Bloody Battles

what was the total figures of deaths during the battle of berlin?

 

me262:
I've seen documentaries on the Battle for Berlin that put Russian "casualties" at 2 million.
The battle for Seelowe Hights was just a warm-up to that "Mother" of a battle for Berlin.

Tim

 

why didn't russia see the importance of paratroopers in ww2? they really could've used them to by pass german strong holds? same thing in the battle for okinawa, the us didn't drop the 11th airborne in the shuri line. they would've made the battle much easier, what do you think?

 

so we can conclude that stalin ordered the capture of berlin not matter the cost,
and what about german casualties?

 

That would be the Soviet Sixth Army.

 

The Soviet Union made the first practical use of the paratroop idea. Soviet experiences with airborne operations in WWII pretty much made them give up on largescale paradrops by 1943. Paratroops were too lightly armed, too immobile and too isolated in terms of supply and reinforcement to be effective. They requried so much logistical effort in preparation and transport that were difficult to use in "spontaneous" operations.
Okinawa was too congested to use the 11th Airborne, the Japanese probably would have been able to isolate and contain a drop. A better question is why no amphibious end run was made.
This may be one area where Hitler may actually have been on to something after Crete: "The parachute weapon depends on surprise, and this is no longer possible".

 

oh, i think people should see the usefullness of paratroopers