Why Did Hitler Dare to Invade the Soviet Union? The Pre-War Power Disparity between Nazi Germany and the USSR Was Significant

Hitler’s Invasion of the Soviet Union Was Well-Considered

From our current perspective, the question arises as to why Hitler would so recklessly attack the Soviet Union.

With the situation in the West still unresolved with Britain and the United States, where did Germany get the audacity to hastily attack the colossal entity to the East?

However, from Hitler’s viewpoint at the time, the Soviet Union had already shown its weaknesses during the Winter War with Finland, and Nazi Germany was far superior to the Soviet Union in most aspects.

Soviet-German Human Resources Comparison

We’ve learned from textbooks that by 1938, through two Five-Year Plans, the Soviet Union had achieved the highest industrial output in Europe and the second highest in the world.

However, the textbooks don’t mention that Germany surpassed the Soviet Union the following year, in 1939, positioning itself as the second highest globally.

Many have a vague understanding, knowing only that the Soviet Union had a large population and abundant resources with a powerful industry, while Germany…