Part 15/16:
Operation Blau was not just a failed military campaign; it was a strategic turning point. It revealed the limits of German mobility, exposed logistical vulnerabilities, and shifted the initiative away from Hitler’s generals and toward Soviet resilience.
The campaign’s failures made clear that the war in the East could not be won through quick victories alone and that resource acquisition—particularly oil—was paramount. Consequently, Hitler’s decision to push for the Caucasus and Stalingrad ultimately compromised Germany’s war effort, sealing its fate on the Eastern Front.