Third, Hitler greatly expanded the size of government when he committed perhaps the biggest strategic folly of any leader in history and launched [[Operation Barbarossa]]. The Eastern Front attack was a complete disaster given the timing of the attack (Russian winters), but perhaps it would have failed if he had done it at another time. Maybe [[Joseph Stalin]] would have attacked first if Germany didn't attack first as some historians argue.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_offensive_plans_controversy] It is hard to predict the actions of militant atheist madmen. Regardless, WWII launched Germany into an era of big government. | Third, Hitler greatly expanded the size of government when he committed perhaps the biggest strategic folly of any leader in history and launched [[Operation Barbarossa]]. The Eastern Front attack was a complete disaster given the timing of the attack (Russian winters), but perhaps it would have failed if he had done it at another time. Maybe [[Joseph Stalin]] would have attacked first if Germany didn't attack first as some historians argue.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_offensive_plans_controversy] It is hard to predict the actions of militant atheist madmen. Regardless, WWII launched Germany into an era of big government. |