Heinz Reinhardt > Recent Status Updates

The commencement of Fall Rot, sees the Germans take a beating in several places by stout French defenses along the Somme, Aisne and Oise Rivers. However, with few reserves and fewer mobile formations, the French can't entirely prevent a German breakthrough.
Even so, for the first week of June, 1940, they make the Germans pay a steep blood price for victory.

With Britain defiant, the US clearly looking for an excuse to enter the war, and with even fairly optimistic intelligence appraisals highlighting the enormity of the proposed task, Hitler was adamant about invading the USSR.
What made this worse was his vague inability to define goals.

Really enjoying the middle section of the book on the Mtali War. Mad Mike shares my approach to counterinsurgency and his detailing of how a UN run war would be the definition of FUBAR is very well done.

This particular accounting of the battles in Mongolia against the Japanese in 1939 is significantly different than previous works I had read. Possibly newer research has effect on the structure of the narrative.
The air campaign in particular was illuminating.

Besides the obvious of fierce, if inexperienced, Romanian resistance, the main German difficulties in their campaign to conquer Romania were twofold. Firstly logistics, as always with Germans, exasperated by the second: a multinational force of Germans, Bulgarians, Hapsburg's and Turks.
Even so, both von Falkenhayn and von Mackensen performed brilliantly.

The Romanians had hoped for Anglo-French assistance from Macedonia to tie down the Bulgarians. However, the Bulgarians hit first into Macedonia, ending that plan. The Romanian invasion of Transylvania was a disaster, and a German led, multi-national force invaded southern Romania from Bulgaria.
So soon did their hopes turn to nightmares.

While the book does go into the action of Fall Gelb, what I found refreshing was the look at the Somme front while Dunkirk was going on, and both sides preparations for the coming Fall Rot.
The Germans performed logistical miracle in the ten days Hitler gave the Wehrmacht to prepare the renewal of the offensive.

By late summer Russian losses in the sector of Southwest Front approached one million, and though they had gained a considerable amount of ground, and came very close to knocking the Hapsburg's out of the war, Brusilov called off the offensive.
And Romania enters the war.

Excellent detailing, pulling no punches, on the brutal terror that the Soviets imposed not just on their own citizens (even Red Army veterans, oh whom the 'Kulaks' were mostly comprised), but also the Soviet armed forces themselves.
The best accounting thus far of the Great Purge of 1937 in the Red Army.

Although the Russians keep on the pressure throughout July, even defeating the initial German counterassaults and pushing deeper into Galicia, they are wearing themselves out.
By August, Russian losses are half a million since June, and their armies are exhausted. While the Turks send a Corps to aid their allies.

While Brusilov has effectively torn the guts out of the KuK in the south, the Russian supporting offensives in the north, against the Germans, drowned in a sea of blood. The northern offensives showcased none of Brusilov's tactical innovations, and suffered accordingly.

In detailing the opening phase of the Battle of the Low Countries and France, the author does a far better job of any other I've read in showcasing the French fighting prowess. Command deficiencies never meant that the man on the ground wasn't determined to win.

Excellent analytical discussion on the beginnings of the Second War and the preparations, from both sides, up to May 10, 1940.
Makes some very good observations about the unprepared state of German heavy industry, and the woeful nature of the French Air Force (AdA), as well as the ridiculous British strategic priorities.

Brusilov's Offensive smashes forwards, And the KuK is pushed to the breaking point. The Germans are forced to act to rescue their allies as Conrad, grudgingly calls off his Asiago offensive (Straffexpedition) to reinforce his shattered front in Galicia.

Excellent discussion on French and British inability to identify the correct strategic focus post Great War. Both focused on their colonial empires to the detriment of Europe, and both fell behind Germany in military modernization.
Also, neither synchronized their efforts. Too much emphasis on technology over training/doctrine.

Very good start thus far. He lays out his thesis quite well in the introduction, and the, very long, first chapter is the background to the war. The emphasis on French strategic decision making in the interwar period is enlightening.

Brusilov's great offensive rips open the southern sector held by the KuK, which is pushed back into Galicia once again. However, the Russians, while scoring a major tactical success, have failed to follow up their victory to destroy the wavering KuK.
And, ominously, German forces are preparing to counterattack the Russian spearheads.

The training mission on Caledonia was a hell of a fun read. Makes me wonder why our own training can't be as realistic? Then again I believe the good Colonel Kratman covered that in a Lines of Departure.