Why Hitler invaded Russia?

To save Russia. I know you won’t believe me. Because history says something else. Well history is written by the victors and not by the vanquished. After the WWII, vanquished rotted without a platform to speak for them. Today strategic thinkers are looking at this episode with fresh minds.

From the beginning Hitler was fighting against injustice meted out by the western allies towards the re-emergence of Germany in the first place and the flowering of the grand strategy of eternal friendship with the then Soviet Union. Here is my review about how Germans navigated strategy amid geoeconomics that Russians failed to grasp:

At the time when WWI began, major part of north & central Poland was held by Kaiser Wilhelm whose military admin operated from Warsaw. Russia was content with Eastern Poland. Incidentally, in late 19th Century, Poland had been portioned amongst Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungarian Empire the latter holding sway in the rest of Poland.

The post-World War one “Treaty of Versailles” had forced Germany to surrender significant territory of Polish land notably the Polish Corridor that linked East Prussia with the lands lying towards Eastern Europe. The geoeconomics under-currents of this event cannot be under-estimated.

1. Humiliation the German nation suffered due the loss of Polish territories and beyond

2. Desire to co-opt the concept of Lebensraum (Living Space) stretching towards the east domiciled by the German people been severely restricted by the allies

3. Perilous state of geoeconomics within Germany bereft of self-sufficiency in natural resources, particularly oil, food and minerals

4. The bitter lesson learned regarding that British naval blockade during World War I that accentuated geoeconomics vulnerabilities of Germany to the extent of almost total failure of Germany as a sovereign state

5. All these lingering issues could only be mitigated by a grand bargain with Soviet Russia

Hence,

Hitler crafted his strategy of friendship with Russia by initially signing the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact with Stalin in 1939 and looking forward to deepening of relations in all three areas: diplomacy, military and economics.

But Hitler saw to his horror the lack of bravery shown by the Russians during the Winter War against Finland (1939-1940). The Fuhrer also realised that the brand of communism that is being spread throughout Russia was not the pure communism as taught by Karl Marx, but Leninism based on a new genre known as Judeo-Bolshevism. True enough, Hitler hated communism but this type of Soviet state policy bordering on Judaism was seen by the Fuhrer as an immediate security threat for Germany.

Hitler made several representation to the authorities in Moscow about this underlying threat without avail. By this time economic situation in Soviet Russia was so bad that Hitler has to move swiftly. In addition to save Germany he has got the burden to root out Judeo – Bolshevists from Russia, lest the Soviet state disintegrates.

That led to Operation Barbarossa in 1941. Hitler’s intention though honourable, was not appreciated by the Russians. Had Russians have thought through the entire issue and signed up for a grand bargain we would have a Russo-German super power ruling the roost today!

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Strategy Adviser

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E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

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