It is not a good idea to sign a pact with the devil when you're not organized. I mean, it's never a good idea, but it's an exceptionally bad idea when you don't have your house in order.

[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

In their defense, the disorganization was because they were retooling their army for war. They had plans for mass-distribution of semi-auto rifles and widespread motorization and were reorganizing their entire chain of command. The thinking was that Nazi Germany was busy with Britain, and wouldn't be stupid enough to fight a war on two fronts against the foremost powers of the world.

They underestimated Nazi stupidity.

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Reorganizing their entire chain of command because Stalin murdered half the leadership in a paranoid rage over fears that they might have been loyal to

checks notes

The guy who built the Red Army and won the Revolution. Whom Stalin had assassinated. Immediately following the decade when fascism was sweeping through European parliaments and Hitler was straight up telling the world he considered the eradication of Jewish people and Bolshevism his greatest goals.

[–] xor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I think to an extent part of the reason they were disorganised was as a result of the invasion of Poland though, they suffered disproportionate manpower and equipment losses compared to the Germans

[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

They were disorganized because Stalin had just murdered the entire command structure of the military.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purge

[–] xor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 4 months ago

Ah that'll do it