Part 14/16:
Operation Blau exemplifies how German overconfidence, logistical overreach, and strategic misjudgments led to defeat, despite pushback gains. The campaign demonstrated that traditional blitzkrieg tactics, which relied on rapid encirclements and mobility, were incompatible with the realities of the vast Soviet front and modern warfare.
This turned the German war effort into a prolonged, attritional struggle, characterized by stretched supply lines, unreliable intelligence, and overambitious objectives. Post-Blau, the Germans lacked the logistical capacity and strategic cohesion necessary to sustain offensive operations, marking the beginning of a turning point in WWII.