Watch on the Oder: German Strategic Alternatives, January 1945: In the late summer of 1944, Hitler had to decide whether to remain committed to a counteroffensive in the west or, upon reflection, switch it to the east. There’s no simple explanation for his choice of the western front. The situation was complex, and so were Hitler’s thought processes.

Other Articles

• War Drums Along the US East Coast: Operation Drumbeat was a far greater naval defeat than the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that shortly preceded it. Here’s our analysis of how that came about.
• Crisis Arras: The Allied Counterattack: Referred to by the German high command as “Crisis Arras,” the Allied counterattack near that town on 21 May 1940 was a contributing factor to Hitler’s famous “Halt Order” three days later. That directive stopped the panzers short of Dunkirk, enabling the escape of the BEF, and it also set the stage for the two front war so dreaded by the Germans.
• The Bombing of Japan: The loss of airfields as the Japanese swept across the Western Pacific in early 1942 effectively neutralized the US heavy bomber force in that region. At the same time, though, the Roosevelt administration wanted a victory to boost home front morale. To that end, planners in Washington initiated several projects. This is the story of how those projects turned out.