Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by dave c (A) on June 26, 2007 at 15:18:14

In Reply to: RE: Soviet Army was much bigger than the Allied Army... posted by Tom Brennan on June 25, 2007 at 17:56:56

Sorry, I couldn't resist!
When Germany invaded the USSR, the major difference was that effectively every last citizen of the USSR became a soldier.
The hideous conditions were endured by the entire nation. The Germans were just an army. The Russians destroyed everything as they retreated, literally destroying their own country as they lured the Germans further and further away from regular supplies.
This was the original rope-a-dope.
The Russian people made modern suicide bombers look like hopeless sissies.
As otherwise noted, Soviet industry was very outdated and was being brought rushing through the advances that had happened over a couple of centuries in other countries in around 50 years. Then they allowed whole tracts of their country to be burned flat.
And started again.
The Russians sacrificed, the Americans introduced lend-lease.
I am no defender of totalitarianism whether of the government or corporate variety, but in the same way that it is said Mussolini made the trains run on time, I doubt a western democracy could have rebuilt its industry in the time and manner the Soviets did.
That strength has also proved to be their weakness as the paranoia of the dictator shut down innovation and centralised all decision making.

Edits: 06/26/07