Re: the fortress strategy, there were a number of "successful" German fortresses that held out... but they were all in the west. The Germans maintained a bunch of fortresses in port cities along the French coast all the way to VE Day: La Rochelle, Lorient, St-Nazaire, Dunkirk. But this too shows the flaws of the strategy. Those fortresses only held out because they had a form of leverage: if they were attacked, they could destroy the port facilities, which would negate the strategic advantage of attacking them. The land-based infrastructure that the other fortresses in the East possessed: bridges, roads, railway junctions, marshalling yards, telephone/telegraph lines, etc. were all much more replaceable and so the threat of their destruction by the defenders posed limited strategic relevance. In any case the more critical western fortresses that were needed to be taken to supply the western advance were taken by force, mostly by the Canadians moving up the coast after the Normandy breakout.
tremendous presentation thank you question…where did hitler’s fixation/obsession with fortress cities come from? what did he learn from the german bypassing of the maginot line? did he think about “fortress cities” differently than defensive lines? thank you!
Leningrad Russians ate sawdust, glue, every pet in city, and each other. In winter 1941-42 there were very well fed, even obese people, who liked you to go back alley with you.
I love Pritt Buttar's books but he is being "pedantic" with the distinction between the term "Russian" and "Soviet". Coming from a country that fought its own terrible war over a regional secessionist movement, I can confirm for you that the whole reason for secessionist movements is because some small group wants power and they can't achieve it over the greater whole.
It is well know thw UK got more lend lease than the Soviet Union. UK got it earlier than the Soviets so for a longer time. When things are very dire, as it as for the UK before summer1941 and the Soviets maybe 18 months (?), any help usefull NOW is worth it's weight in gold. Also in such a crisis situation knowing we will get valuble help later too surley means a lot.
Countless books? Even a small library knows how many books they have. Countless works for the number of stars in the sky but not books written by one author.
2 of my absolute favorite historians! Thank you!
Prit Buttar is always amazing in his presentations.
Yes he is very impressive as are his books.
Absolutely pumped right now. 2 joints and a pizza ready for this lecture. Absolutely pumped. Morale through the roof.
Marvelous discussion, thank you.
Brilliant session
Great stuff
Re: the fortress strategy, there were a number of "successful" German fortresses that held out... but they were all in the west. The Germans maintained a bunch of fortresses in port cities along the French coast all the way to VE Day: La Rochelle, Lorient, St-Nazaire, Dunkirk.
But this too shows the flaws of the strategy. Those fortresses only held out because they had a form of leverage: if they were attacked, they could destroy the port facilities, which would negate the strategic advantage of attacking them. The land-based infrastructure that the other fortresses in the East possessed: bridges, roads, railway junctions, marshalling yards, telephone/telegraph lines, etc. were all much more replaceable and so the threat of their destruction by the defenders posed limited strategic relevance.
In any case the more critical western fortresses that were needed to be taken to supply the western advance were taken by force, mostly by the Canadians moving up the coast after the Normandy breakout.
tremendous presentation
thank you
question…where did hitler’s fixation/obsession with fortress cities come from?
what did he learn from the german bypassing of the maginot line?
did he think about “fortress cities” differently than defensive lines?
thank you!
❤
Prit 😀
We disagree on Balck's abilities, but he is a nice guy and fine historian.
Leningrad Russians ate sawdust, glue, every pet in city, and each other. In winter 1941-42 there were very well fed, even obese people, who liked you to go back alley with you.
I love Pritt Buttar's books but he is being "pedantic" with the distinction between the term "Russian" and "Soviet".
Coming from a country that fought its own terrible war over a regional secessionist movement, I can confirm for you that the whole reason for secessionist movements is because some small group wants power and they can't achieve it over the greater whole.
It is well know thw UK got more lend lease than the Soviet Union. UK got it earlier than the Soviets so for a longer time. When things are very dire, as it as for the UK before summer1941 and the Soviets maybe 18 months (?), any help usefull NOW is worth it's weight in gold. Also in such a crisis situation knowing we will get valuble help later too surley means a lot.
Countless books? Even a small library knows how many books they have. Countless works for the number of stars in the sky but not books written by one author.