alternatehistory.com

Spring 1943:
The third battle of Kharkov demonstrated the effectiveness of Manstein's mobile defense strategy. What if instead of the disasterous Kursk offensive, Hitler surprisingly enacts Manstein's plan of mobile defense and counterattacks? Hitler hopers to repeat World War 1 as which the Germans defeated Russia by bleeding them dry and making them sick of war.
Scenario 1 (More Likely):
The distribution of mechanized forces throughout the front and this strategy inflicts horrific casualties on the Red Army, perhaps maybe close to double than IOTL, but the Germans eventually lose as US forces storm into the Reichstag. The USSR is weaker and has the iron curtain shifted a couple hundred miles east maybe. Maybe the population imbalance causes the USSR to collapse soon after the war, but probabaly unlikely.
Scenario 2:
In 1944 the situation for both the Germans and Soviets are dire, but the Red Army after fruitless offensives that gain ground but fail to destroy operational abilities of the Wehrmacht causes the Red Army to collapse due to a lack of manpower. Eventually Stalin signs a peace that makes Brest litovsk look like minor territorial concessions. Hitler demands all territory west of the Urals, and with the USSR teetering on collapse Stalin reluctantly accepts, it isn't entirely fatal as much of Soviet industry was East of the Urals. With only partisans a problem of the Germans Europe is held, the allies are driven out of Italy facing the full might of a battle hardened Wehrmacht, and sign an armistice. Germany keeps all European possessions while the allies keep African colonies and Germany must recognize allied peace with Japan. A three way Cold War between the axis, soviet rump state, and the allies occur. May continue on this if feedback looks good.
Top