Soviet adopt another defensive strategy in 1941

When Barbarossa happened and once Stalin got over his mental breakdown the Soviet defense was ordered to fight to the last and not have one step back. That resulted among other things with 2,5 million men captured in different situations as they did not retreat. But what if Sjukov and Stalin had adopted a defensive strategy that was mor elastic allowing for retreats and regroup. Would that work?
 
German intentions were well telegraphed - Stalin simply buried his head in the sand and refused to acknowledge the facts

When the invasion happened many units were still at peace time deployments that is units that in wartime would operate together were often up to 100 km's apart

Ammunition and spares were not issued, the call up of the reserves not made and the last minute panic to do so probably made things worse

In one instance in the first weeks 50,000 unarmed unequipped reservists were captured when one city fell.

It was criminal negligence of the very highest order and it boggles my mind that Stalin did not suffer a 7.62mm Takarov brain haemorrhage in those first weeks.

So simply 'activating' the army in a timely fashion would make things much harder for the Germans

Yes the Red Army had many problems with training and leadership in 1941 especially in the face of the well led and experienced Heer but this was made much worse by the lack of even preparing to prepare for the invasion.

So a staged activation of the army from Spring 1941 or earlier would probably pay dividends for Russia.

They are still going to get their arses kicked - just not as badly and the Germans run out of steam much earlier.
 
Top