Terrorism is not warfare

[Harmony Blue]

21. I respectfully disagree

Terrorism isn't what allowed Stalin and the Soviets to make a counter offensive against the Germans or how the siege of Stalingrad failed miserably for the Germans. The Germans treatment in the occupied east only made their(Soviet population) resolve stronger. But it was the combination of climate and weather patterns that they were not accustomed to, and the fact that Stalin didn't have to keep Siberian divisions near Manchuria (fearing Japan).

Stalin was a very fearful man, which is why he conducted so many purges of officers, why he didn't trust the United States (and allies), Germany or Japan frankly. Even post WWII he didn't trust the Allies. It is said that the USSR had the Soviet bloc nations as a means to threaten the West. Most historians are starting to agree that the Soviet bloc nations were actually a buffer zone, to thwart any thrust into the USSR itself. Stalin feared the allies would do what the Germans did with a surprise offensive.

It is true that many suffered terrible fates for dissertion in the Soviet army. But the counter offensive was mainly led by the well trained, highly motivated Siberian divisions. Not by the poorly trained red army that was thrust into action. Before the Siberian divisions entered into the fray the Soviets were losing.

Even the threat of being killed for dissertion was still not enough for the Soviets to stop the Nazi blitz deep into the USSR.