Holocaust versus Wehrmacht

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In 1941, as Nazi Germany launched its campaign against the Soviet Union, it simultaneously intensified its efforts to exterminate European Jewry. This transition from organized executions by the Einsatzgruppen to systematic genocide coincided with the Wehrmacht's military defeats. Yaron Pasher argues that the logistical challenges faced by the Wehrmacht during World War II were largely due to Hitler's fixation on securing resources for the "Final Solution," particularly from the Reichsbahn railway. This anti-Semitic ideology significantly undermined Germany's war efforts. Through an analysis of four key military campaigns—Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, and Normandy—Pasher highlights the contradiction in Hitler's ambitions to dominate Europe while simultaneously pursuing genocide. As Operation Typhoon commenced in November 1941, trains began transporting Jews to the East, with the last transports carrying Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz coinciding with the Allies' invasion of Western Europe. The trains that could have supplied the Wehrmacht with essential resources were instead dedicated to the Final Solution, leaving the German forces overstretched and vulnerable. Ultimately, Pasher illustrates how what Hitler termed "the Jewish problem" contributed to his downfall, showcasing the inseparable link between the Nazis' military objectives and their ideological war against the Jews.