Did Germany Have To Invade Russia?

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk Listen: linktr.ee/wehaveways How did the interwar years contribute to Germany's ability to successfully invade Russia? Why was Nazi Germany so reliant on trade with The Soviet Union? When did Hitler decide to betray his pact with Stalin? Join Al Murray and James Holland for part 2 of this titanic new series on the brutal Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, and how mistakes by warmongers on both sides led to untold tragedies on the Eastern Front of WW2. Summer sale is here: get an annual membership for a third off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' content. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over. 0:00 – Germany’s impossible position before Barbarossa 5:36 – The Blitzkrieg myth and the false lesson of France 8:26 – Germany’s hidden motor-vehicle crisis 16:27 – The Schell Plan and attempts to mechanise the Wehrmacht 19:31 – How Poland exposed Germany’s logistical weaknesses 22:04 – Barbarossa planning begins despite impossible shortages 26:42 – The first invasion plans and the problem of splitting the army 31:07 – Why Germany thought Russia would be different from Napoleon 32:39 – Racism, WWI memories and contempt for the Red Army 37:09 – The Losberg Plan and the three-pronged invasion 42:54 – Hitler commits to the “eastern question” 44:07 – Paulus war-games Barbarossa 45:52 – The war games reveal the plan’s fatal weaknesses 48:27 – Hitler ignores the warnings and predicts Soviet collapse 51:13 – Hitler changes the plan: Leningrad first, Moscow later 52:14 – Führer Directive 21 and the final Barbarossa plan 53:15 – The countdown to invasion Produced by James Regan Editor: Charlie Rodwell Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris Social Producer: Harry Balden Exec Producer: Tony Pastor