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Originally Posted by HorseSoldier
I haven't read it, but that's interesting. I can believe the Soviets were thinking about it, at least to some extent. I don't think they were being overly realistic in their thinking, if they were, given how poorly Soviet forces performed in the Winter War and on the defense in the early days of Barbarossa.
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Read some the reviews of the book and some of the more than interesting points of views from the airchair "experts" and from within Russia. The most telling thing is the sources from with Russia exclaim to article there was no way Stalin would go back on his word of the Pact between Berlin and Moscow at the time. Most of the "experts" were split.
One of the telling things that strike me as odd, is that at the same time while the German were building up their forces forward, the Soviets were at the same time building up their forces in forward areas. As has been pointed out time and again, it was Stalin purges that had direct linked to why when the Soviets did attack say Finland, Poland, and then attack by the Germans later why they were successful. Yeah I know they were comparatively successful in Poland, but they were already heavily engage against the Germans.
Yet, due to Soviet/Russia military doctrine, one of the problem has always been where units readiness has always been over stated. At the time Soviets were actively also training their units in the fields and the Soviet High Command were evaluating the performance of units down to Regimental level. The one thing they were starting to realize how crippling the system of having their Commander having to strapped with a counterparts from the Party who would have to countersign their orders too. Also the fact the State Secret Police, (depending on time frame with it initials) also had spies at all levels with in all units.
The one intriguing thing is that Soviets could of caught the Germans with their pants down during the time with their conquest of Yugoslavia and other regions of the Balkans. Reality was the Soviets would have done little more than cross the starting lines when everything would of failed because Regimental, Divisional, Corps, and Army Commanders would of been left paralysis due to the system that Lenin and Stalin had impose onto the Red Army.
It was only after many of the Party Officers had been removed an active part of the chain command and many of them given their commands (that another story) that the Soviet military seem to get it act together. Of course, at this time they were forming new units with new weapons and lend-lease equipment were trickling in too.
Just some thoughts.