Germany's Weaknesses

Ineffective command structure

• Hitler was the only decision maker
  • He does not know everything
  • Could not make correct decisions
    • Bombing of Britain's cities instead of Royal Air Force
      • Gave RAF time to recover
    • Shift of military division from Moscow to attack other places
      • Lost the chance to end the war against USSR

Reliance on Petroleum

• GR had little natural petroleum
• Still used petroleum as main source of power
• GR had no oil trade
  • Unable to obtain natural petroleum
  • Used synthetic oil instead
• Synthetic oil was less effective
  • From 1943 onwards, USA bombed GR synthetic oil plants heavily

Not enough oil to power war machines

War on two fronts

• Invaded USSR (Operation Barbarossa) while still at war with Britain
  • Stretched out GR's resources even more
  • Initial success at USSR, but retreated due to Russian winter