| Seelow Heights was an excellent operational example of elastic defence in action. The only thing missing was that the Germans were not strong enough to ultimately resist the weight of numbers against them nor did they have the strength to exploit any overextension of the Soviet advance. This kind of operation is exactly what the Germans should have doing on a bigger scale after the recapture of Kharkov in Spring 1943.
It's also true that the Soviets seemed to be in a massive rush to get to Berlin and wasted men and materials accordingly. Probably just as well for ole Josef that Hitler did not authorize elastic defence but instead insisted on a more rigid defence posture. They lost enough men and materials as it was.
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"An Emperor is subject to no-one but God and justice."
Frederick 1, Barbarossa
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