Fuel Transport

[msxyz]

I don't think partisans were attacking trainloads of extermination victims.

My grandfather lost a sister to a partisan attack. These were people who kept on working in factories or workshops in occupied territory. While some resistance commanders tried to minimize victims among civilians (also because if you lost the population support, they would rat them out in exchange of food or just out of spite/vengeance), for others any man/woman employed in an activity which could indirectly support the German war machine was fair game, even if they didn't have a choice on the matter. War is a dirty affair indeed.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

My grandfather lost a sister to a partisan attack. These were people who kept on working in factories or workshops in occupied territory. While some resistance commanders tried to minimize victims among civilians (also because if you lost the population support, they would rat them out in exchange of food or just out of spite/vengeance), for others any man/woman employed in an activity which could indirectly support the German war machine was fair game, even if they didn't have a choice on the matter. War is a dirty affair indeed.

I wasn't trying to minimize the losses which did happen. My apologies if I came across that way, and my sympathies over y'all's loss.

 

[special ed]

The Soviets also had this:

View attachment 655872

The Red Army's ZhDT-3 railroad torpedo...

Two six volt automotive batteries, each to automotive starters geared to the front wheels. Great idea.

 

[GrauGeist]

Two six volt automotive batteries, each to automotive starters geared to the front wheels. Great idea.

Note that the batteries are wired in series.

That thing was going to haul ass...

 

[Dimlee]

Oh, it's not a mystery, it's just fact. You can find both German and Soviet reports on how much damage partisans did the German rail operations. I used the term "shocking" only to describe the reaction of those of us who are used to the proportions flown by other air forces.

By mystery, I mean the reason. I find no logical explanation for ignoring the interdiction as a strategy, especially since early/middle 1943 when there was enough aircraft.