E.g. you could construct scenarios where Germany and the Soviet Union would not attack each other. Easy, decisive German victory, because there would be no Eas

E.g. you could construct scenarios where Germany and the Soviet Union would not attack each other. Easy, decisive German victory, because there would be no Eastern front. The Eastern Front was by far the largest, by whatever measure you care to choose: German casualties (more than half), total military casualties, total civilian casualties, materiel losses. Historians are finally shedding the Hollywood propaganda and calling it "arguably the single most decisive component of World War II, eventually serving as the main reason for Germany's defeat." (Bellamy, Chris - Absolute War: Soviet Russia in the Second World War) Also see Wikipedia's page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)