Part 8/13:
- Pre-existing German Resources in the Soviet Union: The Germans had already seized shale oil in Estonia and other resources in Ukraine, such as coal and iron, which provided critical supplies. Many of these resources would have been out of reach or far harder to access through Turkey.
The Overestimation of Soviet Weakness
Hitler's own beliefs about the Soviet Union's purported vulnerability played a significant role. As early as 1923, Hitler believed the USSR was ripe for dissolution, famously asserting that "if we simply kick in the door, the rotten structure will collapse." This overconfidence — combined with Stalin’s actual resilience — contributed to the decision to launch Operation Barbarossa, rather than pursue a more indirect route through Turkey.