Hitler Made So Many Mistakes. Why & How? Experts Weigh In

I made this documentary TV special for PBS in 1988 when many of those who worked with Hitler and knew him well, were alive. Subscribers and viewers have asked me to post the entire film I made, so here it is.
The Battle of Britain is one of Hitler's mistakes reviewed in my film. 1940 was a critical episode in World War II where Hitler's decision-making played a pivotal role in its outcome. Initially, the German strategy, executed through the Luftwaffe, aimed to achieve air superiority over Britain as a precursor to a possible invasion.
The Mistake: As the battle progressed the Luftwaffe seemed to be making significant gains against British air defenses. However in a pivotal shift, Hitler and the Luftwaffe command, influenced by a desire for retaliation against British bombings of Berlin, shifted their focus from RAF airfields and infrastructure to bombing London and other British cities in what became known as the Blitz.
The critical mistake was the shift in focus from destroying the RAF's operational capabilities to bombing civilian areas. This gave the RAF much-needed respite to recover and reorganize. Had the original strategy been maintained, the RAF might have been pushed to a breaking point, altering the outcome of the battle.
Ultimately, the decision to redirect the Luftwaffe's efforts from military targets to civilian areas is widely regarded as a strategic blunder that allowed Britain to maintain its stance as a base of Allied operations against Germany, significantly influencing the further course of the war in Europe.
Adolf Hitler's leadership during World War II is often criticized for several other strategic military mistakes that significantly impacted the course of the war. These errors are typically attributed to his style of command, his ideological obsessions, and his overreliance on his intuition over the advice of his experienced military commanders.
Mistake: Hitler's decision to invade the Soviet Union in 1941 was arguably his most critical error. The campaign was launched late in the year, which left German forces ill-prepared for the harsh Russian winter.
Why: Historians argue that Hitler was driven by ideological goals, particularly his desire to defeat communism and secure living space (Lebensraum) for the German people. He also underestimated the Soviet Union's military potential and logistical resilience.
Mistake: After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Hitler declared war on the United States, turning what had been primarily a European conflict into a truly global war.
Why: This decision is often seen as a major strategic blunder because it was not strategically necessary and it brought the industrial might of the United States fully into the war against Germany. Hitler believed that war with the U.S. was inevitable and felt a declaration would galvanize his alliance with Japan.
Mistake: Hitler insisted on capturing Stalingrad, leading to a prolonged battle that ended in a disastrous defeat for Germany, with significant losses in men and material.
Why: His decision was driven by the symbolic importance of the city named after his enemy, Stalin. He was also overly confident in a quick victory and ignored the strategic advice of his generals.
Mistake: Throughout the war, Hitler increasingly took direct control of military strategies, often overriding his generals and insisting on no-retreat orders that led to catastrophic losses.
Why: Hitler's distrust of his military commanders grew as the war progressed, and he believed that his will and intuition were superior to traditional military thinking. His leadership style was autocratic, and he preferred to concentrate power in his own hands.
Mistake: Hitler's decision to hold back armored divisions from the Normandy beaches under the command of Field Marshal Rommel and instead keep them centrally located in France was a crucial mistake that contributed to the Allied success on D-Day.
Why: He believed the main Allied invasion would occur elsewhere (Pas de Calais) and insisted on holding back reinforcements based on his own strategic calculations rather than heeding the advice of his field commanders.
These mistakes were largely a product of Hitler's personality: his hubris, his underestimation of his enemies, and his ideological fixations often clouded his judgment.
Historians suggest that these errors were compounded by his centralization of command and his failure to heed more experienced military advice, ultimately leading to operational decisions that were detrimental to Germany's war effort.
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