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As the Second World War raged on, Hitler's army, once the most formidable military force in the world, began to show cracks and signs of decay by the war’s final years. The period towards the end of the war—specifically from 1943 onwards—marked a dramatic shift for Nazi Germany. The once-unstoppable Wehrmacht was now a shell of its former self, facing relentless pressure from the Allies on all fronts. Hitler’s military command became increasingly disjointed, and his delusions of victory grew more dangerous, leading to catastrophic decisions that sealed Germany’s fate.
The Turning of the Tide
By 1943, the tide of the war had turned decisively against Germany. The Eastern Front was crumbling, as Soviet forces launched devastating offensives that pushed the Germans back after their defeat at Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad, which ended in February 1943 with the surrender of over 200,000 German soldiers, was a massive blow to Hitler’s army. It marked the beginning of the Soviet push westward, leading to the eventual collapse of Nazi forces in the east.
Meanwhile, in the West, the Allied invasion of Italy (in 1943) and the D-Day landings in Normandy (1944) put increasing pressure on Germany from both sides. Despite these mounting defeats, Hitler’s obsession with military grandeur kept him focused on impossible victories, leading to desperate measures as his army began to disintegrate.
Decimated Forces
By the end of 1944, the Wehrmacht was under intense strain. Manpower shortages, coupled with declining supplies and strategic errors, severely weakened Germany’s ability to fight effectively. The Allies had gained air superiority, with their bombers pounding key cities and infrastructure. The Luftwaffe, once a feared force, was reduced to a shadow of its former self, struggling to protect German skies against overwhelming Allied bombing raids.
Meanwhile, the German army was stretched thin across multiple fronts, fighting in the Soviet Union, France, Italy, and the Balkans, with little to no reinforcements. To make matters worse, military morale had plummeted. Many soldiers who had fought for years were exhausted, and a new generation of recruits was poorly trained and inexperienced. SS divisions began to take on more responsibility, often relying on increasingly brutal tactics as desperation set in.
Hitler's Delusions and Strategic Failures
As the war drew to a close, Hitler’s decisions became increasingly erratic. His refusal to acknowledge defeat and his insistence on holding onto every inch of land led to disastrous military decisions. One of the most notable was his attempt to delay the inevitable by ordering the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. This was the last major German offensive in the west, aimed at splitting the Allied forces and recapturing the vital Belgian port of Antwerp.
The battle, however, ultimately failed. Despite initial success, the Germans were unable to sustain the offensive. The Allied forces, led by the Americans, quickly regrouped, and the German push was stopped cold. The Wehrmacht had lost valuable resources, and by now, the Allied forces were well-advanced into German territory.
On the Eastern Front, the Germans were in full retreat. The Soviet Red Army was advancing from the east, liberating cities such as Warsaw and Krakow, and driving deeper into Germany. By early 1945, the Soviets were nearing the German capital of Berlin, and the once-mighty Third Reich was on the brink of collapse.
The Final Days
In the final months of the war, German forces fought to the bitter end, often without hope of victory. Hitler, holed up in his Berlin bunker, continued to make unrealistic demands, refusing to acknowledge the hopelessness of the situation. Despite the rapidly deteriorating situation, Nazi propaganda continued to emphasize the myth of German invincibility, with reports of miraculous weapons and last-ditch counterattacks.
But by April 1945, it was clear that Germany had lost. The Soviets entered Berlin, and the city fell in May. With the fall of Berlin, Hitler's reign came to an end, and soon after, he committed suicide on April 30, 1945.
Aftermath
Following Hitler’s death, Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on May 7, 1945, officially ending the war in Europe. The Wehrmacht had been decimated. Millions of soldiers were dead, wounded, or captured, and the once-proud military machine had been utterly destroyed. The Nazi regime was dismantled, and Germany was divided into occupation zones controlled by the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France.
In the aftermath, the world witnessed the full extent of Nazi atrocities, including the Holocaust and war crimes committed by members of the SS and other Nazi organizations. The fall of Hitler’s army marked not just the defeat of a military force but the collapse of an ideology that had caused immense suffering across Europe and beyond.
In the end, the story of Hitler's army towards the end of World War II serves as a tragic reminder of the destructive power of unchecked ambition, flawed leadership, and the collapse of a military system driven by a delusional desire for conquest. The remnants of Hitler's once-feared army serve as a symbol of the futility of war when faced with overwhelming resistance, both from external enemies and internal collapse.