Comments by "Cary Black" (@caryblack5985) on "Halder is sacked! BATTLESTORM STALINGRAD E24" video.

  1. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  2. By rairoad. The steam engines used coal.
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  3. Yes there was heavy fighting in both the central sector and also in the north where Manstein and the 11th army were to take Leningrad but were unable to launch an offensive because the Soviet attack was very heavy there and were only able to hand onto their positions. So the Wehrmacht was facing attacks on 2 army groups and launching offensives at Stalingrad Army Group B and in the Caucasus Army Group A. It seems to me they had enough manpower to cover their losses but lacked enough to do all they were attempting. Could they have allocated their forces better? Perhaps but it is hard to know exactly where the priority was.
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  4. True there were were major attacks by the Soviets at Rzhev. They sent Manstein and 11th Army to Leningrad. They split Army Group South into A and B to simultaneously attack Stalingrad and the Caucasus when they were supposed to capture or neutralize Stalingrad and THEN go on to the Caucasus.
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  5.  @boomslangCA  I would mostly agree but Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had.
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  6.  @mroblongo  They had little choice. They were fending off two strong attacks one in the North and one in the center and running two offenses one at Stalingrad one in the Caucasus. Not enough men even with their allies on the Don.
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  7. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  8.  @gunnerjensen5998  There was major offenses against Army Group Center at Rzhev. See thishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  9. Because the German narrative at least in the West prevailed after WWII since Halder and the German generals wrote about the Eastern front. More modern narratives such as Fritz Ostfront credit Romanians for doing fairly well considering their lack of armor and anti tank weapons
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  10. Massive attacks by the Soviets https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  11. You see there was very heavy fighting at Rzhev https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  12. They sent Manstein and the 11th Army to capture Leningrad. However a big Soviet attack went in and the Germans were just able to hold their positions and the contemplated attack was called off.
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  13. There were huge Soviet attacks around Rzhev at army group Center and there was urgent need for replacements. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  14. The Romanians had taken huge casualties and a long time in taking Odessa and the Germans did not have faith in their ability to fight in Stalingrad. Also the Germans did not anticipate such a overwhelming attack at the Don so thought the Romanians could manage
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  15. Yes wounded Wehrmacht soldiers were returned to the front if they were still capable of fighting
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  16. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  17. It would be a big problem to transport them to the Easter Front battle lines. Also the British Navy was powerful in the Meditteranean.
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  18. Yes the Germans were counting on their allies to hold the Don. As the fighting got intense and casualties mounted they would send German troops into Stalingrad to reinforce the city. But also Hitler and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  19.  @gerardhilde01  It is possible Hitler and the general staff thought as long as Romanians, Hungarians and Italians could hold the Don enough Germans could be relieved form the Don and reinforce the offensive into the city.
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  20. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  21.  @z000ey  Yes major Soviet offenses at Rzhev against Army Group Center https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  22. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  23.  @markaxworthy2508  I can't answer your question. I was just letting you know that the German replacement problem was acute since they had so many areas they needed to cover.
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  24.  Wulf  True but that along the other duties I described were their mission.
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  25. See these major Soviet offenses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  26. The troops he kept in the Courland pocket was because he was dreaming of an offensive from there of course that was a delusion. He kept troops in France and sent more in Dec1944 for the Ardennes operation because he thought he could defeat the US and UK and they would sur for peace. Another delusion.
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  27. The book is good but quite outdated. The film is useless as far as history. It is just entertainment.
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  28. You think they started all the Roman wars, Egyptian wars, medieval wars. What a foolish comment.
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  29. The Luftwaffe did what they could. Had their hands full supporting attacks in the city, on the Northern flank and trying to stop boats crossing over the Volga. In addition they were also giving air support to the Caucasus offensive. See Hayward Stopped At Stalingrad.
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  30. There was major offenses against Army Group Center at Rzhev. See thishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  31. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  32. They were sending troops to Army Group Center because of the many and heavy attacks at Rzhev https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  33.  @PallufoBsAs  Well I know every German soldier who was wounded and not disabled were sent back to the front. As far as Army Group North Hitler and Halder sent Manstain and the 11th Army to take Leningrad . In fact there was a heavy Soviet attack and the offensive was called off since the troops were needed just to hold their positions. In the south the plan was for Stalingrad to be take or neutralized and THEN attack in the Caucasus. Instead they did attack simultaneously which broke South into 2 army groups A and B which weakened both.
