CONCLUSION 6. German plans for an offensive against Russia have been upset by the sudden collapse of the Axis forces in Tunisia, the continued Russian pressure against the Taman Peninsula, the intensification of the Allied air attacks and the overall fall in production from which she is now suffering. As a result Germany has been forced to resort to a policy of active defence in Russia until she can see the extent of her new commitments in Southern Europe. If Allied operations against Southern Europe develop successfully these commitments will make such demands on German resources as to rule out any offensive against Russia at least in 1943.