Battles

Battles, campaigns and important basic decisions of WW2.

At this page, various interesting strategic decisions, campaigns and individual battles are investigated more closely, which had a more or less great influence on the course of WW2.

Why did Hitler declare war on the US?

Hitler's declaration of war to the United States appears to be difficult to understand, superfluous, and sealed the fate of

Losses in World War II

Losses and casualties during World War II. Military personnel and civilian losses, aircraft, warships and merchant ships of the combatants

Eastern Front 1941

German Orders of Battle from 3 September 1941 and the Eastern Front after the successful start of Operation Barbarossa from

Control of Europe 1942-45

The map of the control of territories in the European theater of war from 1942-45. Above is the strategic map

Outbreak of British infantry from Tobruk

Siege of Tobruk ends

From August 1941 until the end of the Siege of Tobruk in December 1941 (Part III). Australians withdrawn and replaced

Rommels attack on Tobruk

The Siege of Tobruk, from April to December 1941 (Part II). Rommel’s attack on the defensive perimeter, trench warfare and

Siege of Tobruk

The siege of Tobruk from April to December 1941. Tobruk is a tiny but significant harbor on the coastline of

Balkans Campaign

History and causes of the Balkan campaign 1940-1941. Mussolini’s Greek adventure on 28 October 1940 to the German attack of

04-Operation Weser Crossing

Operation Weser Crossing (Unternehmen Weserübung), the German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940. The six-month hiatus known as

German infantry, armed with 98K rifles as well as grenade throwers

Operation Barbarossa

Could had Operation Barbarossa - Hitler's attack on Soviet Russia - a different course and why was the invasion carried

Nazi Germany attacks the Soviet Union

The German attack on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. 80 years ago: the beginning of the operation with

Operation Rhine Exercise

Operation Rheinuebung ('Rhine Exercise'), the final cruise of the Bismarck Detailed action, numerous photos and video. Here to Part I:

Airborne invasion of Crete

Operation Merkur (Mercury), the 'Battle of Crete'. German Plan of Attack and assault troops, deployed forces, intelligence, the fighting and

Operation Torch

Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa. On November 8, 1942, a force of over 70,000 Allied troops invaded

Were there alternatives to Operation Barbarossa ?

Were there alternatives for Hitler to Operation Barbarossa ? Part II to the question 'Why the Germans invaded Russia ?'

Why Hitler attacked Russia ?

Why Hitler attacked Russia ? (Part I) Looking on the subsequent events appearing after Hitler's decision to attack Russia, it

Soldiers of the 69th US Division and the Soviet 1st Ukrainian Front

Second World War overview 1943-45

Second World War, overview of the course from 1943 to 1945 with the defeat of the Axis powers by the

Second World War overview 1941-42

Second World War, overview of the course of the 'Axis high tide' from 1941 to 1942 (Part II). Mediterranean theater,

Second World War overview 1939-40

Second World War, overview of the course of the 'Blitzkriege' (lightning wars) from 1939 to 1940 (Part I). Polish campaign,

Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain in 1940-1941. Operation Sea lion, strengths of the German Navy and Luftwaffe vs RAF, the air

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Attack of German infantry during the Blitzkrieg campaigns.

In so doing, less emphasis is placed on the number of battles or even on the complete treatment of all campaigns and strategic decisions, but on the essential and important operations for an important time interval of the WW2 War Diary or the armies‘ organization. The main focus here is on the units deployed in these battles and campaigns, and their strength, equipment and armament.

Additional, a large space is given to the strategic decisions of the principle – and here, above all (except maybe Joseph Stalin), the notorious individual decisions of the German Fuehrer, Adolf Hitler, who dominate everything. Hitler so decisively influence the course of the war as no other of the participating decision-makers.

Although Hitler had all options in his hands until the summer of 1941, his decisions resulted in the creation of the campaigns and battles, but the booklet of the trade was then torn from his hands of the Allies. However, all subsequent events, which were mostly triggered by the Allies, were still the product of Hitler’s strategy.

Especially for the development of war games as exact simulations are questions of the possible historical options and the ‘what if?’ necessary, besides the exact assessment of the fighting power of the involved armed forces and weapons for the calculation of alternative and fictional battles, if players or an artificial intelligence (AI) as ‘Supreme Commander’ takes other decisions than actually happened during WW2.