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  34.  @PallufoBsAs  My point is they sent these troops elsewhere not to aid in the conquest of Stalingrad.
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  35. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  36. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  37. What was the myth you are talking about?
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  38. Yes there was heavy fighting in both the central sector and also in the north where Manstein and the 11th army were to take Leningrad but were unable to launch an offensive because the Soviet attack was very heavy there and were only able to hand onto their positions. So the Wehrmacht was facing attacks on 2 army groups and launching offensives at Stalingrad Army Group B and in the Caucasus Army Group A. It seems to me they had enough manpower to cover their losses but lacked enough to do all they were attempting. Could they have allocated their forces better? Perhaps but it is hard to know exactly where the priority was.
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  39.  @sniperboom1202  I would mostly agree but Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had.
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  40.  @WildBillCox13  Yes there was heavy fighting in both the central sector and also in the north where Manstein and the 11th army were to take Leningrad but were unable to launch an offensive because the Soviet attack was very heavy there and were only able to hand onto their positions. So the Wehrmacht was facing attacks on 2 army groups and launching offensives at Stalingrad Army Group B and in the Caucasus Army Group A. It seems to me they had enough manpower to cover their losses but lacked enough to do all they were attempting. Could they have allocated their forces better? Perhaps but it is hard to know exactly where the priority was.
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  41. He did ask for reinforcements at the conference at Vinnitsa with Halder and Hitler. Halder said I have no fresh divisions to give you and gave him part of the 4th Panzer Army.
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  42. Army Group Center was being attacked by large Soviet forces see this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev Also Hitler wanted Leningrad taken and he sent Manstein and the 11th Army there. Stalingrad was to betaken or neutralized first and THEN attack the Caucasus. The plan was changed to do them both at once which split Army Group South and weakened both Army Group A and B.
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  43. These would be German troops.
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  44. Manstein and the 11th Army sent North to capture Leningrad. The Soviets launched a major offensive and the Germans just could hang on. There was major attacks at the Center at Rhzev https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev and reinforcements were badly needed. They also had to reinforce Army group A in the Caucasus.
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  45. Yes there was heavy fighting in both the central sector and also in the north where Manstein and the 11th army were to take Leningrad but were unable to launch an offensive because the Soviet attack was very heavy there and were only able to hand onto their positions. So the Wehrmacht was facing attacks on 2 army groups and launching offensives at Stalingrad Army Group B and in the Caucasus Army Group A. It seems to me they had enough manpower to cover their losses but lacked enough to do all they were attempting. Could they have allocated their forces better? Perhaps but it is hard to know exactly where the priority was.
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  46.  @nicholasconder4703  I would mostly agree but Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had.
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  47. There were major Soviet attacks a Rzhev and there was danger of a collapse. Hitler and Halder sent Manstein and the 11th Army to capture Leningrad. Hitler and Halder decided to attack the Caucasus and Stalingrad at the same time splitting their forces when the original plan was to capture or neutralize Stalingrad and THEN attack in the Caucasus.
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  48. Hilter and the general staff wanted Leningrad taken and troops were sent there. At the center there was reason to fear a collapse in the heavy fighting so it could not be ignored. In the south originally Stalingrad was to be taken and THEN advance to the Caucuses but the plan changed to simultaneous offensives leading to splitting the army into Groups A and B. It seems that several bad decisions were made based on doing too much too quickly for the manpower they had. 2
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  49. They did. They sent Manstein and the 11th Army to Leningrad to take it. However a heavy Soviet attack prevented the offensive and the Germans were just able to hold their positions with the additional troops.
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  50.  @samsonsoturian6013  They were not as you said but they siphoned a lot of troops from Army Group South.
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  51. True there were were major attacks by the Soviets at Rzhev. They sent Manstein and 11th Army to Leningrad. They split Army Group South into A and B to simultaneously attack Stalingrad and the Caucasus when they were supposed to capture or neutralize Stalingrad and THEN go on to the Caucasus.
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  52. It was the continued battles in the Rhzev that caused the need for replacements https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Rzhev
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  53.  @gerardhilde01  They were short of men. Germany did not have enough so he needed his allies. If you read my previous comment you would see the Germans were fighting off attacks at Leningrad and Rzhev and at the same time running offenses in the Caucasus and Stalingrad.
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