William Tyler
The Invasion of Russia
Summary
A panoramic look at Operation Barbarossa, the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and its Axis allies. Discussed are the invasion’s roots in Nazi racist ideology and Hitler and Stalin’s delusions of their own versions of reality. The invasion ultimately failed due to the Russian winter, the numerical superiority of the Soviet forces, and the inadequacy of the German intelligence.
William Tyler
William Tyler has spent his entire professional life in adult education, beginning at Kingsgate College in 1969. He has lectured widely for many public bodies, including the University of Cambridge and the WEA, in addition to speaking to many clubs and societies. In 2009, William was awarded the MBE for services to adult education, and he has previously been a scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre.
Why did he take on Russia with Britain still undefeated? Because he had such a low view of Britain that he just assumed that Britain would collapse once he’d got to Moscow. And it’s his ideology that overrules any military sense.
Because he wanted to get hold of Poland. Think of Putin and the Crimea. The basis of Russian defence policy from the tsars to Putin is there must be buffers between Russia and the West. So the Baltic States served as a buffer. They lost those in the First World War. They regained them in 1945. Poland, they want as a buffer. And so when Hitler offers it to them on a plate, they aren’t going to say no. It’s this obsession with buffer sake.
Only if the Americans hadn’t come in. It would’ve been longer, more difficult, more bloody, but in the end, the allies would’ve won, is my view. But you can challenge that very easily.