Stalingrad!

This is coolbert:

From a comment to the blog by Dan:

"1969, was in the service as an junior officer (O3) and had much free time. Bought Avalon Hill's game "1914" and played it about 6 times with my commanding officer (a career officer) in a room not being used so that the board game could be set up and left for long periods of time. Learned that there was no way to win for either side on the Western front. The defense always dominated the offense."

Same for Stalingrad too!

I recall very well that in the early 1960's the Avalon Hill board game "Stalingrad" was made available to the public.

A group of officers either attending Command & General Staff [C&GS] school or the War College at Carlisle Barracks purchased the game and played numerous simulations KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT MISTAKES THE GERMAN HAD MADE AND TRYING TO AVOID SAME!

Understand that these were senior career officers of either field grade rank or flag officers [generals].

Many simulations having been played and the results without exception the same, THE GERMAN HAD NO WAY OF WINNING UNLESS THAT RUSSIAN [Soviet] COMMANDER AN ABSOLUTE DOLT AND MAKING REPEATED BLUNDERS OF MASSIVE PROPORTIONS!

The Russian possessing two overwhelming advantages impossible to overcome:

1. Prodigious numbers of troops, seemingly inexhaustible, and capable of being used in a profligate manner.

2. An ability to move those troops around from rear to front quickly by railroad, where needed and ready.

That one alternative possible when the Sixth Army besieged at Stalingrad an immediate break-out attempt link-up with a relief force and salvation possible, this of course not occurring.

coolbert.