widely adopted by American and Soviet officers.
• 📚 The history of German operational thought during the World War era is complex, involving various narrative components that have been acclaimed particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world.
• 🛤️ The roots of German operational thinking date back to the 19th century, with military leadership convinced of the need for operational and strategic planning due to Germany's central geographical position and ambitions to become a significant world power.
• 🔄 The German military's approach to warfare was to compensate for strategic deficiencies with operational successes, a strategy that played a significant role in their planning during both World Wars.
• 💡 Lessons from past conflicts, such as World War I, were analyzed and applied to prepare for future wars, with an emphasis on offensive action as the only option in case of war.
• 🛑 The German military's offensive concept did not emerge in isolation but was shaped by external policies aiming to elevate Germany to a significant world power, reflecting a common belief that attack was the way Germans fought.
• 🔄 Despite the lessons of World War I and massive investments in fortifications in the 1930s, the German army entered World War II with large-scale offensive operations, showing a surprising neglect for defense.

Q & A

What was the traditional view on the length and decisiveness of wars according to Machiavelli and Napoleon?

Traditionally, wars should be short and decisive. Great military strategists like Machiavelli and Napoleon advocated for the conclusion of wars as quickly as possible, achieved by applying total military force against enemy armies.

What was the surprising aspect of the German armed forces' victories between 1939 and 1941?

The German armed forces surprised the world with a series of quick and impressive victories against various nations, occupying nine countries in record time, expelling the British expeditionary force from continental Europe, and sinking Allied convoys in the Atlantic, among other achievements.

What factors are often attributed to the success of the German military during World War II?

Some attribute the success to the fanaticism of the soldiers, superior technology, the use of methamphetamines, or even the Blitzkrieg tactics. However, the reality is much more complex, involving operational capabilities, strategic planning, and a focus on maneuver warfare.

Why did the German army focus on waging a war of maneuver?

The key to success was the decision to wage a well-planned and thought-out war of maneuver, as well as establishing clear main effort points, which any German officer was aware of.

What is the significance of the German military's command and control capabilities?

The Germans possessed a timeless art of command and control, with factors such as establishing main effort points, risk awareness, speed, and maneuver widely adopted by American and Soviet officers.

Why did the German military leadership believe in the importance of offensive action?

The German military leadership believed that offensive action was the only option in case of war, as defensive action could result in an unwinnable war of attrition. This belief was shaped by Germany's foreign policy aiming to elevate the country to a significant world power.

How did the German military's operational thinking evolve from the 19th century?

The operational thinking took shape mainly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a military solution to wage a war on two or multiple fronts in the narrow border regions around Germany and central Europe.

What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles on the German military?

The Treaty of Versailles imposed substantial disarmament on the Weimar Republic, limiting the German army to 100,000 soldiers without a general staff, no air force, no tanks, and a small navy.

How did the German military circumvent the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Versailles?

The Weimar Republic maintained its general staff under a different name, stockpiled weapons and ammunition, and many men underwent unauthorized military training through paramilitary groups or sports associations.

What was the significance of the secret collaboration between Germany and the Soviet Union in the 1920s?

The secret collaboration allowed Germany to offer financial and technical assistance for building the Russian arms industry in exchange for receiving artillery ammunition, which was prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles. This led to the establishment of secret training schools for aircraft, tanks, and chemical warfare.

How did the German military's focus on operational thinking during World War II contribute to its initial successes and eventual challenges?

The focus on operational thinking allowed for the development of effective tactics and strategies, such as the use of combined arms and maneuver warfare. However, this focus also led to neglect in strategic thinking, which became evident when the war expanded beyond Europe's central front and logistical limitations became more apparent.