No Purge

[jeffking]

How would the war in the East have turned out if Stalin had not purged his best and brightest generals in 1937-38 and instead of foolishly holding onto every inch of ground listened to them and traded space for time? Could the Soviets withdraw into the interior and easily launch a massive winter offense to sweep the Nazis out? I see the war ending as quickly as 1943 with the Soviets on the gates of Berlin and Hitler taking a pistol to the head.