Stalin leadership in Moscow in 1941

Stalin at Moscow in 1941

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In late 1941, in front of Moscow, was the lowest point of the Allies in WW2, much of this was due to the mistakes that Stalin made.

General Zhukov, has stated that Soviet generals were not confident that they could hold the German forces at the Mozhaisk defence line outside Moscow and that Russia might fall was a real possibility.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wo...dmits-USSR-came-close-to-defeat-by-Nazis.html

However, at the Battle of Moscow, many leaders might have collapsed, run away or made terms. Many armies might have collapsed, many countries might have collapsed. The city might have surrendered, the French surrendered Paris and declared it an open city earlier.

Stalin remained in command, the army under his leadership kept together, the city did not surrender and the battle continued. Although close to one million Russian soldiers died defending Moscow, Barbarossa was stopped.

Now many give the credit for this victory to others, many blame the failure of the German logistics, Hitler's mistakes, etc and certainly much of this is true but what credit should Stalin get.

In his book "The battle of Moscow by Col Albert Seaton" states the following in his conclusion

"It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Stalin was the sole military commander and that the plans for the defence of Moscow, and the subsequent counter-offensive were drawn up at his direction. Except that he was commander of the largest of the four fronts, Zhukov took little or no part in the planning of the counter-offensive ... Far from being dependent on any of his generals, Stalin, caustic and insulting, treated them little better than serfs."

He feels that Moscow was Stalin's victory.

What are your thoughts on this?
 
Are we considering it in a vacuum or are we allowed to take into account that the fact the Germans had gotten all the way to the Mozhiask defense line can heavily be blamed on Stalin?
 
Are we considering it in a vacuum or are we allowed to take into account that the fact the Germans had gotten all the way to the Mozhiask defense line can heavily be blamed on Stalin?

A vacuum, we are here looking at Stalin importance and military performance at Moscow
 
Stalin had a knack to successfully get out from the pits he previously dug himself. His decision to stay in Moscow probably provided a morale boost to its defenders and he was a good organizer, relentless and tireless. I am not sure that his meddling in direct military operations was too positive though. Too many cases when it had the opposite effect.
 

Deleted member 1487

In late 1941, in front of Moscow, was the lowest point of the Allies in WW2, much of this was due to the mistakes that Stalin made.

General Zhukov, has stated that Soviet generals were not confident that they could hold the German forces at the Mozhaisk defence line outside Moscow and that Russia might fall was a real possibility.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wo...dmits-USSR-came-close-to-defeat-by-Nazis.html

However, at the Battle of Moscow, many leaders might have collapsed, run away or made terms. Many armies might have collapsed, many countries might have collapsed. The city might have surrendered, the French surrendered Paris and declared it an open city earlier.

Stalin remained in command, the army under his leadership kept together, the city did not surrender and the battle continued. Although close to one million Russian soldiers died defending Moscow, Barbarossa was stopped.

Now many give the credit for this victory to others, many blame the failure of the German logistics, Hitler's mistakes, etc and certainly much of this is true but what credit should Stalin get.

In his book "The battle of Moscow by Col Albert Seaton" states the following in his conclusion

"It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Stalin was the sole military commander and that the plans for the defence of Moscow, and the subsequent counter-offensive were drawn up at his direction. Except that he was commander of the largest of the four fronts, Zhukov took little or no part in the planning of the counter-offensive ... Far from being dependent on any of his generals, Stalin, caustic and insulting, treated them little better than serfs."

He feels that Moscow was Stalin's victory.

What are your thoughts on this?
I'd temper Col Seaton's book with Glantz's work on the fighting around Moscow. I have Seaton's book and any number of more modern histories and it is really hard to credit Stalin with anything positive in terms of military planning for the fighting around Moscow. Zhukov and the professionals deserve the credit; Stalin's credit is for staying in place and fighting it out instead of evacuating with the rest of the government. Had Stalin bugged out and the public become aware the resulting panic might have undermined the defense of the city. Other than that Stalin's choices, including his demand for an offensive in November which damaged the defensive abilities of his forces and let the Germans get closer to Moscow than the should have been able, if anything speaks against Stalin's military judgement.
 
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