How many German soldiers died defending Berlin?
The Soviet forces led by Zhukov broke through the defensive positions, having suffered about 30,000 dead, while 12,000 German personnel were killed.
What made the Wehrmacht so effective?
The Wehrmacht understood the power of closely coordinated use of combined arms. Air power, especially in support of a ground attack along with massed armor and infantry made the Blitzkreig concept hard to resist.
How many German soldiers were executed for desertion in ww2?
15,000 German soldiers
That rule was taken seriously during the lead up to World War II and the conflict itself. At least 15,000 German soldiers were executed for desertion alone, and up to 50,000 were killed for often minor acts of insubordination.
What was the German Hindenburg line?
Built in late 1916, the Hindenburg Line—named by the British for the German commander in chief, Paul von Hindenburg; it was known to the Germans as the Siegfried Line—was a heavily fortified zone running several miles behind the active front between the north coast of France and Verdun, near the border of France and …
How did the Red Army take down the Wehrmacht?
Although the Germans inflicted serious damage in 1941 and 1942, the Red Army took the offensive in late 1942 at the Battle of Stalingrad, and slowly ground the Wehrmacht into dust over the course of the next three years.
How hard did the Wehrmacht fight in WW2?
Nevertheless, the men and officers of the Wehrmacht endured grimly, clinging to every mountain, river, and ridge, and contesting every inch of ground. Perhaps if they held on long enough, they would find a way to return to the attack like the Prussians of old.
Did Germany expect Japan to attack the Soviet Union in WW2?
In the planning for the war the Germans had hoped, but not necessarily expected, that Japan would attack the Soviet Union in Siberia. Japan and the USSR had fought a brief but sharp engagement at Gol in 1939, where the Red Army dealt the Kwantung Army a nasty bloody nose.
Why did Berlin fail on the Eastern Front?
Key point: Berlin made many bad assumptions and therefore had the wrong strategy. Hubris and bad planning would doom the Germans as they tried to seize the vast territories of Russia. Even by the standards of World War II, the Eastern Front stands out as a cauldron of horror.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h8lIk593HM