d not expect this action to start a war with France and Britain. He expected them to stay out of the conflict. The same opinion was applied to the United States after Hitler defeated France and crippled Britain. The involvement of the United States was another factor Hitler failed to plan for. Anticipating the U.S. to continue its history of isolationism, Hitler didnt expect any involvement in Europe once he had conquered Russia. What Hitler wasnt prepared for was the impact his growing army and power would have on the American public opinion. Germany was too powerful and the rumors of the atrocities being performed were too much. This and the declaration of war on the United States by Hitler would force the United States into the war following the Germany First campaign. Soviet/ German RelationsIn 1939 Stalin and Hitler signed a non-aggression pact. While Hitler never intended on abiding by the pact, he saw it as a way to gain much needed time to prepare for war against the Soviet Union. While he was busy preparing to break the pact, Stalin was doing the same thing. Stalin knew Hitler wasnt to be trusted and was moving troops westward during the time Hitler was at war with France and Britain. While not showing signs of aggression, the Russian army was building for its own attack on Europe. Unfortunately Hitlers attack came sooner than Stalin expected and caused the defeats of the Russian army during the early stages of Operation Barbarossa. LOGISTICSWith Russia and Germany now at war, Hitler needed supplies and natural resources to continue the war effort. Prior to Operation Barbarossa, Germany relied on Russia. As the war waged on, Hitler hoped to gain these resources in battle but the Soviet Union had other ideas. Using the concept of Scorched Earth, the Russians left nothing behind that could be used by the Germans against them further complicating the German war and contributing to the demise of the German offensiv...
