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Re: stupid strategic question
Withering on the vine might not have applied in this case. Any strong enough presence could serve as a springboard, a threat on the flank or in the rear. Hitler saw it in the same light, Crimea and Kuban as an alternative path to the Caucasus.
With 20/20 you might reason that the Kuban could have been ignored by the Soviets, but not at the time. A regenerated Wehrmacht in the East would have exploited the bridgehead for a renewed drive towards the Caucasian oil fields.
There simply is no substitute for the Army when it comes to continental warfare. IMHO the same still holds true today.
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Ruy Horta
12 O'Clock High!
And now I see with eye serene
The very pulse of the machine;
A being breathing thoughtful breath,
A traveller between life and death;
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