The Nazi propaganda system was a fine-tuned and well oiled machine that kept the majority of the German population (including the average soldier) mostly in the dark about the failing war effort.

The Nazi propaganda system was a fine-tuned and well oiled machine that kept the majority of the German population (including the average soldier) mostly in the dark about the failing war effort.

Although, there were incidents that they simply could not cover up or spin into a positive note. For example; the loss of an entire army group at Stalingrad and increased Allied bombing raids began to shed light onto Germany’s military woes. Nonetheless, many of the rank and file soldiers remained optimistic about the war effort for the majority of the conflict.

The Battle of Stalingrad (Aug 1942-Feb 1943) is considered by many to be “The beginning of the end” for Germany on the Eastern Front, yet even after their disastrous defeat there, many in the German military still believed a victory could be carved out from the Russians. While huge amounts of irreplaceable men, equipment & morale were lost at Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht still remained a capable force & many units (while depleted and demoralized) were spurred on by promises and rumors that a decisive victory would happen soon.

As the battle for Stalingrad came to a bloody close, the outnumbered and exhausted Germans managed to pull off a string of small victories under Field Marshal Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Manstein. These small wins coupled with fresh reserves and equipment boosted the morale of the battered German military, there was still a victory to be grasped. The stage was set for the Battle of Kursk.

Kursk was the hope and promise that many German soldiers on the Eastern Front were looking for; if they won here, the war in the East would again swing in their favor and eventually to a final close, well…according to the propaganda and the higher chains of command, who were now desperate to maintain the facade of victory.

Thus, when the Germans were soundly defeated at Kursk, many on the Eastern Front realized they couldn’t entirely defeat the Russians. The Wehrmacht’s top units and equipment were destroyed by the Red Army, the best scenario many rank and file soldiers hoped for now was a stalemate or peace treaty similar to WW1; Germany would lose face, but the Germans wouldn’t lose Germany.