why did hitler attack russia?

Question

didnt he have enough enemies already? and its not like russia was exactly a small country.

Answer 1

Sheer Stubborn Stupidity - - - Adolf was not a strategic thinker, he could not grasp complex issues - - - he truly thought that if he willed things to be so then they would happen. Adolf had a lot of confidence in his Will - - - and up to a point it seemed possible he was right. Up until the point when he decided to take a bite out of Russia. In his heart & soul Adolf was a Bully - - - like a lot of Bullies he thought that Russia was weak, inferior, that the Soviets would crumple beneath the might of his armies. Of course Adolf was wrong. Hitler had a lot of excuses for attacking Russia; seizing the nations mineral wealth, putting an end to Boshevism, disposing of Josef Stalin, but noting that truly made sense.

It should be clearly stated that Hitler compounded the blunder of attacking Russia with unsound planning such as not providing Winter gear for the German Army, not only clothing but providing ways to keep machinery running in zero degree weather, etc. But the NEXT biggest mistake Hitler made was to Declare War on America after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Hitler's Japanese Ally had not declared War on Russia, there was no reason for Hitler to add America to his enemy list. America had no 'legit' reason to fight Hitler until he declared War, which was the one thing that made Roosevelt smile during those bleak times.

Here is a final scenario for you. What I view as Hitler's first fatal mistake. After kicking the c r a p out of Poland, despite declarations of war by Britain & France, there was no reason to Attack in the West. Quite frankly England & France did not like Soviet Russia. In 1940 Hitler had the option to 'ignore' the West. What if Hitler had attacked Russia instead in 1940, it is quite possible that Britain & France would have held back attacking Germany. Then in France the communist would have risen up in protest against their government's inaction, and France would have disintergrated into not so civil war. There may have also been riots in Britain but the communist being less numerous doubtful if a full on civil war would have errupted. Fighting only Soviet Russia, it is likely that Hitler would have triumphed. Then after vanquishing the Bolshevik Hordes, say by late 1941 early 1942. the embattled French Goverment would have invited Hitler to intervene against the communist. Hmmm - history is full of odd twists and turns. Peace.

Answer 2

Russia was definitely one of Hitlers biggest mistakes.
The theory is that he felt defeated, being unable to break into Britain, and the German people were starting to expect a victory of some sort, so Hitler abandoned operation Sea Lion (Britain) and instead turned his attention to Operation Barbarossa (Meaning Red Beard, the attack on Russia)
Initially Hitler thought that they could defeat the Russians before the end of the summer,using his Blitzkrieg (a Napoleonic fighting method) but the Russian used the Scorched Earth Project (burning everything including livestock) and this left the German army with a major weakness. Next the long Russian winter came, and most German soldiers simply froze and starved to death, or were to weak to fight.

Answer 3

due to the fact that the Blitzkrieg or Lightining War Tactics worked so well in France and the netherland reagions he thought that Russia would fall fast under the might of the German panzers.

Answer 4

Nazism always opposed Communism. Which made it odd when Russia and Germany signed their original Non-Aggression Pact.

Hitler also dreamed of doing what Napolean couldn't.

Answer 5

Greed.

Answer 6

He wanted lebenstraum, living space, for his superior Aryan race.

Answer 7

he got greedy and wanted to wipe the slavic people off the map. considered them inferior race of people.

Answer 8

He figured they would fall really really fast.

And he needed their oil fields.

The russians didn't even have enough guns for their troops, - at first.

Answer 9

to get to the other side... no wait that was the chicken

Answer 10

Because he was an egomaniac.