| Ofcourse its worth remembering that Moscow wasn't the capital in Napoleon's time. While it may have been considered the heart of Russia its much easier to force a peace treaty when you have captured the Tsar and he can either yeild or watch his government (and subsequently nation) collapse.
Also in Napoleons time you didn't have trains.
If Moscow had fallen (or atleast the bulk of it occupied) then the Soviets would be in a very poor strategic position since Moscow is such a vital railroad hub. Moving the same vast amounts of both people and supplies across the huge front without such would be very difficult if not impossible. If Stalin is captured or killed the political chaos (I don't buy the concept of Beria, let alone any General, taking over as if nothing has happened) may shatter the USSR.
Not totally convinced attacking Russia was terribly foolish (well.. not more foolish than getting into the war to begin with). Britain cannot easilly be defeated (Napoleon found that one out too). While moving a greater number of German divisions into Africa might have lead to taking Egypt and the British effectively giving up its questionable whether such would be logistically possible. Invading Turkey (to get at the middle east from above) would almost certainly see the USSR declare war.
What does not attacking give Germany? Another year for the Red Army to expand and grow would leave Germany in an inferior position relative to the situation at the time. The chances of defeating the Soviet Union are unlikely to ever get better and theres a significant risk if substantial German forces leave Europe that it shall be Germany who gets stabbed in the back. Interestingly the same arguement which inspired German military thinkers in the first world war.
Obviously the best hope for Hitler is that Italy with a little more German support (than happened in our version of events) defeats the British in North Africa and takes Alexandria. While I don't think the loss of Suez and the Med wouldn't be the deathblow to the Empire some people imagine(lots of shipping did go around South Africa to avoid Submarines) it would probably point out to the British they are unlikely to ever accomplish much against the Axis without allies. If the USSR is a pro-Axis neutral then a year or two of relatively ineffectual bombings may lead to a peace in the same style as the treaty of Amiens. Ofcourse its likely that like Napoleon and Alexander, Hitler and Stalin are bound to go to war at some point and the British (and other governments in exile) are bound to return to war with the Axis powers as soon as its possible to do so.
__________________ Pressé fortement sur ma droite, mon centre cède, impossible de me mouvoir, situation excellente, j'attaque. |