Nigel Cawthorne
“But it was a mere hiatus. The Wehrmacht’s stiffened resistance merely postponed the inevitable. As early as 23 December 1944, it was clear that the Ardennes offensive had failed. The Germans attacked again in the east on 12 January 1945. But in tanks alone they were outnumbered seven to one and on 20 January Soviet soldiers set foot on German soil. The V-1 and V-2 failed to be the war-winning weapons that had been promised. Now Colonel Reichhelm and his comrades had to face up to reality: It co...uld be foreseen that, as soon as spring 1945, Germany was to break down, if something extraordinary did not happen. But the German soldier went on fighting. He did no more cherish any ideal, but, in most cases, he seemed to have still a certain remainder of faith in Hitler. The point, however, that mattered most was this: the German soldier fought because he had nothing more to lose and because he was looking for his last chance. Already, by autumn 1944, there was scarcely a German family that had not lost one of their dearest relatives or that had not been bombed out and lost everything they had.MoreLess
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