The Wehrmacht: The dark engine of Nazi Germany's war machine

Formed in 1935, this Wehrmacht was the name given to the combined armed forces of the Third Reich.

It was organized into three main branches: the Heer (Army), the Kriegsmarine (Navy), and the Luftwaffe (Air Force).

By the outbreak of World War II in 1939, it boasted an impressive strength of over 3.5 million personnel.

Within the Luftwaffe alone, approximately 4,000 aircraft were ready for battle at the war's onset. 

At the core of the Wehrmacht's structure was the OKW (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), which served as the high command.

It oversaw strategic planning and coordination among the various branches. Under this umbrella, each branch had its own command structure.

The Wehrmacht's officers were trained at prestigious military academies, which sought to instill a deep sense of duty and loyalty to the Nazi regime.

But they also taught their students how to think on their feet so that they could confidently make their own tactical decisions in the heat of battle. 

The Wehrmacht was designed to be the most advanced military of the age, with an emphasis on the latest equipment and technology.

Central to its arsenal were the Panzer tanks. The Panzer IV and the more formidable Panzer VI Tiger were among the most renowned models.

They allowed for rapid, armored thrusts into enemy territory, designed to quickly break through defenses and scatter opposing forces. 

In addition, artillery pieces like the 88mm Flak gun served dual purposes as both anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons.

For infantry support, the Wehrmacht deployed machine guns such as the MG 42, which was famed for its high rate of fire and reliability.

This weapon became a staple of German infantry units, as it provided suppressive fire. 

Finally, the Luftwaffe, the aerial branch of the Wehrmacht, was equipped with some of the fastest fighter aircraft of the era.

In particular, planes like the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 were pivotal in achieving air superiority during the early stages of the war.

Meanwhile, the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber became a symbol of terror, known for its precision bombing and the psychological impact of its sirens.

When used in conjunction with the tanks and infantry, these aircraft could easily disrupt enemy movements. 

The Wehrmacht's military doctrine was heavily influenced by the concept of Blitzkrieg, otherwise known as "lightning war" in English.

This strategy prioritized speed, surprise, and overwhelming force to quickly incapacitate any enemy they encountered.

At the heart of Blitzkrieg were the Panzer divisions. Built around the Panzer tanks mentioned earlier, they were armored units equipped with additional mechanized infantry that could transport infantry to strategic locations quickly. 

In addition to Blitzkrieg, the Wehrmacht also employed the principles of Auftragstaktik, or "mission command."

This approach granted commanders at all levels a high degree of autonomy to make decisions based on their understanding of the overall objective.

As a result, individual units could adapt quickly to changing battlefield conditions without waiting for orders from higher command. 

One of the Wehrmacht's earliest and most significant campaigns was the invasion of Poland, which began on September 1, 1939.

It demonstrated the frightening effectiveness of Blitzkrieg tactics. The Wehrmacht, particularly relying on the Luftwaffe, quickly overran Polish defenses and captured Warsaw within a month. 

This was followed by the Battle of France in 1940. In a just matter of weeks, from May to June, the Wehrmacht bypassed the heavily fortified Maginot Line by striking through the relatively undefended Ardennes Forest.

By employing swift tank maneuvers and air superiority, German forces were able to encircle and defeated the French and British armies, leading to the fall of Paris on June 14, 1940. 

However, the tide began to turn with Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.

Despite some initial successes and the capture of vast Soviet territories, the Wehrmacht was unprepared for the harsh Russian winter and the resilient resistance.

The ultimate failure to capture Moscow was the beginning of the end of the Wehrmacht's string of uninterrupted victories. 

The leadership structure of the Wehrmacht was celebrated for its early victories, but also may have actually played a crucial role in its worst failures.

At the head was Adolf Hitler, who held the title of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

Then, under Hitler, the Wehrmacht's lead commander structure was filled by experienced military leaders and fervent Nazi loyalists. 

One of the most notable commanders was Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, also known as the "Desert Fox."

Rommel gained fame for his leadership in the North African Campaign, where his Afrika Korps achieved significant victories against the British.

His proactive battle tactics and ability to inspire his troops made him one of the most respected military figures of the war, on both sides of the conflict. 

Along with him was Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel, who was the head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW).

Keitel was unwaveringly loyal to Hitler, which often came at the expense of sound military judgment.

In reality, this contributed to some of the strategic blunders that eventually led to the Wehrmacht's downfall.

In contrast, Generaloberst Heinz Guderian, a pioneer of armored warfare, played a pivotal role in developing the Blitzkrieg tactics that defined the Wehrmacht's early successes.

His expertise in tank warfare was instrumental in the rapid conquests of both Poland and France. 

The decline and defeat of the Wehrmacht began with the critical failure of Operation Barbarossa, as mentioned above.

Then, in the Battle of Stalingrad, which lasted from August 1942 to February 1943, the Wehrmacht's attempt to capture the city resulted in a brutal and protracted siege.

At its completion, German forces were eventually encircled by a Soviet counteroffensive.

This culminated in the final surrender of the German Sixth Army in February.

By this stage, the Wehrmacht had suffered immense losses and hast lost any strategic initiative on the Eastern Front. 

Following Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht then faced a series of crushing defeats on the Eastern Front.

This included the prolonged Battle of Kursk in July 1943. By 1944, the Soviet Red Army had regained much of the territory lost to the Germans and was quickly pushing towards Germany's eastern borders.

Also, on the Western Front, the situation was equally catastrophic for the Wehrmacht.

The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, opened a second front that further stretched German resources.

The Allied forces’ successful breakout from the Normandy beachhead led to the subsequent liberation of Paris.  

Ultimately, the final blow came in 1945 when the Allies crossed the Rhine River into western Germany.

In addition, in the east, the Soviets had encircled Berlin. The Wehrmacht, depleted and demoralized, was unable to mount an effective defense to either of these assaults.

With Hitler's suicide on April 30, 1945, and the subsequent unconditional surrender of German forces on May 7, 1945, the end came for both the Wehrmacht and Nazi Germany.