The Nazis were not stupid.

I often see claims about the Nazis being stupid or making stupid mistakes. In reality, the Nazis were highly educated and were a lot more clever than other countries. This was evident in their military tactics. They did a lot of planning and had many contingency plans. In 1940, they anticipated the British would use the RAF to bomb Germany and created the Blitz. The Blitz was an attempt to break the British's spirits and will to fight. In 1941, they anticipated that the Soviets would pull back to the Ural Mountains. They created the code name "Barbarossa" for their invasion of the Soviet Union and planned for a siege of Leningrad, which would eventually become a 900 day siege.<br><br>The Nazis were highly educated. Many Nazis were scientists and engineers. They were often members of various professional organizations before they joined the Nazis. Some notable examples include:<br><br>* Philipp Leopold von Boch Daun, the father of Ludwig Boch Daun. Philipp was a physicist and member of the German Physical Society. He was a Major in the German Army in 1933.<br>* Fritz Todt, Hitler's Minister for Armaments and Ammunition. Todt was an engineer and geologist and member of the German Engineering Society and German Geographical Society.<br>* Karl Dönitz, Admiral of the German Navy. Dönitz was an engineer and naval officer who was a member of the German Engineering Society.<br>* Ernst Toch, a composer and musicologist. Toch was a Nazi Party member and held the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel).<br>* Ernst Heinkel, a pioneer of jet aircraft. Heinkel was the founder of Heinkel Flugzeugwerke and a member of the German Aviation Club.<br><br>Hitler was an art enthusiast and appointed many art historians to important positions. Adolf Ziegler was the Reich Minister for Fine Arts. Ziegler was a professor and art historian. Karl Tschuppik was a professor of German literature and history at the University of Vienna. Tschuppik was the son of a Jewish father. Hitler appointed him as a Reichsvertreter in 1938.<br><br>Hitler also had many professors and academics in important positions. Konrad Heiden was a professor and historian. Heiden was a member of the German Communist Party before joining the Nazis. Dietrich Eckart was a professor and art historian. Eckart was a member of the German Nationalist Party before joining the Nazis. Eckart was a close friend of Hitler's and helped Hitler get an appointment with Chancellor Karl von Kahr. Ernst Kaltenbrunner was a professor and historian. Kaltenbrunner was an SS General. Walter Schellenberg was an art historian and a member of the German Foreign Office. Schellenberg was the head of the SD (the Nazis' version of MI6) and the Gestapo in Italy and France. Walter Frank was an historian and director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Anthropology, Human Heredity and Eugenics. Frank was a professor at the University of Breslau and director of the Reich Commission for the Scientific Registration of the Hereditary Conditions of the Population in Germany. Frank was a Nazi Party member and SS Oberführer. He was also a close friend of Himmler's.<br><br>Hitler was an art enthusiast and was the Commander in Chief of the German Army from 1939 to 1941. He appointed many generals who were professors or had a background in the military academies. Heinz Guderian was a General in the German Army. Guderian graduated from the Royal Prussian Main War Academy in Berlin in 1918. He was also an instructor at the War Academy. Erich von Manstein was a Field Marshal and General of the Artillery. Manstein graduated from the Royal Prussian Main War Academy in Berlin in 1920. Erich von Lewinski was a General in the German Army. Lewinski graduated from the Royal Prussian Main War Academy in Berlin in 1915. He was also a professor at the Academy. Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg was a General in the German Army. Geyr graduated from the Royal Prussian Main War Academy in Berlin in 1917. He was also an instructor at the Academy.<br><br>Hitler also had many politicians with a background in law or politics. Franz von Papen was the last Chancellor of the Weimar Republic and was a member of the German Foreign Office. Papen graduated from the University of Marburg in 1909 with a degree in law. Papen was a member of the German Nationalist Party. He joined the Nazi Party in 1934. Franz Lützow was a Reichsvertreter from 1933 to 1938. Lützow graduated from the University of Jena in 1906 with a degree in law. Lützow was a member of the German Nationalist Party before joining the Nazis. Wilhelm Kube was a Reichsvertreter from 1933 until his death in 1943. Kube graduated from the University of Halle in 1902 with a degree in law. Kube was a member of the German Nationalist Party before joining the Nazis. Friedrich Wilhelm Krieger was a Reichsvertreter from 1933 until his death in 1945. Krieger graduated from the University of Leipzig in 1910 with a degree in law. Krieger was a member of the German Nationalist Party before joining the Nazis. Franz Konrad was a Reichsvertreter from 1933 to 1939. Konrad graduated from the University of Freiburg in 1902 with a degree in law. Konrad was a member of the German Nationalist Party before joining the Nazis.