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Why was the Wehrmacht so Combat Effective? (Patreon)

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2018-08-31 15:02:20
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2026-06
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Why was the Wehrmacht so Combat Effective? #ww2 #wehrmacht

Why was the Wehrmacht so effective? Many contemporaries considered the Wehrmacht to be a very effective fighting force. Similarly, many historians consider it combat effective as well. What are the reasons for this perception and assessment? Was it training? Technology? Doctrine? Strategy? Operational Warfare? Prussian tradition? And also did this combat effectiveness at a price? »» SUPPORT MHV «« » patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mhv » paypal donation - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=TFHEY4P4YU3NY » Book Wishlist https://www.amazon.de/gp/registry/wishlist/3LJIXNJIUXJES/ref=cm_wl_huc_view »» MERCHANDISE - SPOILS OF WAR «« » shop - https://www.redbubble.com/people/mhvis/shop »» SOCIAL MEDIA «« » minds.com - https://www.minds.com/militaryhistoryvisualized » facebook - https://www.facebook.com/milhistoryvisualized/ » twitter - https://twitter.com/MilHiVisualized » twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/militaryhistoryvisualized » RallyPoint - https://www.rallypoint.com/organizations/military-history-visualized » tumblr - http://militaryhistoryvisualized.tumblr.com/ Military History NOT Visualized is a support channel to Military History Visualized with a focus personal accounts, answering questions that arose on the main channel and showcasing events like visiting museums, using equipment or military hardware. » SOURCES « Citino, Robert M.: The German Way of War. From the Thirty Years’ War to the Third Reich. University Press of Kansas: USA, 2005. Amazon.com (affiliate): http://amzn.to/2vsQKve Amazon.de (affiliate): http://amzn.to/2vozlWa Corum, James S.: The Luftwaffe's Army Support Doctrine, 1918-1941. In: The Journal of Military History, Vol. 59, No. 1 (Jan., 1995), p. 53-76 Murray, Williamson: The Luftwaffe Experience, 1939-1941. In: Cooling, Benjamin Franklin (ed.): Case Studies in the Development of Close Air Support. Office of Air Force History: Washington DC, United States (1990), p. 71-113 Müller, Rolf-Dieter (Hrsg.); Volkmann, Hans-Erich (Hrsg.): Die Wehrmacht – Mythos und Realität. Amazon.com (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2HopIsI Amazon.de (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2HlSU3t Showalter, Dennis: Frederick the Great. A Military History. Frontline Books: London, 2016. amazon.com link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2rTIDpz amazon.de link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2IVyqmg Fröhlich, Paul: Der unterirdische Kampf. Das Wehrwirtschafts- und Rüstungsamt 1924-1943. Ferdinand Schöningh: Paderborn, Germany (2018) amazon.de link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2N41Hd7 Citino, Robert M.: The Wehrmacht’s Last Stand. The German Campaigns of 1944-1945. University Press of Kansas: USA, 2017. Amazon.com (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2PxOQS2 Amazon.de (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2P18ogy Poeppel, Hans (Hrsg.); W.-K. Prinz von Preußen(Hrsg.); von Hase, K.G. (Hrsg.): Die Soldaten der Wehrmacht. Herbig: München, Germany (1998) amazon.de (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2LbXi6j Searle, Alaric (Ed.): Genesis, Employment, Aftermath: First World War Tanks and the New Warfare, 1900-1945. Helion & Company Limited: Solihull, UK (2015) Amazon.com (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2OUyjqd Amazon.de (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2PrYkhK Clark, Christopher: The Iron Kingdom. The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600-1947. Penguin Books: London, 2007 (2006). amazon.com link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2LdZuLJ amazon.de link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2ItDoXP Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt (Hrsg.): Friedrich der Große und das Militärwesen seiner Zeit. Vorträge zur Militärgeschichte – Band 8. E. S. Mittler & Sohn: Herford – Bonn, 1987. amazon.de link (affiliate): https://amzn.to/2k7ZK2s » DISCLAIMER « Amazon Associates Program: “Bernhard Kast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.” Als Amazon-Partner verdiene ich an qualifizierten Käufen. » CREDITS & SPECIAL THX « Song: Ethan Meixsell - Demilitarized Zone

Comments

Michael Brewer

Sorry you didn't get the sports reference. Cultural misinterpretation. I agree that no one expected France to be a weak opponent, but, again as in sports (sorry) early predictions often prove flawed when the games are played. Maybe France was supposed to be tough, but it wasn't, was it? The fact that half the country turned collaborator pretty much says it all for the pre-war prognosticators, doesn't it? Let's face it, and taking nothing away from the German's preparation and skill, but their early-war opponents were unprepared in every aspect of warfare, especially in the will to fight. The French especially had no interest in a full-scale conflict, and gave up when they still had substantial fighting assets remaining. Compare the regular army's performance to that of the Resistance, which gave the Germans hell throughout the war, and you see how important the will to fight is. Hell, compare the French to the Germans' effort at the end of the war, when Berlin was surrounded by 3 Allied armies and kept fighting. If France had put that kind of will into the early conflict, and cooperated effectively with the British, the Germans might have taken a year to reach the Channel. Or maybe they wouldn't have reached it at all. As an American, I blame my country and France's early unwillingness to fight for the length of that war and the tool paid by all concerned. The fact that we waited until Hitler declared war on the U.S. should be seen as a disgrace equal to France's will to quit and cooperate with the Nazi's. I speak of the governments, of course, not the people. The average Francois or Heinrich is never responsible for the outbreak of war. It's always a handful of greedy, selfish men for whom no amount of wealth or power is enough. Again. sorry about the sports stuff.

Military History Visualized
>>15359209

not 100 % sure, yet, the French leadership gave up and most followed suit. We should not forget that Petain was the "Savior of Verdun", who gave up and again most people were locked in a WW1 mindset. Thus, I wouldn't be too harsh on the French. About the Resistance I have no knowledge on its effectiveness, but I think it might be very overblown. Yeah, Churchill suggested that Paris could swallow a whole Army. Yet, I still have to read more, because I had a bit of an argument about that with Chieftain, who noted there was not much the French could do at that point. And lately I encountered so many myths and misconceptions that I am VERY hesitant to comment on France in 1940 and especially later, since I guess a lot of myths were put out there. In WW1 the Americans were very happy with the French willingness to fight.

Michael Brewer

You make a good point, and I might be yet another victim of subscribing to 'conventional wisdom' here. However, when I read that the French refused to allow the British to reinforce the left flank in Belgium before the invasion, I can't help but feel a certain amount of second-hand resentment against the French high command. Everything I've ever read about the high-ranking French officers of that era suggests that they could eclipse even the British 'old-boys club' for gold-plated arrogance. Perhaps that's another bit of 'conventional wisdom' that's past due for an update. Maybe just a shadow-effect from De Gaulle? Or who knows? Please let us know when you feel comfortable with your sources.

Military History Visualized
>>15415815

such decision can make a lot of sense. If you consider the inter-service rivalry in the same country, can you image the problems between French and British divisions? Of course, it could be just resentment as well. Chieftain - and he is rather well-read - noted that the main problem of the French was that they didn't communicate. After I read Friesers Blitzkrieg Legend and some other stuff, I might know more, but this might take a while.