ORIGINAL: Big B
Further, as for the contribution of the Red Army in bringing down Germany - HUGE, I agree.
That's an understatement if I've ever read one.
But Germany was also completely exhausted after the mass bloodshed followed by occupation after WWI, and still never considered itself beaten.
I can see your point in terms of Germans as a whole dreading war on principal, but after the rather rapid fall of France, the population was elated that the "crime" of Versailles was reversed. They thought the war was over at that point, because Britain, it was hoped would accept or offer peace.
When Hitler invaded the Soviet Union it was recieved with dreaded shock by the German population --- the 2 front war.
As the Germans moved through Russia with relative ease in the summer and fall of '41, the populace grew more confident. It was not until the winter at the gates of Moscow and the emergency drive for winter clothing for the front that anyone had any inclination that something other than total victory was at hand. The debacle at Stalingrad was the underlining of public doubt of eventual victory.
I submit that THAT change of heart happened only because her cities were leveled, ...
Actually, much as the British citizenry came together in solidarity during the blitz, so did the German population for much of the western Allies bombing campaign. What the Germans really feared was the Russian juggernaught steadily chewing it's way westward towards the Reich leaving the Wermacht in its grave.
