Stahel is lying. The 3rd tank group fought in August. 2nd too. Before looking at the losses of Germans, the Russian armies were ground in the battle of Smolensk.ljadw wrote: ↑14 Sep 2019, 14:401 Without the defeat of the Soviet forces at Kiev, an advance to Moscow was out of the question : first Kiew, than Moscowcheckov wrote: ↑14 Sep 2019, 13:03There would have been sufficient supplies and equipment, there were enough munitions/supplies to move German armies hundreds of miles south and gain the huge tactical victory against intact Soviet forces at Kiev. That huge tactical success was an even bigger strategic blunder by Hitler.
So why couldn't the same supplies/fuel/munitions that Army Group Center (? I think) used to advance S towards Kiev and destroy Budennys Soviet Armies have been used to advance towards a totally disorganized and unprepared defense around Moscow in good weather with even less a distance to cover?
Answer: It obviously could have and an early "typhoon" would have had great chances of success.
I will support what Jesk said below about the mud and add that even as important the extra time gave much better preparations for defense at Moscow. Literally thousands of Moscovites worked daily on building tank traps, trenches, bunkers etc. In addition many Soviet units were re-formed and newly formed around Moscow from August to the start of Typhoon. Moscow itself produced significant amounts of weapons (especially aircraft) between August and Typhoon that were not built yet. Finally the now-famous British Lend-Lease armor would not have been available to defend Moscow which the Soviets (temporarily) had little of their own left after the disastrous defeats of the Summer.
https://www.historynet.com/did-russia-r ... ermans.htm
2 There is no proof that in August the Red Army was disorganized and unprepared.
3 What Jesk said is wrong : the mud did not stop the Germans, the Germans were stopped by the REd Army .
4 British LL did not defend Moscow but was used during the failed Soviet winter offensive
5 The fall of Moscow would not result in the collaps of the SU, but would be the result of the collaps of the SU .There was no reason to go to Moscow .
6 From Stahel ( Operation Barbarossa and Germany's Defeat in the East )
P 282 : Combat Readiness of PzGr 3 on July 21 : 42 %
P 417 : Combat readiness of PzGr 3 on August 21 :
7 Pz : 45 %
19 Pz :60 %
20 Pz 49 %
12 Pz : 45 %
P 419 : War Diary of AGC :the armoured units are so battle -weary and worn-out that there can be no question of a mass operative mission until they have been completely replenished and repaired .
24 August : report of general Buhle : combat strength of the infantry divisions in the east was down by 40 % .
As success of Typhoon did not depend on the PzD ,but on the infantry divisions, the conclusion is obvious : Guderian lied, not for the first and not for the last time .
On September 4 ,the combat strength of Guderian's PzGr was down to 25 % .
7 The Ostheer lost 200000 + men in August : the Red Army was stronger than before .
XXXIX. Armeekorps (mot.) (39.)