Hitler's war and racial policy

[Kelvin]

Historian like Fuller always critized Hitlers' failure to take advantage of non-Russian population when he attacked Russia.
But many non-Russian population did support Hitler in Soviet-German war of 1941-1945. Ukrainan provided Hitler 14th SS divison, Estonian provided 20th SS and manpower for 300th z.b.v division and security troop. Latvian also provided 15th and 19th SS and security troop for German. Cossack provided two cavalry divisons. Georgian, Armenian and Turkistan provided many separate infantry battalions.
Some always think Russia had manpower advantage : 199 million in 1941 but only 120 million Russian who really hatred Hitler but other nationalities which Stalin relied on their war effort is in doubt.
Hitler empire had only 80 million German but he also have many nationalities in Russia to provide manpower. Russian advantage in manpower was not obvious.
My point is Hitler did adopt policy to take advantage of Russian multi-nationalites to his benefit. Even some Russian also joined him like Vlasov.The problem is he cannot beat the ruling majority of Russian empire : Russian and her allies Britain and USA. Racial policy is not so important in this war.

[Benoit Douville]

I agree with that historian. True Hitler did adopt policy to take advantage of Soviet multi-nationalites to his benefit but it was too late, the 14th SS Galicia Division joined the War in 1944 like the majority of the other Divisions, it was too late and even than Hitler was still reluctant to adopt such a policy. He should have adopted such a policy when he invaded Ukraine in the summer of 1941 when the population was happy to see the Germans coming, instead the policy that he adopted was too put one of the most brutal gauleteir in there: Erich Koch...

Regards

[Glyndower]

The numbers of fighting units recruited from the conquered eastern territories was very small in the overall context, a few divisions made no difference overall. There is no doubt that Hitler because of his bizarre racial beliefs missed a great opportunity. Vlassov had been sure that he could have formed a Russian liberation army and he was probably right as he was very popular in the early days. He knew though that to be successful any forces formed had to have something to fight for and this could only be a free Russia something Hitler would never permit. The Soviet Union was lucky that Hitler thought of the east as a colony to be exploited by Germany and did not take the opportunity offered of exploiting the anti communist feeling particularly in the Ukraine.

The troops Germany’s allies provided were either too few or too badly equipped to make much difference. Rumania provided large numbers and suffered large casualties but they did not have either the equipment or training, as was shown at Stalingrad, to substitute for good German forces.

Apart from the end of 1941 Russia always had a numerical superiority on the eastern front. A higher percentage of the male population was available for call up because of the extensive use of females, older men and boys in Russian industry then in Germany, if I remember correctly I once read that only about 15% of workers in arms factories were men suitable for the military. The mobilisation of the whole of Communist society for the war effort was not equalled in Nazi Germany. The Communists were able after the huge manpower losses of 1941 and with a smaller population to recruit from in 1942 too replace these loses and increase their forces. This shows an extremely efficient conscription organisation probably more ruthless in its collection and use of manpower than the German. I would hazard a guess that the Red Army probably had a higher proportion of its men in combat formations than the German army.

[Kelvin]

Even Hitler gained the support of the whole Ukrainian population, he also could not defeat Russian as he lacked equipment to equip several million Ukrainian forces. German army itself also faced equipment shortage problem and used a lot of captured equipment. Stalin also not counted the Ukrainian support, he still had 120 million Russian to raise an army. (60% of its population) I don't expect Stalin army dependent on Armenian, Ukrainain, Geogrian ( though Stalin was Geogrian), Azarbayejan, Chechen, Tatar or Cossack conscript. What Hitler conquest in 1941/42 was non-Russian territories. If Hitler had equipment for that job, he should equip her allies first such as Hungary and Romania. Hungarian did not need to use Toldi light tank (only 20mm cannon) but depolyed massive number of Panther or at least Pz IV.
Waffen SS still used British Bren, Russian Maxim, Dutch Lewis, Danes Madsen MG and a lot of Belgian and Polish pistols at the end of the war, Hiter lacked the resources to equip these non -Russian allies even if he get their support.