What reason made soviet union to have more casualties during ww2?

Answer 1

The Soviet Union losses were high due to several factors:

(a) Germany invaded Russia and had to fight a harsh campaign against determined troops who were not prepared and also against organized partisans.Partisan war resulted in many massacres.Many were murdered because they either collabrated with Germans or helped the resistance.

(b) The Soviet Army was not modernized as much as the German Army during the first year or so. The Russians didn't have enought tanks. Their aircraft were older design. This caused more casualties as the Russians retreated.

(c) German army wasnt much of a modernized system either - most of theyr transport were with the horses , not mechanized.The mark 1 and 2 tanks made up 50% of the German tanks didnt have even turrets.The operation Barbarossa almost failed in 1941 summer.What i mean is Germany wasnt able to push deep enough into russia to fast enough to break it down.And that means the war could last one resulting in more and more people being killed.

(d) The Soviet military leaders were not prepared and trained for the battle they had to face with the experienced German commandersThe soviets also used human wave tactics and executed many of theyr own soldiers.Some sources say they killed up to 1 million of theyr own troops.

(e) The Soviet Army, the commanders and all the way up to Stalin, had to sacrifice their soldiers in order to stop the Germans. When the Russians began to push the Germans back, they still ordered their soldiers into suicidal attacks in order to take ground. The Russians knew the German Army was limited in their resources and manpower and could win the war through attrition.

(f) There were several prolonged battles at major cities that cost many lives. The seige of Lenningrad lasted 1000 days. These long battles resembled the WW1 trench warfare that was so costly.Battle of Stalingrad however was the bloodiest battle of all the time resulting 1.4-1.5 million deaths.

(g) Soviet forces had an NKVD units behind them that that shot theyr own troops for retreating.Many Russians were arrested and shot by theyr own commanders.

(h) In first years the soviet forces were not allowed to retreat causing many of the Russian forces being surrounded and destroyed in the battle.

(i) Germans were using scourged earth tactics and burned down many villages , the winter took many lives because theyr homes were destroyed and even theyr clothing and food was taken.In addition to that the Stalin ordered its forces to destroy any village near enough to German lines to be wiped out so Germans cant house themselves in there in the winter.This resulted in serveal hundred thousand civilian deaths.