I believe Germany could have defeated Russia if only they had treated the Russians with just a smidgen of Humanity......Originally they were welcomed as liberators from those who were happy to be out from Stalin’s jackboot. Even had a high ranking Red Army general, Vlasov, offering his services to fight against the Bolsheviks.
I believe it would have been very easy for Hitler to overthrow the Bolshevik regime, I think Stalin was toast if the Nazis managed to take Moscow....of course, perhaps Hitler understand his replacement could have been even more formidable.
It's a bit more complicated than that, but there is a lot of truth to your point. Germany managed to alienate some populations that were predisposed to welcome/support them. This was a grave mistake that resulted in especially ferocious partisan activity.
I believe it would have been very easy for Hitler to overthrow the Bolshevik regime, I think Stalin was toast if the Nazis managed to take Moscow....of course, perhaps Hitler understand his replacement could have been even more formidable.
Possibly. There is a lot of revisionist history about this in modern books and TV shows. Hitler's suspending the drive to Moscow in order to send forces to the Battle of Kiev was actually regarded very highly by many/most of his generals at the time. That Hitler was willing to delay the attack on Moscow he so badly desired showed military prudence in the minds of many. This allowed Germany to surround well over half a million Soviet troops and is regarded as one of the greatest encirclement operations of all time. This was not the reckless, silly, decision textbooks and documentaries explain it as these days.
I agree. A classic example of being hoist by one's own petard. The Nazi's own racial ideology of the Slavs as untermenschen (which doesn't even make any sense, as the Slavs are just as Aryan as the Teutons) was very largely what defeated them in the end.
Imagine 5M men deducted from the Red Army and added to the Wehrmacht side.