Compare the following weather related conditions that played a pivotal role in all of the following historic events:
(from Acts of Providence that Led to the Defeat of Germany in World War II)
Another related factor was that the Russian winter of 1941 was the coldest winter of the 20th century – a pure act of providence! Additionally, the winter began earlier than usual. Winter is hugely advantageous to the defense, while stalling in the offense; and additionally, the Germans did not have protective clothing.
(from Napoleon’s Campaign Against Russia)
The weather could not have been worse for the French army. Additionally, it wasn’t just a single weather factor such as a scorching summer heat, or a thundering rain, but it was multiple weather factors that struck in devastating power one after the other. As quoted in Wikipedia: “The thunderstorms of the 24th turned into other downpours, turning the tracks—some diarists claim there were no roads in Lithuania—into bottomless mires. Wagon sank up to their hubs; horses dropped from exhaustion; men lost their boots. Stalled wagons became obstacles that forced men around them and stopped supply wagons and artillery columns. Then came the sun which would bake the deep ruts into canyons of concrete, where horses would break their legs and wagons their wheels.[62]A Lieutenant Mertens—a Württemberger serving with Ney’s III corps—reported in his diary that oppressive heat followed by rain left them with dead horses and camping in swamp-like conditions with dysentery and influenza raging though the ranks with hundreds in a field hospital that had to be set up for the purpose. He reported the times, dates and places, of events reporting thunderstorms on the 6th of June and men dying of sunstroke by the 11th.[62]The Crown Prince of Wurttemberg reported 21 men dead in bivouacs. The Bavarian corps was reporting 345 sick by June 13.”[63]
(from The Battle of Waterloo)
The weather was disastrous for the French. Napoleon’s strategy was to conduct an offensive in order to destroy the allied armies before they were able to combine against him. However, the weather could not have been poorer for the offensive. The French army was forced to march through rain and black coal-dust mud to reach Waterloo, and then to contend with mud and rain as it slept in the open. Little food was available for the soldiers. Napoleon, with the reserves, made a late start on 17 June and joined Ney at Quatre Bras at 13:00 to attack Wellington’s army but found the position empty. The French pursued Wellington’s retreating army to Waterloo; however, due to bad weather, mud and the head start that Napoleon’s tardy advance had allowed Wellington, apart from a cavalry action at Genappe, there was no substantial engagement (allowing Wellington to set up a strong defensive position at Waterloo in advance of the next engagement).
(from The Battle of Austerlitz)
The weather was perfect for Napoleon’s army. The army was cloaked by dense mist during the early stage of the battle, hiding them from enemy view. However, if the mist lingered too long, Napoleon would be unable to determine when the Allied troops had evacuated Pratzen Heights, preventing him from timing his attack properly.[39]
However, as they went up the slope, the legendary ‘Sun of Austerlitz’ ripped the mist apart and encouraged them forward.[42] Russian soldiers and commanders on top of the heights were stunned to see so many French troops coming towards them.[44] Thus, the mist worked to perfection. Additionally, the weather allowed for a march of French troops, Davout’s III Corps, of 110 km in only 48 hours. To support his weak right flank, Napoleon ordered them to support the extreme southern flank that would bear the heaviest part of the Allied attack. Their arrival was crucial in the success of the French plan. Had the weather been poor, a march at this speed would have been impossible.
(from Uncanny Coincidences Leading to the Successful D-Day Invasion)
Another tremendous act of providence was a brief lull in impossible conditions during the only window of time where the tide was low so that the defenses would be exposed and the allies wouldn’t have to wade through high tide. Yet, because the conditions were expected to be so bad for the entire month, many Wehrmacht commanders left their posts to attend war games in Rennes, and men in many units were given leave.[44] Field Marshal Erwin Rommel returned to Germany for his wife’s birthday and to meet with Hitler to try to obtain more Panzers.[45] Indeed, the entire month had poor conditions – except for the very day scheduled for the invasion which had a full moon, and the perfect tide, and just enough visibility for the invasion to take place . But the Axis did not believe that the Allies would attempt an invasion with such poor conditions and therefore, the beaches were left with a fraction of their actual forces.
