The fall of the Third Reich

Author: (English) Jordan, translated by Lü Shengli, Yao Baozhen, and Wang Shuqi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: By the end of 1942, the Third Reich had clearly reached its peak. After achieving astonishing victories in the war, Germany's development pace had slowed down. That same year, the war strength of the Allies continued to grow. The entry of the United States into the war meant that the powerful industrial capabilities of the U.S. were about to be brought to bear in the anti-Fascist war. 1942 was a transitional year. The consecutive setbacks of the German army in North Africa and the Soviet Union foreshadowed that the war situation was shifting in favor of the Allies. The entry of the United States further strengthened this trend. At that time, it was still too early to believe that the final victory over the Third Reich was imminent. Hitler still occupied the European continent, the air raids and bombings by the Allies had not caused significant damage, and the Battle of the Atlantic remained in stalemate. Therefore, rather than marking a decisive turning point, the battles of 1942 were more indicative of the beginning of cracks in the German defenses. These cracks continued to widen over the next two and a half years until Hitler's dream of the "Thousand-Year Reich" was completely destroyed.