The Gulag deaths are only the tip of the iceberg. Entire cities were moved and replanted in Siberia and the Urals before and during the war. Death tolls were enormous and that is not even figured into the war unless it happened during the German occupation. The Germans thought they were marching into a cornucopia but it was instead a desert. It is naïve to say that it was the Germans who made it that way and not the war and the Soviets themselves, before and during the war.
death in evacuations amounted to 2.5- 3 million. And there would be no reason to move them if it was not for invasion would be there now? As for what was done before the war –how it is even relevant? How exactly it excuses German army attitude and behavior?
Actually, I meant the German defense and therefore should have phrased that it took one German to fight four Soviet soldiers to a standstill.
so? Well entrenched soldier regardless of nationality will always have an edge over attacker. During German Balaton offensive it was Soviet side that was outnumbered and they held out – that is just one example. That said – what exactly it has to do with behavior of German army?
Scorched-earth warfare is bound to cause civilians to drop like flies. The Germans weren't the only ones practicising this.
Byelorussia did not suffer from scorched earth, because Western military District was destroyed rather quickly and there was nobody left to practice it. And yet this republic had huge civilian death toll, which is along is bigger than that of Germany.
I know the Soviet people were just a bunch happy Muzhiks living quietly in quant village bliss until the barbarians came from the West.
misplaced irony Scott. They were not happy, but they definitely became far more pissed off after the invasion ensued.
The real war was fought on the Soviet Front.
I am not talking about front I am talking about occupied territories, and the simple fact is that the death tolls are incomparable, although I am not about to derive exact proportions. Scott I know that “sympathy for the evil” is contagious thing but this is ridiculous.
I'm not trying to disparage the Soviet people but the simplistic and apologetic notion of the war as one of "extermination" instead of a brutal war annoys me;
how come you are not running to the rescue every time people are talking about crimes committed by the Red Army –if above statement of yours is true it should annoy the hell out of you as well.