Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

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Cantankerous
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Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#1

Post by Cantankerous » 02 Nov 2019, 03:01

Some WW2 historians have argued that the magnitude of the Holocaust could have been minimized from the Soviet side if the Red Army and NKVD had chosen to send a special forces squadron to Poland to launch attacks on Holocaust trains taking Jews and Poles to death camps in Poland and shoot prison guards at the death camps. We know that Stalin realized after Operation Barbarossa that Hitler was intent on making Slavs slaves of the Aryan master race, but when exactly did Soviet government officials become aware of the dark plans to destroy Jews and Slavs hatched at the Wannsee Conference?

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#2

Post by Gorque » 02 Nov 2019, 14:45

Cantankerous wrote:
02 Nov 2019, 03:01
We know that Stalin realized after Operation Barbarossa that Hitler was intent on making Slavs slaves of the Aryan master race, ...
Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Koba only figured that out in '41? 8O


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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#3

Post by I have questions » 02 Nov 2019, 22:07

it would be interesting to see the Soviets use SF for counter Holocaust purposes. I guess the real question is how would they have been able to get them out all the way to places like Poland, past the front, past the rear security. Not to mention the fact that they wouldn't have had any contact with Moscow. Logistically speaking such an operation is either impossible or impractical. Plus is 1941-42 the Soviets had far bigger problems than what Germany was doing behind the lines. The real problem is just the sheer scale. Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Hungary, The Balkans, Poland, etc., not only would it have been difficult logistically, but the amount of men or women for one team, plus all the men or women for the support, would have been immense. Not to mention the intricate details of planning and sustaining such operations, the Soviets just didn't have the headspace or time in 41' 42' to plan such a complex and vast operation such as the one you suggest. But of course, what time period we talking here? is it 41' 42'? If so, I have given my answer. Later on, still, the Soviet's main priority was rolling up the Germans, they weren't really going for a covert SF war. As interesting as it is to entertain such potential scenarios, most (as with this one) are not very practical for the war effort and don't really align with that country's motivation.

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#4

Post by Art » 02 Nov 2019, 22:48

Massive execution of Jews, communists, political officers and other unwanted elements started practically from the first day of war on the Eastern Front. Not to say that starvation of POWs was already well under way by the time of Wannsee Conference. It's unlikely that the conference, even if a full information about it had been available, would be considered as some critical point. What idea the Soviet leadership had about these events is a curios question, I don't remember seeing it disused anywhere.
As for sabotage and commando missions - the idea is a little unrealistic IMO. Soviet attempts to wage war behind the lines in this first period of the war were essentially a waste of men with little practical effect.

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#5

Post by I have questions » 03 Nov 2019, 18:27

Art wrote:
02 Nov 2019, 22:48
Soviet attempts to wage war behind the lines in this first period of the war were essentially a waste of men with little practical effect.
correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Soviets end up having a fairly well organized guerilla army operating behind Axis lines some time after Barbarossa?

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#6

Post by Art » 04 Nov 2019, 12:41

"Some time" came well later than January 1942.

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#7

Post by I have questions » 05 Nov 2019, 04:04

Art wrote:
04 Nov 2019, 12:41
"Some time" came well later than January 1942.
That late? When was it, October-November 1942?

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Re: Soviet government reaction to Wannsee Conference

#8

Post by Art » 05 Nov 2019, 10:17

I don't think that you can tell any exact date. A common thesis is that most groups left or sent to the occupied territory early in the war were defeated or disappeared.

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