10 Biggest Mistakes Germany Made In World War 2

Despite some initial successes and a few genuinely surprising victories, it soon became apparent that the German war machine that had been flirting with total victory was gradually being stopped, repelled and forced back in all major theatres of war.

The cost of the war in terms of people, munitions, supplies and finances had long passed tipping point and not only were they losing the battles in the field, they were teetering on complete economic and societal collapse. The Soviets were to the East, allied forces to the West and each force was pressing ever inward, forcing what remnants of a German resistance still existed back towards the Fatherland.

Whether it was wilful ignorance, a true delusional self-belief or existing in an echo chamber of “yes” men, it seems as though the fate of the campaign was never accepted by Hitler and the higher-ranking Nazis until the enemy forces were nearly upon them in Berlin. Had there been a full and frank assessment of the state of the country and the war effort prior to this, it might be the case that some measure of peace could have been sought but with the unwavering belief that they would be successful, it wasn’t until the tanks rolled into the city of Berlin that Hitler faced the reality of his situation and took his own life in a bunker.

It is impossible to say for sure whether a realistic appraisal of the situation would have changed anything, but it is easy to see with hindsight that a great number of lives could have been saved if it wasn’t for this reckless self-belief that flew in the face of all logic.