World War II and Total War

Why did Hitler assume that his airforce could defeat Britain alone?     Hitler believed that the Luftwaffe would be able to destroy the Royal Air Force. Once the air force was out of the way, they would be able to attack the Royal Navy unopposed and expose Britain to an invasion.

What factor, in your opinion, was the most important in Britain's victory in the Battle of Britain?
   I believe Hitler's failure to focus his attacks on the RAF airfields was the most important factor in the Battle of Britain. By not concentrating on the airfields, Britain was able to build it's air power up and with fighters such as the Spitfires and Hurricanes being produced, the German's bombers were vulnerable.

Why did Hitler invade into the Balkans and why was this significant?
   Because of Italy's failures in the Balkans and their status as an ally to France, Hitler had to jump in to help them out. Had Italy not failed with their campaigns down in North Africa or had they not even tried to invade, the German army wouldn't have had to delay their attack on the U.S.S.R by 6 weeks, avoiding the brutal winter.

What were Hitler's motives for attacking the USSR?
    One of Hitler's main goal in attacking the USSR was to accomplish his aim of Lebensraum which basically meant the expansion of living space for the German people. The USSR provided a vast amount of land and resources. On top of that, Hitler hated communists and saw communism as a gigantic threat causing him to want to eradicate the communist nation.

What factors slowed the initial blitzkrieg of Russia?
     The biggest factor that slowed the blitzkrieg was the October rains which caused the terrain to become extremely muddy. This caused the German army to slow down and be pulled into the harsh Russian winters which they were not prepared for. With frostbite all around and weapons freezing, the Germans were at a disadvantage.