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Why Germany Lost Wwii

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Why Germany Lost Wwii
H200 Argumentative Essay
Why was Germany unable to translate tactical and operational victories into strategic success during World War II? Cite evidence from H200 to support your answer.

MAJ James E. Curlee Jr.
Staff Group 13D

04JAN13

Why was Germany unable to translate tactical and operational victories into strategic success during World War II? More pointedly and stated simpler, why did Germany loose World War II?
Why Germany lost the war (despite its early tactical successes) is a simple question with a complex answer. And, over the years since Germany’s surrender at Reims, France on May 7, 1945, scholars and historians have provided a number of arguments to warrant their perspective answers. Consequently there are a myriad of points, themes, and arguments that can be studied to provide a reason or reasons why the Third Reich failed. However, there are three principal reasons that Germany’s tactical success did not translate to strategic success. The first and prevalent reason is because Germany lacked cohesive strategic objectives and an overall military strategy for the war. The second and most affecting reason is because Germany failed to successfully connect its ends, ways and means. (House) The third and final reason is because Germany significantly overestimated its military prowess and capabilities.
Germany did not have a military strategic plan per se for World War II. What they did have was a vision. That vision, provided by Adolf Hitler (as outlined in his Mein Kampf) was based on Hitler’s political ideology and desires for the 3rd Reich. Prior to the war Hitler wrote that Germany should not make the mistake of “making an enemy of the whole world” but that Germany must “recognize the most dangerous enemy” and then “hit him hard with her full concentrated power…” (Buell, 1964) Additionally, Hitler repeatedly related to his generals that the main mistake Germany made in World War One was allowing “the development of a


Cited: Battle of Britain. (n.d.). Retrieved from History Learning Site: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/battleofbritain.htm Buell, T. B. (1964). The Second World War: Europe and the Mediterranean. Wayne, NJ: Avery Publishing Group. Franklin D 'Olier, C. (September 30, 1945). The United States Strategic Bobing Survey. Department of Defense. Glantz, D. M. (2001/2002). Barbarossa, Hitler 's Invasion of Russia, 1941. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Tempus Publishing. Halder, F. (1988). The Halder War Diary 1939-1942. Novato, California: Presidio Press. House, D. J. (n.d.). Advance Sheet for Lesson H207-The Soviet-Germn Conflict. H200: Military Innovation in Peace and War Parallel Block. US Army Command and General Staff College. Schott, J. C. (97-04). Overall German Strategy in World War Two and teh Allied Air Offensive. Retrieved from http://www.dticmil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA397297
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