tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post2908255333589501747..comments2024-03-27T20:37:08.065+01:00Comments on Defence and Freedom: Encirclements in theoryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-55524884364259776482013-11-02T15:52:22.894+01:002013-11-02T15:52:22.894+01:00Whereas I am arguing that Stalingrad was not encir...Whereas I am arguing that Stalingrad was not encircled and to say it was, even "disappointingly," is simply fallacious: regardless of earlier encirclement successes the WH had advancing across the Russian steppe in '41 and summer '42.NWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-45133631889392643872013-11-01T08:09:22.653+01:002013-11-01T08:09:22.653+01:00Look at the context of the encirclements of Soviet...Look at the context of the encirclements of Soviet forces by the German army in 1941. By the campaign's standard the encirclement of Stalingrad was quite disappointing and a very different beast than the pocket at Vyazma, for example.<br /><br />Plenty castle or city sieges of history were "successful" in the end as well, but disappointing because they lasted a year or more.<br />Disappointing or not is a question of ambition.S Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03359796414832859686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-82014287177498393422013-11-01T00:10:31.467+01:002013-11-01T00:10:31.467+01:00I don't think your historical examples are goo...I don't think your historical examples are good ones. The only people to be cut off at Stalingrad were the Germans of 6th Army and they were completely shafted by the RKKA from that point onwards - it destroyed that army. It's hardly a disappointing encirclement, there was no higher Soviet objective during URANUS other than the encirclement and destruction of 6th Army: which they achieved.<br /><br />Falaise is, in the English literature, commonly counted as a flawed encirclement anyways because of the amount of time it took Allied units to close the gap. This time is attributed to friction between commanders rather than any militarily acceptable reason, like "death-worshipping war-gods grades of resistance" (which didn't happen at Falaise) from units trying to hold open the shoulders of the pocket.<br /><br />I think that your examples need work. I like the concept: the Russian specificity of language with regards to military concepts really elevates their study of war, in my experience. NWnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-21135843453710785582013-10-30T10:42:53.921+01:002013-10-30T10:42:53.921+01:00You get something wrong about Cannae.
They were fi...You get something wrong about Cannae.<br />They were fighting for several hours. I do doubt that drinking water and resting were unimportant.<br />Both were denied, because the supply line to the river for unarmed camp followers was cut off and the rear of the usual frontline was under attack by horsemen and presumably skirmishers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com