Posted in u/call_of_war_player • 355 points and 614 comments
The highest comment with the suggested sort for me currently is:
the soviet union wont ww2. the us just made a shitload of money, created the CIA, nuked civilians to scare russia, and set the foundation for the military industrial complex to essentially run the country. read a book.
I kinda feel like r*dditors and USians are quick to criticize their own country and government to 'get ahead' of the criticism by others and continue to hold the moral high ground. Like, in the marketplace of ideas you'll see it somewhere, not emphasized but mentioned, and then that's more or less enough.
“The Soviet Union had shored up 130 divisions that were preparing for an August Invasion.”
You know why the Soviets were attempting to shore up the border and prepare for a defense against Germany??? BECAUSE HITLER LITERALLY DETAILS HIS PLANS IN MIEN KAMPF. Stalin and the high command discussed this for years leading up to the war.
Also August invasion of what??? Also that is hilariously wrong, that 130 divisions number included border guard units, NKVD security detachments, military police units, and reconnaissance units. Also, the vast majority of the actual combat units stationed near the border were not fully mobilized and were at peacetime strength. Hardly a fighting force able to launch an invasion.
Also if the Soviets were so geared up for an invasion, how come the vast majority of their aircraft were mothballed and being kept in storage? The Germans destroyed thousands of planes on the ground that were completely unprepared. What about anti-aircraft batteries and air defense? Minsk, Brest, Kiev, etc, were devastated by initial German air strikes on the first day and they were nearly completely unopposed. Why were anti aircraft battalions unprepared and not mobilized if the Soviets were preparing for an invasion?
the "Soviets were going to attack" defense for the nazis is just a nazi lie. but what i want to know is why would that fucking matter to anyone discussing this now? only a nazi defends the concept of nazi "self-defense" in the knowledge that all europe, soon the americas, and the soviet union all fought these guys while the nazis were committing the worst atrocities in history. if the soviets entered the war earlier it would've been a good thing.
but to be clear the lack of military preparedness on the border, besides disproving allegations of invasion-preparation, is one of the chief military blunders of the 20th century. there really is no excuse for so many soldiers and equipment (and it wasn't that antique or terrible equipment, the germans were running a lot of older shit too) to be lost so quickly, through the failure to deny german intelligence and initiative.
Idk, for every even somewhat correct take i see 10 western propaganda takes there. There are even some brainworm farms unironically writing Rezun (aka Suvorov) arguments.
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